What nice scenes! I'll have to research whether Cary Grant was really playing that harp...looked like a well-faked effort to me. And the kids having the snowball fight really brought back memories--my brothers and I, and several neighborhood kids, used to build forts that looked just like that, and have major battles.
Well faked effort is right. A combination of seeing his smiling face through the harp someone else is playing, him playing nonsense on the strings, his face hidden either turned or blocked by the top of the harp while a reasonable facsimilie is playing. It must have been frustrating you couldn't just snap your fingers and make actors know how to fly an airplane or play music.
That harp scene is actually inventive. Not in how it's done but the story. He's an angel and she's the benefactor who might build the cathedral but it must be grand to her husband's memory. David Niven is the bishop and he's all balled up in wanting to have a cathedral built for it's own sake - not because it's needed. Loretta Young is the bishop's wife. The inventive part is that Cary magically opens the box and finds the love song that someone wrote to Mrs. Benefactor and he glances at it and then plays it on that harp. She is stirred from the block of wood she's been by hearing that song written just for her and still locked in the box. She knows that because she checks after the harp playing scene and yes it's locked. She wants the cathedral to be built in glory of her husband because that song was not written by her husband. It was written by a long supressed love and Cary Grant the angel gets her to see that and stop with the un-needed cathedral. This irrritates Bishop Niven who is wrestling with his own supressed delusions of grandure for God.
Michel's restaurant is where Bishop Niven used to take Loretta when he was courting her (read: cultivating their love not just having it). That's not unlike Loretta, Cher's mother having dinner in that restaurant in Moonstruck where the staff all knew her because she was a regular. Restaurants quickly know who comes in and how often because regular customers don't grow on trees. One of the things I can do in the future is pick a local restaurant and eat there. If I do that I guarantee you that I will belong as a regular.
One of life's greatest seperators in my mind is the ability to come to the thing and not just wonder if the thing will come to us. When I was a caregiver I was out of energy cycles just surviving. That long experience blowtorched a lot of normal things down to stumps. I was at risk in numerous ways. There used to be a phrase called 'mental breakdown'. We don't use that much anymore. I have a close friend who had one 23 years ago and is still in it's clutches. I'm convinced I was a real candidate for one of those. I'm genuinely grateful that I don't believe I am anymore. I'm a nutbar, but everyone is.
Life doesn't teach us how to self actualize. The extraverts have as much of a problem with that as the introverts. Extraverts are just busier. We open our hearts again to life gradually and if we do then we are on that journey. What journey? Learning to have an interest in something. Maybe again. Maybe for the first time.
The harp playing for Cary Grant was done by Mr. Gail Laughton, Laughton's hands are seen in the film during close-ups of Grant's character playing the harp. A little more research said he did learn to play the harp for the show probably so it would look like he knew what he was doing.
I am hoping to watch Die Hard tomorrow night and see if it will be our favorite Xmas story. And to start a tradition of eating Chinese Xmas eve (I'm Jewish).
Tomorrow I'll visit my wife (at her ALF) with her entire family, give her gifts. Then I and family will got o SIL's house.
I do not know how aware she is that Friday is Christmas. She knows it is soon and it is best if she doesn't obsess about its coming. I know she will enjoy having everyone visit her and give her stuff.
Hi all--I've got my tree up--a five and a half footer. It looks nice already, but I'm going to finish decorating it in the morning, when I can see what I'm doing. I went outside earlier this evening and watched for the space station. I'm pretty sure I saw it, unless it was a plane going over at exactly that same time. And it was in the right part of the sky. I'll say goodnight and head back home--I'm headed for the bathtub with a paperback!
They sent a supply ship to the ISS just over a day ago. I watched the launch of the Russian ship and the docking. Three new crew members and lots of supplies came aboard. The Russians and the Americans work quite well together up there which is encouraging.
It's 50 degrees here. All around me are giddy children running around pumped up on cookies and chocolate and all the excitement. I remember being three feet tall and how wonderous christmas was. Tonight the TV is awash with christmas movies. Elf just ended and The Grinch is on now followed by White Christmas. Same thing tomorrow. Then it's like Cinderella and it all disappears.
I've got my feet up. I had my chinese food. I had a visit from a christmas ghost a little while ago calling himself Marley. He was looking for Scrooge. He went on so about his imaginary chains but I got his attention. "You're looking for Scrooge. I'm screwed. You may want to get a hearing test." He left. I was going to offer an expresso or an energy drink. Oh well.
