Soar-Dream-France

Last Christmas...

 

...I gave you my heart! This little tune has been rolling around in my head from the internet-a theme to a new movie out or to any of the many Hallmark Christmas movies I've been watching on youtube.

Last Christmas I gave my heart to these two little kitty foster brothers, Ollie and Opie. They'd been with me since July in hopes they'd be adopted.

 

 

Everyone understood that if they weren't adopted by December, they would go to the Figeac Refuge since I was returning to the states for a few months.

Even so, they stole my heart and I think of them often.

And YES, they were adopted.

I still miss them.

They were such a presence and two of the sweetest and lovey boys. Their departure left a different kind of hole than the loss of Sam leaves. 

 

 

 

 

I'm grateful that they found forever homes and hope that they are with someone(s) who loves them as much as I did and still do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to my two "O" boys, Ollie and Opie. You still have my heart at Christmas and always!

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

Christmas Chatette Style 2019

 

 

It's really rare for me to be in the states on Christmas. I love being here and celebrating, as well as the last couple that I celebrated in Paris.

This year, I will be leaving here on the 17th to bus and train to Paris where I'll spend the night at the Hotel Tiquetonne and then catch my flight to New Orleans on the 18th.

That meant making the decorating easier on me, but just as pretty.

 

 

I learned last year that I have pine needles everywhere when I return here after 3 or so months. (I think I'm still finding some in out of the way places.)

This year's GIFI tree from 2017 (spent in the apartment in Cajarc after the fire) and the brand new manger scene are Christmas enough! Besides, the Chatette oozes the spirit of Christmas all year long!

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Balls or No Balls?

 

The one cookie that I love most in the world is pecan balls. My Mom made them every Christmas and they were always such a treat. During one of my first Christmases here at the Chatette, I wanted to make some pecan balls to celebrate. I had Mom's recipe and went to work. The long and short of this story is that there was nary a ball in the bunch. Mom and I problem solved...I got a thermometer for the oven that does not show degrees of any variety; Mom gave me two different recipes; and we analyzed the ingredients. STILL...NOT A BALL IN THE BUNCH! 

 

 

I surrendered and went on to more successful varieties!

 

Since the fire, my stove is different. Still no temps, but I'm learning as I go. I tried for pecan balls again. I made the dough on Saturday to refrigerate and then baked the cookies on Sunday. 

As you can see again, nary a ball in the bunch.

 

 

I've surrendered the balls, but NOT the cookies! I ended up cutting the dough in various sizes and shapes, and they are still melt in your mouth marvelous! I have a plan for another more uniform batch for gifts, so we shall see!

 

Happy Monday!

 

A Sunday After Thanksgiving Share

 

Sometimes paying attention to tiny details pays off. Thursday's run to Villefranche had me pulled to a manger scene that reminded me of one that we had as children growing up.

 

Ours was cardboard with a silver glitter star on the top and plastic participants! This one looked like real wood and had plaster participants! Even though I'd grabbed the plaster participants to make up my manger scene, I went back to look at "participants" that were in a box nearby.

They were spectacular and reminded me of a tiny Japanese man in ivory that my Mom had.

 

As I took each one out of the box, I was able to put together essential participants in the manger scene. They were larger than the plaster ones, but still fit.

It was a done deal for me.

I'm sure they're not ivory, but whatever they are is gorgeous and spectacularly detailed.

I love that they all have detailed, raised and rapturous hands that give them so much more life than any others I've seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We've never had a manger scene here at the Chatette. It's only right that we should start off with this very special one. (It may be just the incentive for some possible plans for next year, that I will certainly keep you abreast of.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we were little, our Christmas Tree sat on my brother Jim's train table that Papa made for him at Christmas one year. It doesn't get much better than to have your tree in the middle of the train tracks and the Christmas Special (ha-ha) travels around it throughout the holidays.

 

 

We also used to set our manger up so that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were in the manger on one end and the three Wise Men were at the other end. Each day we'd move the Wise Men a little closer to the manger, so that they'd end up right there on Christmas morning.

 

 

I don't have a train table to put mine on, but the manger is set in the corner of the evier and the Wise Men have begun their journey. I'm leaving on the 17th, so they'll have to move a little faster, but they'll for sure be there in time for Christmas.

 

 

So many wonderful Christmas memories. Now, I'm making more!

Happy Sunday!