We had our first snow last week, and it wasn't just little granular stuff that only showed up on the car windshield. It was actually white snow that was on the ground for two days! In fact, the front door was frozen shut most of the day. We're back to green grass and fallen leaves, but that snow did wonders for the anticipation of the Christmas mood. Elizabeth and I are very "Christmas-y". At our house, there is a sort of pact --- actually, it's almost a sort of rule --- that no one plays Christmas music until December 1st. Can't wait!
Silly me, but I forgot to take a picture of the boxes all packed and closed up. I did remember to take one of them with all the stuff inside but not packed. It took us all day to get them packed and closed. Every box got a collapsible tote bag that folded down into the corner, a toothbrush, toothpaste, bar of soap and a metal Cross.
Dad is going down to Florida to spend a few days with his parents. That's been a great opportunity to pack up Christmas presents for all the family on that side and send them down with him. I love giving Christmas presents! Elizabeth and I wish that we could take them down ourselves. Visiting family is so fun! We still have a few things to get ready, but things are going pretty well.
The biggest "news" around here is that we have gotten a new stove. Well, new to us. Amazingly, all four burners work and (now that we've put in a new element) the oven is fabulous! We bought a pair of ranges about thirteen or fourteen years ago. They served us well, but over the last couple of years --- they've gone pretty down hill. One of them had to go to scrap earlier in the Summer. Before it went, Dad had taken parts from it to help out the remaining range. The remaining range did manage to make it through another canning season, but it was just about to give up. Thankfully, one of the Keultjes's neighbors was moving and had their stove on Craig's List. Mom went up and looked at it, and Mr. Keultjes was sweet enough to bring it down in his van. Last night, we put in the new element and ran the "break-in" heat-up to get it working. It made a wonderful pizza! ;) More later.