Ten minute tour of the Internation Space Station. Next time you look up and see it, this is what's shooting by. As an optional followup, how often does an astronaut on the ISS see the sun rise every 24 hours?
Just stopped in for a minute or two to change the cat boxes and make sure everything is turned off. There is a beautiful not-quite-full moon tonight, and the space station just went over. Before I shut down the computer, I noticed that noradsanta.org is tracking him again this year...just saw the little sleigh and reindeer over the Atlantic, headed for Exeter, England. I'm trying to decide whether I want to change my clothes and put makeup on before I go to Mass, or whether I'll just run in at 8pm dressed as I am. Don't think I'll make it for the Midnight...just sounds too exhausting. "See" you all soon.
Myrtle, Our daughter has three cats that she absolutely loves, and the feeling between them is mutual. Rene and I had a cat who lived to age 21 - she was named Duchess, and she had Rene in the palm of her hand. In the last year or so of her life he took her EVERY DAY to the vet to get dialysis. It was $25.00 per day (at that time a lot of money, and still), and because I worked about 9 years longer than he, every day he cooked a special diet of rice and lamb) for her. Finally the vet said "Mr. Karrer, this is very expensive, and I know that you will be very gentle with her ... I am going to teach you how to do it yourself". So, he began the treatments, and he WAS very gentle. I think it bothered him a lot, but he was so gentle with her, and she continued to favor him all the time (except when he played his clarinet - then she disappeared ... critics, critic ... lol). When she finally needed to be euthanised I knew he could not do it, so I took her. I cried too, but it was as if she understood, and I held her while the needle was given. She just sighed, and was gone. She added so much to our lives while she lived ... nice memories. P.S. Our daughter is going out of town for 4 days, and guess who is watching the kitties?
Elizabeth, Since this is The Lodge and these are magical cats, I thought there would be no cat boxes.
Marg78*, What a wonderful relationship your husband had with that cat. You can tell a lot about a man by knowing whether he is kind to animals. I'm so glad you have those memories.
Good morning everyone. Wanted to mention I am here although not doing so great. I have been following all of the threads and not participating because I am really down in the dumps. Wolf mentioned "mental breakdown" a bit ago and I looked that up. Yes, not a term used too much anymore but is also known as "burnout" and "nervous breakdown" and no doubt other things. I have succumbed to whatever the appropriate term.
I am grateful for this lodge especially today. I will enjoy the presence of others and please understand I can't participate too much. Thank you to whoever got the fire going. I am cozy over in the big chair in the corner and fortunately one of the cats is with me. Cats have such healing ways about them.
Merry Christmas to those celebrating it. May we all receive some light and peace today.
Good morning, and Merry Christmas to everyone. Hi Katherine, I fixed you some coffee and I'll sit here and have it with you. There is some good, almond coffeecake, too. Just go ahead and vegetate and relax...put your feet up on the ottoman. (No, cat, that coffeecake is for Katherine, not you!)
I went to 8pm Mass last night--did actually shower, change, and put on makeup and a sparkly hair clip--then watched "Elf" at home, which is lighthearted and fun--for some reason, I had never seen it in its entirety. Then went to bed, read, and slept well. I was amazed when I went to do the catboxes last night that Fluffy and Mousebane poop candy canes. Well, who knew?
Now I need to get over to DD's for Christmas morning with the family. Cross your fingers, everybody. Last year was a disaster. I will be treading on eggshells the whole time.
Merry Christmas to everyone! I'm not upset when someone blesses me whatever religion they are or says Happy Hannukkah or Allah Akbar! I know Jewish people that celebrate christmas and moslems that help bake christmas cookies and christians that help make moslem sweets (ok one family that help each other with baking).
Today is a busy day in the kitchen for most but at the lodge just as in previous years all food has no calories and I'm having soft shell crab cakes with my eggs benedict and grits. Have anything you want. Stacks of flapjacks with sausage and syrup. Toasted western sandwich on home made bread. Lobster rolls with an avacado salad at lunch.
If you're alone, turn the TV or the radio on and invest two minutes to find a station that might work, turn up the volume so you can hear it and leave the room. If you're not alone and need to get away, get a headset, switch to mono, put one speaker over your ear and the other behind your ear. Now you can hear them and still get away a bit.
