Thread: Everyday Chatting & Waffling {2021} Let's get to know each other!

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FormbyGirl

FormbyGirl

Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise
Come one, come all to a better year! Let's get to know each other with a little chitter chatter and a bit of waffling :)
 
We started out the year really well with our family traditions, at home, as we always do. This year was no different for us.

I baked Mincemeat Pies (not mince, not meat, I have no idea how they got their name!) for the first time. This has always been my mother's task, but at 92 she has a lot more trouble than she used to. I have not made pastry in forever, so this was a worrisome task. All turned out well, though and they were delicious. There are three of us and they are all gone! I might have to break down and make more tomorrow.

At the stroke of midnight, my husband takes the old year out at the first stroke of 12, runs around the building and brings in the New Year on the last stroke. He brings in silver so we will never be pour and coal so we will never be cold. We greet him at the door with mincemeat pies and grand marnier, then toast the new year and take our pictures in front of the tree. Then, after we send out Happy New Year wishes to the family, we toddle off to bed.

This year was special, when he took the old year out, I really felt that the old year went with him and the new year is filled with hope. Of course, that could be the Grand Marnier!!

Cheers all, this is our new year thread, I hope to see you all here, along with some new faces.
 
Thankyou Lynnie for starting the waffling thread. You do such a wonderful thing in keeping up with everyone's news.
I may not keep up any better than I did last year.

We had a great Christmas time with spending time with friends and loved ones. I am so thankful our restrictions did not hamper any of the plans we made. We did need border passes to be able to get to the next state but it only took us 5 minutes to drive through the check point Christmas morning.

I am once again hosting the Art Journal Challenge which is Random member hosted challenge so no adding anything to the Cookie Jar.

Happy New Year to all you and may this year in some way be a better one than last year.
 
@Lynnie that is such a neat tradition
@anne-Marie I went to do the gift challenge today and had a nice nap instead. I guess I needed it. But here I am awake still at 4 am

happy new year and new decade everyone.
 
OMG, Lynnie! That sounds wonderful!!!
Mincemeat was one of my daddy's favorites. And it's minceMEAT because there used to be MEAT in the pies. Usually mutton or venison. (ewe!!!) I never cared for it... with or without the meat and they were a main dish. Mom made a great mince pie, or so I'm told and we always had them for the holidays, but Daddy never ran around the house on NYE! LOL!
Grand Marnier, however, is one of MY FAVORITES!!! Oh my........ My father-in-law, God rest his precious soul, introduced me to that fine, golden liquid at one of our first family dinners together and just told me, "You have to try this. I think you'll like it. SIP it." When I did and relished the amazing taste, he told Freddy, "WELL, know we know she's a KEEPER! EXPENSIVE, but a KEEPER!"
Thanks so much for bringing back that happy memory.
HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS!!!
 
Lynnie, thanks for starting us off for another wonderful year of chatting. Your traditions sound GRAND!

I didn't quite make it to midnight this year in my time zone but I did watch the Time Square drop fall...the hosts were very funny and so tipsy!

I am wishing everyone a very Happy New Year with good health, happiness and lots of creativity and chatting for 2021!
 
Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! We actually didn’t do anything special. We usually drink some sparkling grape juice at about 11 pm then go to bed. But we totally forgot this year! I was kept awake for a little while by some person lighting off fireworks in the bad weather. So strange!

Lynnie, I love your traditions! How fun! :)
 
Thanks for starting us off right Lynnie! I love your traditions! We had a calm night. I did make it to long enough to watch the ball drop in NY which was 11pm my time. Then I watched some of Nashville's NY program before drifting off about 11:30. Tigger was asleep shortly after dinner. My Dad actually stayed up till about 10, which is rare for him. But he was working on a new puzzle we got him for Christmas. It's a profile shot of an eagle's head... and the border is the shape of the head so he is having to work inside out, and it's very challenging! We are at the lake and it is rainy here! But I am getting a little time to walk around and play with my new Lensbaby in between storms and starting to get some prep done for January classes. All in all a good start to the new year!
 
