Bye, Bye Fall

December 20, 2006 (4:25pm)
34º F, Dirty clouds, W wind 3 mph.

Good afternoon,

Winter .... she all but here! At least by the calendar. As you can see from the temperature, the thermometer doesn’t agree. The temperature still is 15-20º F above normal. The weather map shows a storm heading our way, but I have a hunch, in spite of what the weatherman says, it will be rain instead of snow. The storm covers all the country from just a smidgen south of us to will into the Gulf of Mexico and west into the Rocky mountains. Out west they are really getting snow at the moment. We did have about 5½ drops of frozen rain an hour ago, but as soon as it hit something, it turned to water. Suspect the falling of the rain drop froze thanx to evaporation on the way down.

Now we have all of the packages sent, but found a couple of Christmas letters I didn’t get into envelops and into the mail. Oh well, maybe I will get everything finished before New Year’s Day. Maybe not! The bulk of the last packages went out yesterday at Luxemburg on the way to Green Bay. Had some fun with the gal in the postoffice too. Two more and I hope everything is finished.

After Bible study yesterday we went on our regular supply run. Actually there was very little we needed for our "regular" needs, but did have some things special things to get. ‘Tis the season you know. Now we have everything for Christmas for us to celebrate. Actually we could have celebrated very well, but wanted to get some special things - like cheese, herring, the makings for eggnog, and like that. I finally found something that Margriet has not had to eat from Europe - Gjetost - Norwegian goat cheese. It is actually made in Oslo, Norway too! It is something my Dad bought every Christmas and only at Christmas. After buying it, I know why only once a year - very expensive! What the heck, it has been many years since having it. Gjetost is a very hard, brown cheese. I can remember Dad trying to cut it into slices to put on rye bread, with little real success. We have a cheese shaver, which is really the way to cut it. Since it is so hard and with intense flavor, like most of the cheeses I sampled in the Netherlands, you don’t need much to taste it. Do hope it lasts a long time and we will savor it.

We also picked up another rolled lamb roast yesterday. Probably will have it for New Year’s or some such. The major reason we bought it, was the store offered $5.00 off on each roast. That was too good to pass up. Besides we really like to eat lamb too. While buying the herring, I spotted some real horseradish in the case. My supply is about gone (one of the staff members of LSM gave a small jar his Dad made a year ago), thanx to the meals of liver we had. Don’t think we will run out anytime soon - the new jar is a pint and should last me for a few years. The herring are more like the kind Margriet has than I have normally purchased here. These are bigger fish and cut larger. They also are in a large jar, so should have some left for New Year’s too. Maybe not!

Our Christmas tree came in finally this afternoon. We had to go to the storage unit and pick up all of the decorations and such first. It will sit here in the living room overnight to come to it final "inside" shape. It would have been nice if the trunk were an inch bigger in diameter. The screws which hold in place have only about ¼" or a little more into the tree. I think I have to get some longer eye-bolts to do the job. Every year for the past few, it has been a problem. On the plus side, the height of the tree is perfect. About an inch shorter than the ceiling is away from the floor! Think that is about the first time that ever happened. Tomorrow the do-dads are put on it - then we are ready for Christmas!

Bible study was the last session for this unit. After the New Year we will go for breakfast. I didn’t care for the study as it really didn’t go very deep into anything, as least not as deep as I thought it should. In talking over the study, about half of those there were surprised how deep it did go. They were very satisfied with it. Guess it is was a good study for most folks. Glad to hear I was some wrong this time. All agreed they would like to have another study to go deeper - but later. In the meantime, we will be into a new workbook on the book of Acts. I have started my research already. There is much available on this book too. At least I know more about this one as it is more familiar.

The huge bread Margriet made, disappeared during the study. Didn’t expect all of it to go, but I think everyone had 2-3 slices. Many more than that. It really is good. There is another one here and I have been chewing on it. It’s good too. Not many folks make homemade bread, so when Margriet brings one, it is well appreciated. One problem though, the loaf was too large for the platters at church, some fell off of it. But it didn’t go to waste, rather it went to some waists.

My trap lines have not been very productive of late. The one outside has been empty for some time. The indoor one did manage to capture a mouse the other day, but the only one in a long time. It will take a lot more mouse hides to produce a fur coat for Margriet. Almost not worth it to tan the hide when there is only one at a time. I think it has been too warm and easy for the critters to find something to dine on.

Time to get a-going.

In Christ My Saviour,

Chris <><