If you can't do any of that then it's you at the top of my present list where I would like to send you some of my strength. I didn't have any then either and I clung then too but I have spare cycles and if you can use them - please have them. Remind yourself that somewhere you can do these things again. I didn't think that way and it's not that great the first year anyway but it's what I have and I'm working with it.
Christmas morning at DD's with ex s-i-l and the grands went OK. They seemed to be going out of their way to butter me up this year. (I would certainly hope so, after practically getting thrown out the door last year, because I said I wanted to move back to NY.) Anyway a decent couple of hours...I played lots of carols on their piano...lots of snacks set out, but apparently no Christmas dinner on offer...and I came home to a couple nice phone calls with other DD in Colorado and with step-dad here in the Heartland. I will go and see him on the 28th if the roads are OK, and take him out to lunch. (Or try...we'll probably fight over the check.) He is 90-years-old and his WWII injuries are kicking up again--his minesweeper got strafed and sunk off Borneo when he was 17 years old. Man of steel--I don't think they make them like that anymore. Anyway, we had a nice talk, and it's nice to know that I have at least one good old family member left from the prior generation.
I have lots of good food laid in for myself, so am going to eat supper early and watch "Fred Claus." If it's stupid, I'll read my book instead. Got nice, warm Christmas wishes by email from the English cousins...very nice to hear from them. And I walked in the park. All in all, a much nicer Christmas than last year. (And I promise to stop using the word "nice" so much. Ha-ha. )
Wolf, a lobster roll with an avocado salad and a glass of white wine sounds perfect. I was not able to eat much of my meal at the veteran’s home since I was so busy helping my husband with his food. Afterwards, I took him out for a long car ride. It was nice.
elizabeth, I’m worried about your daughter’s going out of her way to butter you up. I hope this is not part of another plot to keep you in servitude. I don’t think I'll be able to relax about your situation until your house is sold and you are on the road back to NY.
marg78*, I’ve been thinking about Rene and the cat dialysis. When one of my late cats needed subcutaneous fluids, I was too chicken to give him the injections but at that time we had a home health aide for my husband. She was fine doing it, so she injected the cat during her twice weekly visits with my husband. It’s funny how things work out, isn’t it?
katherine, I hope your day was restful. I think that many of us have experienced nervous breakdowns.
Just ran back in to drop off "Elf" and "Fred Claus." They are just fun, humorous, "feel good" Christmas movies--nothing that you couldn't watch with kids or any other relatives or friends. . And I defy even Wolf to find anything profound in them. As long as I'm here, I might as well stay. I was just going to read my book at home anyway. And isn't this the place where the snacks are calorie-free? Bring on the chocolate! Yahoo! Come on, MouseBane and Fluff, let's sit in the recliner.
I just checked the Eagle Cam again. Harriet is still sitting there on her eggs...still looks like a big, old chicken.( When I was a child I used to go and sit in the hay in Grandma's chicken house. So I remember what chickens look like in their nests.)
Is that Elizabeth* and Charlotte playing "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" on the harp and sax?
Stopped by to sit by the fire, have some of the delicious homemade cookies and sip my first glass of eggnog of the season. Good to be surrounded by friends. sorry I am late this year but dealing with many unexpected events this holiday season.
No, I hate that song. We are playing "Ding Dong Merrily on High." And next on our song list is "Joy to the World." Just let us know when you've had enough and want us to stop so you can watch TV or whatever. : D
Whew, what a day. I drove an hour and a half to take step-dad (he is actually my uncle--no blood relation--my dad's sister's widower) to lunch, and he didn't want to go out--had a small pork tenderloin he wanted to cook. So I cooked that for us, and had it with some veggies and hot cups of tea-we were having a nice visit--and then he falls! I couldn't get him up, and while he seemed to be OK, he had a couple good sized skin tears on his forearm. Fortunately he has wonderful neighbors who were able to help me get him up...and I found all kinds of medical supplies back in his bathroom from when my mother was still alive...so I patched him up. He flatly refused to go to the ER to be looked at. Never a dull moment. I talked to the neighbors later by phone after I got home (Dad had insisted I leave to get on the road so I'd be home before dark.) They agreed that he is not confused and pretty much does what he wants...we decided that I didn't need to call any of my cousins (his kids), because if he wanted them to know, he would call them himself. I also talked to another one of my cousins (the pastor), and she said the same thing...since he is perfectly alert and oriented, and makes his own usually decent judgements, I should not be calling his kids behind his back. She felt I had done all I could do, and everything that was appropriate. He doesn't normally have falls, but he was wearing sloppy slippers and just took a mis-step. He has a pair of brand-new shoes, too, which he should have been wearing. Sigh. You can't tell them anything. He is Larry's age within 3 weeks. He will be 91 on Feb. 18, and Larry would have been 91 on March 7, if he had lived. They were good friends...