We had a great evening with 3 of our children and their children. We ate and played games. A few minutes before midnight they went out and did fireworks. It was funny because my son asked his daughter to move the truck to let off fireworks, but someone had put the fireworks behind the wheel of the truck and she ran over them. They still worked great and the kids had a great time. We did not stay to watch them all but walked back to our house and went to bed. We just live on they property right next door. We did stay up until several minutes after midnight but went right to bed when we got home. I hope this year finds all of you in better spirits and health than last year.
I did get all my photos sorted and downloaded and my journal complete for last year.
 
Christmas was uneventful. My partner decided I didn't need anything for Christmas, since this year wasn't really Christmas, anyway. He insists that this is just practical, and that if I ever need anything, he'd get it for me if I asked. It felt really rude, and inconsiderate to me, not because I need him to buy things, but because I can't see why picking out 'a small thoughtful thing' is so hard. Especially considering all the time, effort, and money I put into his gift.

December 27th I lost my grandmother to cancer. I cry more than I don't cry. I'm irritable and trying to help my family from across the planet. I volunteered to put together the media slides for her visitation. It's 80 pages long with over 120 photos, I am not sure if that's what they were expecting, but that's what they got. I would still like to scrap some of the pages when I am feeling more up to it, but right now, I am not.

I work this weekend, and as much as I want to have motivation for something which would distract me, I am finding it utterly impossible.
 
Anne-Marie - I plan on doing your challenge. Art journaling is so much fun. Please feel free to promote it as much as you like here in our thread.

I am glad your Christmas plans were not disrupted and I hope it was really meaningful.

Carla - I think you need to try some of the new mincemeat recipes. Most of the stuff in jars these days has no meat (except for the suet) and is mostly fruit, nuts and ... if you like... alcohol. I have a recipe for home made that I want to try for next year. I have been using stuff from jars for the mincemeat part. My daughter is vegan (mostly) and I want to try a vegan recipe for Christmas 2021.

Grand Marnier has always been a favourite. I think I will try adding that to the mincemeat recipe and see how it turns out.

Karen - I have often thought I would like to just celebrate English New Year at 4:00pm my time and be done with it haha. Sometimes I think 9:00pm my time, which is midnight eastern would be fine. My brother and I used to meet at an English Pub every New Year and they had a huge celebration at 4:00pm. We had bag pipers and all kinds of stuff. It was a wonderful time. I have not done that in some years, though. I might find a local pub and see if we can revise that tradition.

Ane - why 11pm? Just curious. Is that your usual bed time? We have always celebrated at home, but we do try to stay up. A few times I have barely made it, but I manage.

Elizabeth - We used to do puzzles on New Year's eve. It was a great way to pass the time. These days the entertainment is so poor on regular television. We used to do videos of a year in review. I think I will try to restart. We would watch the current year, then pick random older years. It was just pictures set to music. I loved doing them.

Katherine - it must be lovely having family living right next door. I have often thought it would be lovely having a family compound with everyone living there. Your evening sounds lovely. Even with the fireworks being run over.

Sylfie - I am so sorry about your grandmother. She must have been the one you came to visit. I hope you were able to make some lovely new memories and you have lots of wonderful old memories to carry you through. It is the times you had with them that make the times without them bearable. I think it was CS Lewis who said "The sadness now is part of the happiness then." I often think that if my sons were not so wonderful, not so special, I would not miss them as much. Then I realize that I would rather have had such special people in my life and have the pain of missing them. The thought was always a healing balm.

I'm with you. I love picking out thoughtful gifts. My husband has improved over the years. He used to pick out stuff he liked for me, but it wasn't necessary things I would be interested in - like a brass sailing ship. One year I was blown away by a selection of cross stitch books and the perfect pair of embroidery scissors. It was wonderful. Since then, he has done his best to pick out special gifts I would like. This year, he knew what I wanted, but needed me to pick out the perfect one. I picked it out, ordered it and ended up wrapping it, but it was what he wanted to give me, so all was good. I usually make things

Me...

New Year was lovely. It feels good to be out of 2020, even though it is just psychological. I think this year will be a good year, even if it takes a little while.

I go into hospital on 5th for surgery and will be in for a week or so. The recovery time will be 6-8 weeks after that. I should be fine on the computer, though :)
 
Sylvan said:
Christmas was uneventful. My partner decided I didn't need anything for Christmas, since this year wasn't really Christmas, anyway. He insists that this is just practical, and that if I ever need anything, he'd get it for me if I asked. It felt really rude, and inconsiderate to me, not because I need him to buy things, but because I can't see why picking out 'a small thoughtful thing' is so hard. Especially considering all the time, effort, and money I put into his gift.

