Friday Fill-In # 101

Nora's birthday dress (the colors are less yellow in person.) Thanks to Steph for the website, I've ordered gray flowered tights and a gray t shirt.

Friday Fill-Ins are here. Answers are in bold.

1. Snow is coming. Grandma Janice reminded me last weekend that last year we missed Nora's birthday party because of the snow. I hope we have better luck this year - birthday parties are too good to miss.

2. I'm looking forward to the holidays and the Advent season. And to the winter solstice that marks the change to longer daylight.

3. Jam cake is the best dessert ever. At Thanksgiving I made two loaf cakes instead of a large tube cake, so there is a jam cake ready for Christmas. There are all kinds of recipes, but they all call for blackberry jam. One year I didn't get the seedless jam and now I'm always careful. My recipe calls for a pound of raisins and lots of walnuts. Sometimes we eat it for breakfast, it's that good.

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is The Waltons. Sappy, I know. I always liked the mountain setting and the simplicity of their lives. The "good nights" I could do without. I have no desire to watch the shows again, though.

5. I'm done with reacting to negative people. I'll just try to show them a calm and peaceful demeanor and not get riled up myself. Easy to say, I know.

6. The most enjoyable thing about the holidays is connecting with family and friends. These days, I love the brief emails that come along, as well as the cards. My cousin's letter is always a treat, and I can count on a photo from my uncle, something he's taken during the year. I'd love to get up to Bluffton during the holidays, but I'm not sure if I can work it in.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going with my work friend to meet her friends and get some appetizers, tomorrow my plans include work, then making the hat to match Nora's dress. (My sewing machine - the old faithful one - isn't recognizing the most basic stitch card and I know there's a trip to the shop soon, but it does default to the straight stitch) and Sunday I want to stop in at church and add to the Advent display, then head for work, then maybe some shopping on the way home. I've found that I will be working a couple of Sundays and even a Monday before Christmas and I'm going to have to be very efficient about shopping. My plans to make some things for friends will have to be adjusted.

Happy Friday, everyone.