Anyway, I've been home by my own fireside with the Christmas lights on all evening... So pleasant. I just came over to the Lodge for a few minutes to say hello and have some virtual eggnog, since I've been good and have not had any at home. I like this somewhat quiet week between Christmas and New Year's. Oh, Charlotte, my pastor cousin and her husband have just bought a 32 foot Coachman Leprechaun. They're selling their house and going to travel around and just live in the RV in retirement.
Wow...just wow. Who brought the Steinway in? A full concert grand! OMG, I just have to do a couple of easy carols before I run home. Listen to Fluffy purring when I play "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" in G Major. It must be his key. Now I'm doing "Silent Night" very quietly in C Major, and he jumped off the bench and went to use his catbox. Well, excuse me Fluff.
Hello, is anyone here? I'm just going to sit by the fire and have some cinnamon tea and read for a while. I like having the cats to pet...probably should think about getting my own. Wishing everyone a New Year filled with love and peace, and all of God's blessings.
I am here now. Brought my diet pepsi and little bottle of rum for midnight. Enjoying your piano playing. So relaxing and warm sitting in front of the fire not thinking about the future - just this evening.
I'm here too. Sometimes there's nothing like putting your feet up in front of the fire. I have a channel on my TV that does a fireplace crackling on a continuous loop all year. I have a sunset and an aquarium channel as well. Sound therapy is something I believe works although I don't use those channels.
I believe the women here might consider more scent therapy. Having something nice to smell is a healing kind of thing. Some people like a little lavendar in the drawer or a scented candle or even incense. Quite a few people are in areas where wild lavender and dozens of other scents can be harvested and dried locally and then mixed or even crushed with a pestle and mortor idea and sewn into a small bit of cloth as a cache. If we spend some time this winter researching a bit and investing in things that are all free we can do something as one potential channel of engagement.
For instance I could take something from a cloth I like and gather say four scents from natural things. Then I could blend them or read about what blends well. I could make up personally blended scent caches. When I open certain drawers next winter or open certain closets all of that will live in my senses - and I will have one more thing to my world I'm engaged with.
I'm just thinking out loud. I'm eating christmas cookies my neighbour gave me when I went over there to a christmas street party. One of the things I believe is that self authorization is a way closer to our god because authorizing more of our power is really willingness to accept the responsibility to be more. Afterall, it's indisputable that your power is there so somehow you got that or someone gave it to you. That door is always open and it's neither shame to not go forward nor is it glory to do so. It's simply authorizing yourself to be more of what was given to you.
I made that scent thing up after I sat down in front of the fire here. I haven't thought it through but there are actually some possibilities. All I have to do is be able to identify lavender for example and learn when it's right to harvest around here. One day I find where lavender grows which is going to be lots of places and go pick a big bunch, tie them with some cord, and hang them in a bunch to dry. I hang my catnip off of a small nail. I pick it from my front garden. It makes me feel like a pioneer.
The thing is there comes a point in life sometimes when we realize that where we're driving, the rearview isn't that important and we can just pull it out of it's socket and throw it away. We're going out there and that's not behind us so a rearview mirror is minimally useful.
What's useful is knowing ourselves more where I learned recently I've been misquoting Christ and that 'know thyself' actually comes earlier at the Oracle of Delphi. I learned that reading an article about Dear Abby columns which started in 1692 apparently. It instantly became popular to read advice to an unknown person where it felt like you were looking over the shoulder of a private conversation. Gossip basically. The article quoted a reader asking in 1693 if it was alright to throw witches into the lake. I'm sure they were just trying to help.
Where was I? Oh yah, feet up in front of the fire.
It's 10:45 and I just got back from the veteran's home. I was there from 4-6 and helped my husband with his supper. At 7:30 the nursing supervisor called me at home, saying he was acting out and they would probably send him to the ER. I asked them if it was possible to wait for me to get there before they called the ambulance. They were able to do that and I got there by 8:00 and helped to calm him down and get some Ativan into him. I am very tired but here I am, ready to celebrate the new year.