December 27th I lost my grandmother to cancer. I cry more than I don't cry. I'm irritable and trying to help my family from across the planet. I volunteered to put together the media slides for her visitation. It's 80 pages long with over 120 photos, I am not sure if that's what they were expecting, but that's what they got. I would still like to scrap some of the pages when I am feeling more up to it, but right now, I am not.

I work this weekend, and as much as I want to have motivation for something which would distract me, I am finding it utterly impossible.
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Sylfie, so sorry to hear of your grandmother's passing. BIG *Hugs*!
 
Lynnie, Now why did I not THINK of that, teehee! I am planning something on April 21 and 22 and it will be BIG!
 
Oh my dear, sweet Sylfie. I am so very sorry about your Gram. I know how terrible you must be feeling, especially not to be able to be here. I'm glad you had that special time with her. How's Grandpa doing? Sending you big hugs and love and a big, red tomato!!!
 
Sherri - Thank you <3


Lynnie - She was. I love her so much, and it is so painful for me to know she's gone, not only for her, but for my grandfather. They've been together 64 years and he's lost without her. He always expected to go first, especially after the heart attack in 93, he was just convinced that he was older, he was in worse health, and it would be him. It hurts deeply that I couldn't be there at the end, and that I can't help him through this, but it's honestly worse knowing that my aunts and uncles are fighting, and dragging my name into it 'because I was there'. I gave her everything I could, and I have no doubt, it's just become such an ugly situation.


Karen - Thank you <3


Carla - Oh sure, make me cry all over again. He's a mess, he's trying to find ways to fill his time, since so much of his life after retirement was running around taking care of whatever whims she had. I call him every day to check up on him, the rumbling from everyone else in the family is really worrying me. I don't care what they say about me, I'm a world away, I did everything I possibly could, but that they'll create a hostile place for grandpa is really just beyond my ability to cope.


I won't be sending her memorial link live into the world for a few days yet, but if anyone would like to look it's here.
 
So sorry for your loss, Sylfie.

Christmas was quite. It was the four of us plus a good friend from HS who has no relative near by.

New Years Eve my husband went to work. Molly, Philip, Eric and I celebrated by making the most noise we can with the noise makes they bought. The kids then went outside to bang some more. They watched the neighbor shoot off fireworks. Than we went to bed.

New Years day we went to my sisters' house. We had a lovely afternoon.
Then we got the horrid call that Eric (my daughter's boyfriend) dreaded. His mother passed away. She's been in rehab and was rushed to the hospital on NYE with poor urine output. And with Covid he couldn't go visit her. So we immediately left and I drove him home. Poor kid (19) he cried all the way home. That will be a day he will never forget. I hope he will continue to celebrate the holiday even though this one was so horrible for him. First my father and now Eric's mother.

Hopefully 2021 will be better for all.
 
Sylfie, I looked at every single slide. The timing between them is perfect and the photographs are wonderful. Well done on that! What a pleasure it is to see all the pictures of her. She had such a kind face.
 
Lily Ann, I am so sorry to hear about Eric's mother. It sounds as though you did your best for the holidays except for that. I do feel sorry for Eric, that is a young age to lose a mother.
 
Sylfie, I'm sorry to hear about your Gram- I know you loved her a lot. (((HUGS))) to you!

Lily Ann, that's awful about Eric's mom. It's awful to lose your mom at any age.

Lynnie, yes, 11 pm is when we go to bed these days. I'm one of those weird people who needs about 10 hours of sleep to get by during the day. Thank you for your kind words on my first layout of 2021! :)
 
I'm here. Right now my tootsies are screaming at me as we walked the Vegas strip all day long and saw the Avengers, Titanic, and the Paris Observation deck. Our God daughter is here visiting.

I'm heading to Tylenol, an ice pack, a hot bath, and then bed. Just wanted to check in and say that I'm attempting to be more present here in the new year!!
 
Well, for me 2020 went out like a lion. LOL. My computer just out of the blue died on me and so I ended up at Walmart at 10 on New Year's Eve to get a new computer. I have to admit that I'm really happy with the computer that I have but I haven't gotten to get everything set up yet.

