Hope yours is filled with Joy and Happiness!
This year, with the economy being what it is, we decided to dial-it-back a notch or two. Actually, with our Amazon Wish List Widget thing, there really wasn't a damn thing that I really "needed" this year. Last year's Christmas Kiln has been the Gift that Keeps on Giving - and I'm pretty damned happy with that!
Of course, Rog filled his Wish-List with all kinds of new Camaro Goodies. I ended up getting him a few "small" Car Goodies (Camaro umbrella; key-chain; coffee-mug), and some "decent" Boat Goodies - including a bitchen' VHF Radio (actually, that was his Birthday Gift), with a "Remote" station to mount on the helm.
When you think about it, a "Base Station" AND a "Remote Station" on a teeny 26-foot Trailer Sailor is kinda, well, "ridiculous!" But OTOH, it does kinda make sense because the base-station has the "power" and the remote allows you easy-access from the helm (without having a Big Mama-Jama radio cluttering up the steering pedestal).
I'm guessing next we'll be getting a bow-thruster! (NOTTT!!!).
I also got Rog an off-shore auto-inflating PFD with tether/harness so he can strap himself to the boat when he goes forward (i.e. to raise/lower the mainsail). That's an important safety-item, I think ('cuz sometimes we're rockin' and rollin' by the time we drop the sails).
Stuff I scored: Mostly cooking/canning related (that was all I could think of - when Rog told me to update my wish list!). I did some research and found that Presto does make a 16 qt Pressure-Canner that *will* work on a solid-surface (Ceramic/Glass) cooktop (Yay!). I also got a cherry-pitter and super-cool, old-fashioned-looking, hand-crank apple-peeler-corer (which doubles, quite nicely, as a potato peeler/slicer!).
Apple Peeler/Corer - being used as a Potato Peeler!
Way Cool Pressure Canner! Can't wait to try it out!!!
Kinda frustrating to have "Canning-Stuff" when it's no longer Canning Season! But I will definitely put it to good use next year! I so TOTALLY love my Garden (Oh, and I did get a seedling/warming mat - which I *will* use next Spring, in the greenhouse, to get my Garden Started). My Garden is yet another Gift-That-Keeps-On-Giving, and it's nice to be able to enjoy the "Fruits of my Labors" (figuratively *and* literally) well into winter!
I also got some Artsy/Fartsy stuff: A few more Kiln Shelves (can NEVER have enough of those!), and a Soldering Iron for whenever I decide to try some more Stained Glass Stuff... Way Cool!
Anyway, I'm glad we didn't go completely off-the-deep-end with Christmas this year. It was nice and low-key - and we won't be faced with insurmountable bills going into the New Year. All told: A Very Good Thing!
The dogs had a good Christmas, too!
Dynah, Annie and Tazz... Opening their gifts!
And I am working on a German Christmas FEAST for dinner tonight.
- Warm Kartoffelsalat (Warm, German Potato Salad) (re-hash from a previous post)
- "Canned" Rotkohl (easier than home-made which leaves the kitchen looking like a scene from a CSI Episode!)
- Austrian Gulaschsuppe (Austrian Goulash Soup)
- Wienerschnitzel with fresh lemon wedges (re-hash from the same previous post)
- Fresh, home-made Pumpernickel (from the bread-machine - and this stuff is DAYUM good!)
- Frozen Apple Turnovers (lazy-person's interpretation of Apfelstrudel!)
I'll re-hash the recipes (in condensed form - sans "blah-blah-blah" in a separate post!)
Some of my New Years Resolutions (aside from the usual "Lose-a-billion-lbs, Find a Cure for Cancer, Achieve World Peace, End World Hunger...):
- Find a phone with a better camera (I'm due for an upgrade) so "Foodie Posts" appear more appetizing!
- Write Snarkier Posts
- Post More Frequently!
- Spend More Time in The Studio!
- Watch more "Hoarders" Episodes so I'll donate a BUNCH more crap to Goodwill!
- TBD........................
Anyway.... Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!
-QT
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