This Lodge and your company are exactly what I need tonight. I'll just rest here and listen to the music, maybe have a cup of hot chocolate. Where did that piano come from? It's spectacular. Look at Mousebane and Fluffy - they are like yin and yang the way they're curled up together. Happy New Year.
So I'm making up a story. The plot line is that a fifteen year old boy goes on a train ride to visit his relatives for the long weekend. His parents are good providers and everything is proper and just so. They take him to the train station and his father shakes his hand and his mother straightens his collar and he's off on the train. He's never met these relatives and no one is there at the small station to meet him. He looks at his watch to make sure. After an hour an old car pulls up and an older man with white hair calls out his name. He reaches out his hand and is smothered in a clinching hug that leaves him stunned and a little dizzy. The man never stops talking and grabs his suitcase and things and just throws them into the back seat. There are things just lying there in the car that look like they've been there for a while. They pull out onto the road and the man rolls the window down all the way while the car is moving. Air is blowing around everywhere and the man has never stopped talking for a minute. "Go on and roll the window down. Get some air." he encourages him and so he does and his hair is blowing and he can hardly hear the man because he's on a county fair ride suddenly and he's leaning out a bit squinting into the wooshing wind.
They arrive and it never stops. It's a sprawling farmhouse. There are never less than a dozen people there and they seem to change. He meets the grandmother upstairs in the attic snooping around and she scares him to death but ends up having the longest talk with him. Dinner is mayhem and everyone is always talking and he goes into town on saturday night with his one year older cousin driving and his sixteen year old girl cousin making fun of him that she was going to kiss him while the other couple who he had no idea about had brought a small bottle of some sweet liquor they passed around and he had to drink from the same bottle everyone put their mouth on and nobody cared. They drove to a dance where he was too scared to do anything but watch and late that night his cousin came into his room and told him he was a nice guy and she was there on a mercy mission and she kissed him and boldly felt him where nobody ever had and left.
His aunt was always in the kitchen with people and always going in and out. He hardly talked to her but she always smiled at him and often put her hand on him when he was near. He felt her affection for him like a perfectly pitched middle C through the throng that was in the kitchen the minute he walked in and when he was shaking hands and hugging as he was leaving. He hugged the man who drove him to the station and sat in wonder on the train looking around at the world.
His parents were just arriving as the train pulled up. He shook his father's hand and his mother straigtened his collar and they placed his suitcase in the trunk so it was secure and pulled out of the train station with him in the back seat behind his father. He looked out the window for a while and without thinking rolled the window down. The wind blew around as he saw his mother and father look at each other with some concern. He rolled the window back up and pretended nothing had happened which was fine with his parents. He was going to have to be patient.
....
I put the bare bones of this up about a year ago which is when it crossed my mind. Playing around with a post. Now I don't want to write it yet. I want to see the movie in my head and flesh it all out in my mind. Everybody who has read a book is a pro at this. We're just one step back like you were above. This is simply one step ahead.
John Wayne kissed Marylin Monroe. See? Have John Wayne put on his cowboy hat. Have Marylin Monroe pout. Now have her smile. I bet you didn't make it a confident smile. Washington Monument. White sand beach with turquoise water. Orange water. Oops. Anyway, we've established that you can make movies up in your mind just like I can. Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan dancing. See?
Anyway, so the name of the story is The Weekend I Grew Up and I set the tone and I don't know yet what else happens to him on that weekend.
Just stopped in for a minute this afternoon to use the "facilities." I've been taking a long walk in the park...found the path that leads over to the Lodge. Anyway, before the Lodge closes for the year, you must let us know what happens in the story, Wolf.
I haven't gone over there yet. Last night knocked the stuffing out of me. When I finally got it together to go, I started feeling sick to my stomach. (I am really affected by stress.) I have to go today because I have to deliver clean laundry. I can't do it tomorrow because my brother-in-law died and his funeral is tomorrow and it sounds like an all-day event.
I did find out that yesterday my husband did not take his mid-day meds (which include an Ativan) , so that's what probably led to his agitation last night. Their policy is to try the meds 3x if the patient refuses. I told the nursing supervisor that he MUST take his meds even if they have to put them in his lunch or make an ice cream sundae to put them in. (He is not fooled by applesauce or yogurt.)