Christmas was good, got to spend time with the kids and my brother and his girls have been down here for a week, I am not looking forward to them leaving tomorrow at all. Everyone got everything that they wanted and they are so happy. It has been nice to be able to spend time with family.

Oh, and Kathryn has now gotten acceptance letters from 4 of the 5 colleges that she has applied to. Ironically, the only one that she has not gotten a letter from is the least selective of them all. She has been accepted to Midway, Bellarmine, Transylvania and Centre (all private universities in KY) but she has not heard anything from UK yet. Now the real waiting starts for me to find out where she is planning on going.
 
LilyAnn, I'm so very sorry about Eric's mom. That's horrible to lose one's parent so young.

The slide show was just lovely Sly. Prayers for your grandpa. I hope they take good care of him. He's got to be just numb.
 
Pachimac said:
I'm here. Right now my tootsies are screaming at me as we walked the Vegas strip all day long and saw the Avengers, Titanic, and the Paris Observation deck. Our God daughter is here visiting.

I'm heading to Tylenol, an ice pack, a hot bath, and then bed. Just wanted to check in and say that I'm attempting to be more present here in the new year!!
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Susan, it is LOVELY to have you here. No worries about how often you can manage it, but we love it when you can. Please be so careful when you go out. My sister in law visited Vegas for her birthday, returned home and a week later had died of COVID. I know you know, I just like you a lot :)

dorannmwin said:
Well, for me 2020 went out like a lion. LOL. My computer just out of the blue died on me and so I ended up at Walmart at 10 on New Year's Eve to get a new computer. I have to admit that I'm really happy with the computer that I have but I haven't gotten to get everything set up yet.

Christmas was good, got to spend time with the kids and my brother and his girls have been down here for a week, I am not looking forward to them leaving tomorrow at all. Everyone got everything that they wanted and they are so happy. It has been nice to be able to spend time with family.

Oh, and Kathryn has now gotten acceptance letters from 4 of the 5 colleges that she has applied to. Ironically, the only one that she has not gotten a letter from is the least selective of them all. She has been accepted to Midway, Bellarmine, Transylvania and Centre (all private universities in KY) but she has not heard anything from UK yet. Now the real waiting starts for me to find out where she is planning on going.
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Any news on the new house front? I know you had hopes of settling in somewhere.

Great news on the new computer. Sometimes we have to lose the old to enjoy the new.

How exciting for Kathryn. Where are you hoping for?

minicooper452 said:
LilyAnn, I'm so very sorry about Eric's mom. That's horrible to lose one's parent so young.

The slide show was just lovely Sly. Prayers for your grandpa. I hope they take good care of him. He's got to be just numb.
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Hope things are going better for you, Carla.
 
Just a heads up, folks, I will be out of touch for a week or two. Pretend you will miss me, okay HAHA.
 
FormbyGirl said:
Just a heads up, folks, I will be out of touch for a week or two. Pretend you will miss me, okay HAHA.
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of course we will miss you, or I will anyway and so will alexis.

I hurt my hip a couple days ago, so I’ve been hobbling around as best as I ca.

new dishwasher was installed, nice to have one again.

Kids start online school again.
 
Hello my name is Nora I am from West Virginia. It's been a couple years since I did any digital scrapping. I bought myself a new laptop for Christmas and wanted to get back into scrapping. My layouts may look a little wonky for a few weeks until I get back into the swing of things. I use paint shop pro 9 to scrap and have forgotten a lot of things. Scrapping used to bring me joy. I have several albums full. I print my own layouts 8x8. I look forward to meeting you all and getting back into the challenges.
 
Welcome, Nora! It's OK for layouts to look wonky. I took a break from digiscrapping too, so I know how it goes to re-establish yourself and get your groove back. The challenges are great for that- I do them myself and have a lot of fun. I look forward to seeing your gallery full! :)
 
NoraB said:
Hello my name is Nora I am from West Virginia. It's been a couple years since I did any digital scrapping. I bought myself a new laptop for Christmas and wanted to get back into scrapping. My layouts may look a little wonky for a few weeks until I get back into the swing of things. I use paint shop pro 9 to scrap and have forgotten a lot of things. Scrapping used to bring me joy. I have several albums full. I print my own layouts 8x8. I look forward to meeting you all and getting back into the challenges.
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Welcome, Nora, it is lovely to have you here and don't worry about wonky layouts - we love them all!!
 
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