I wonder if Wolf could keep the Lodge open for another week. l will keep the catboxes clean. Compared to what I am dealing with here, candy canes are nothing.
Myrtle, Sounds like you've had a few very stressful days. I hope things settle down for both you and your husband. Sorry about your brother-in-law. Best wishes, and hope Wolf will keep the Lodge open for you.
Good heavens, Myrtle, you are really getting it coming and going. I'm very sorry to hear about your brother-in-law, although we did know he was bad. I hope your husband's facility is doing their job...and not just trying to dump more on you than they should be.
Don't worry about the catboxes--others will be glad to take care of that--we'll hang the candy canes on the tree. Magical, pristine candy canes in shimmery holiday colors. Just sit down and put your feet up after you're done at the facility. Did you eat? I have a nice slice of pork tenderloin for you, or chicken, if you'd rather have that...with some mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed vegetables. Would you like wine, or just a cup of tea? We'll put it on a tray, and you can have it right here by the fire. There is home-made apple pie for dessert, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or if that's all too much for your stomach, we can do a chicken broth, with some ginger ale and soda crackers to go with it. Here are Fluffy and MouseBane purring and sitting on your chair waiting for you.
Just reporting that I went to see my husband (who was as gentle as lamb), sat down beside him and immediately fell asleep in the chair. I don't think I've done that more than twice in my life. Thanks for the offer of supper but I defrosted some beef stew when I got home. However, . . . I wouldn't say "no" to a slice of apple pie. (Does wine go with pie?)
OK, you two delinquents, you don't fool me a bit with all that purring. Since I didn't write any poems this year, I'll read you an old nursery rhyme that you should identify with:
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, Was he?
Sorry I couldn't make it to the lodge this year. I love it there but just couldn't make myself go. I want to go ahead and make my reservation for next year. I want a room that overlooks that other little cottage up there that always has the smoke circling up from the chimney and the creek that runs along beside it. It is so calming to look out the window at that peacefulness! Y'all have safe travels home and see ya here next year!
I have been incredibly grateful this year again for our lodge. I was here the whole time and thank everyone for your kindness and compassion. I couldn't take part in too much due to lack of energy and benefitted deeply with your caring presence, great music and food, lights and decorations, laughter, and tears.
The cats were such an added joy.
Great idea Aunt B about booking for next year. Wolf, I would like the burgundy room again please. The various shades of pink and mauve soothe my soul and I love that the room is up high with one of the windows looking out through a dormer. The way the Christmas full moon shone in there onto me in bed was breathtakingly beautiful and warmed my heart.
I will arrive December 20th staying until January 2. Until next year everyone. Love and hugs.
Did any of you read the article where a study showed drinking champagne 3 times a week improves memory and can delay memory loss?? Next year lets have plenty of champagne and we will build it up for the year!!
Elizabeth: have your friends been Rving long? Have they spent a long time in an RV together before? Class C tend to be darker, more confining than a Class A from my experience. www.rvtravel.com is a great source for many things, links to a lot of RV videos, books, etc. www.IRV2.com is a great forum.
Leaving the lodge will be sad, reminds me of having to park the RV and come back the reality. Oh, well until next year.
I'll book a room from Christmas Eve until the morning after New Year's...so Jan. 2. If nobody else minds, I'll take the little room under the eaves in the attic--the one with the skylight right over the bed, so I can watch the stars and the moon...and the window facing East, to catch the sunrise.
Oh, hi, Charlotte--I didn't see your post. My cousin and her husband have always done a good deal of travel together and camping out of a van. They have been doing the travel trailers for a couple of years now, and just bought their Class C. I would imagine money had something to do with it, but I think they may have had some thoughts about a Class A just being too big. They have always been a close, happy couple, so if anybody could live in a Class C without killing each other, they can. And once their house sells, they could probably trade up to a Class A if they want to.
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
- and for the fourth year in a row, this safe place during the holidays is officially open. I will bop on the beach somewhat as well though. After all, I wanted to open The Beach House last year but the silence was deafening. I'm putting the fire on in the big fireplace as we speak.
Just dropping off some Christmas cookies for the group--what a nice coincidence that the Lodge opened the same day I was doing some baking. Here are two dozen candy cane cookies and two dozen gingerbread men.
Hi, Fluffy and Mousebane, I'm just here to drop off Lucy, who's going to visit you for a while. She's very shy around people but she should be OK with you two. Would you try to do something about her hair? I took her to the beauty salon ten days ago but there's already a mat forming under her right ear. Charlotte invited me to stay at her beach house so I'm going over to check it out but I'll be back in a few days. In the meantime, be on your best behavior . . . OK?
Oh! And keep your paws off those cookies and gingerbread men!
I just made some eggnog and left a small bottle of both additives if some one wants it plain or enhanced. Your choice. Little bottle of nutmeg as well. As it's best cold you will find it in the fridge. I may just wrap myself in the lovely afghan curl up in front of the fire on the sofa. It's so cozy here.
I stopped in with Bandit to introduce him for the first time to the Lodge. We spent the day at the beach house, and slept up here last night. He curled up with Mousebane, Fluffy, and Lucy, and they all went to sleep on the down comforter. Cute to watch. It was a clear night, so I could see the stars through the skylight as I dropped off to sleep. Had some eggnog and Christmas cookies for breakfast. (Thanks, Jazzy. I didn't spike it, of course. Will save the alcohol for evenings when friends are here!)
Fourth year in a row. Wow! Those first couple of Christmas seasons this Lodge was a life-line.
Jazzy you said it perfectly - "This place has become a safe place to go when the Christmas season begins to hurt and no one but those who come here can understand."
I must admit Wolf I have no recall of you mentioning a Beach House last year. Great we have one this year.
Really enjoying all the animals, fire, food, and drink. Glad I booked my room last January. I am going to stay here and alternate with the beach house for the whole month.
Today, I will find the Christmas decorations so they are ready when we get the tree.
Hi. I was just walking by and saw this wonderful place nestled among the trees. Wondered if I should go in when a black and white cat put his paw up on the window. Looked like an invitation to me. Look at that humungous gorgeous rock fireplace! With the makings for S'mores right there. Who can resist? When I leaned back against some pillows that cat jumped in my lap. He says his name is Mousebane. Interesting because Fluffy is over there chasing a family if mice out into the cold. Before I can even complete the thought, a steaming cup of cinnamon tea is in my hands. I can feel Mousebane purring on my lap. This is nice. I've never been this close to a cat before.
I'd like to book a room for Christmas eve, if I may. And do any of you like fish? If you do I have an amazing recipe for "Very British Seafood Pie" I'd like to make for you all. It will sooth me to chop the ingredients which I will bring with me. And if any of you like to chop, you can join me. It is the most amazing recipe in my repertoire. I have a feeling I'll like and need to be with you all this year.
A couple of years ago Julia Child was in the kitchen baking up a storm. I'm not certain it was her but she looked like a middle linebacker with a brown brillo pad on her head and a voice deeper than mine, so I'm pretty sure it was Julia but I couldn't swear to it.
The reservation system works like this. If you think of it, you're booked. In fact, the very room you were thinking of is ready. I like the third floor rooms with the peaked windows and the eiderdown comforters. This is the only place I take a long, hot bubble bath...but, only once the latest batch of cookies is cooling on the trays. Then I do a navy seal raid, grab the entire tray, and run. It's OK because another batch of something is usually already in one of the ovens. It's a big kitchen. That's what's nice about cookies in the bubble bath. There are no crumbs. Don't drop your apple fritters in though because they get really big if you lose them in the bubbles.
There's a barn outside the courtyard. There are a couple of white heavy horses in there. They look just like I imagine Robert Frost's horse might have looked. There's a sleigh too. Nobody's gone for a ride these years but the horses don't mind. They're chowing down on hay and clover in the barn covered in red, MacIntosh tartan throws. They live the life of Riley. Daisy and Mae are their names.
There's a large, attached greenhouse in the back. We had a sack race one year doing a lap from the entry hall, through the great room, down the hall, through the greenhouse, and around through the ballroom, back to the entry hall. There is a second and third floor up an open staircase and there is a theatre room nobody uses. That's about as much as I know about this place...so far. It's in the woods, it's always snowing, and the fire in the large fireplace, once lit, is tended the whole season. There are lots of comfortable chairs there and guests often fall asleep there. One more thing. Food has no calories.
I'm watching Scrooged on TV. It bends the christmas story around the Maypole but I like it and I get to try and like everything I can. Count me in for some of that Very British Seafood Pie.