Sunday, December 14, 2014

It's Coming on Christmas

Well, here I am again, same time, same channel...Bah Humbug.  Listening to the only Christmas song I like to hear, River, by Joni Mitchell. It's drab and sad, and some of it doesn't even apply to me, but it matches my mood regarding Christmas.  I wish I had a river I could skate away on.  In addition to the blues I feel regarding the holidays anyhow, this year it is coupled with the fact that last Christmas and New Years we spent with my parents.  This will be the first holiday without my father, and that is hard in itself.

But I am so turned off by the crazed consumerism that goes on this time of year, that I just choose not to participate at all.   Very few gifts are purchased, and if need be, we use the ubiquitous gift card. Hubby and I usually make gifts for each other, but we haven't even managed that this year.  At least I have not, and I have not seen any evidence that he has been working on anything. It's okay though, we may find something at the Armadillo bazaar next week. If we do, at least it will be handmade. If we don't that's okay too, as we are running out of room for anymore artwork of any kind.

We have only had to go to one Christmas party, it was work related and also a charity event.  This was held in traditional fashion, keeping with Texas tradition anyhow, at this famous local place.  Not being a native Texan, I still struggle at times with the fascination with B-B-Q.  I did not partake of the ribs, brisket and sausage, but managed to work my way through a pretty big helping of delicious smoked turkey. Was hoping for pecan pie for dessert, but they gave us all a cup of their also famous vanilla ice cream. It was pretty darn good. It was the proper size serving, but Hub said, is this all we get?  I told him it was not like what he calls serving size at home, which probably equals 4 scoops.

If wondering what the weird looking hand in the photo is, it's the Hook 'em Horns sign for the Texas Longhorn football team.
 
 
Here at home, the soup making marathon continues.  I am not getting tired of it, and don't know if hubby is or not. I made corn chowder earlier in the week.  Yesterday my friend Pat came over with cream of broccoli and tomato soup from her work, and we had the tomato for lunch.  It was delicious.  I do fear, however, that we are consuming a bit more "cream" than anyone should have.  There has been no attempt to make these soups low calorie, I can assure you.  I have never made tomato soup from scratch, but plan to look online for a recipe and do that pretty soon.  I have never liked canned tomato soup, but homemade now that's a different story.
 
Having a slow relaxing week-end here, where it is dark and drizzly, just the perfect kind of soup weather.

8 comments:

  1. after reading how much sodium is in canned soup, I now make lots of my own as well, have you tried my fennel, leek and potato soup? I only add water so I am sure it's lower calorie than if I added cream.

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    1. I'll have to search your blog for your recipe. I remember it sounded good. I'm sure I would like it. However, the very tall, thin, man who lives in this house really likes those creamy soups! They are not the norm around here , there's just been a run on them lately.

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    2. if you mash up the potatoes after the soup is cooked, the soup will seem like it's creamy without the cream. ha

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    3. Ha indeed. LInda, you are determined for us to have creamy soup without the cream aren't you? I promise when I make your recipe, no cream. xo

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  2. I thoroughly agree with you about the consumerism at this time of year. Crazy! The only thing I've purchased is a few articles of clothing for HB...he needs them and won't take the time to shop for himself. Other than that it's handmade or nothing.

    Soup sounds so good right now. Its finally chilly here. We've been having a fire every night and I love it.

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    1. You know, most of the stuff you see around this time of year is just junk. I prefer the hand made bazaars over any of it.

      Our crazy weather has been back and forth. I have all the windows open now and it's 75. We are supposed to get another cold front on Thursday.

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  3. Luxury cars with massive red bows on the roof, diamonds, all advertised here while the toy drives are taking place during the morning news. Marketing catch phrases like "Black Friday," which sounds like a sign of the apocalypse, make me cringe. And, at nearly 70, I still agonize over not being able to do enough and simply become frozen, dithering, procrastinating, sometimes actually getting the handmade gifts done, other times issuing I.O.U.s It is conscious, focused work to make Christmas contain the peace and love and warmth we hope to create through very personal, low key activities. Looking at the old-fashioned, large bulbs in their four colors makes me happy. We have a strand draped on a wrought iron bookcase. I do not find Christmas an easy time and continue to try and seek ways to navigate through it with grace and close to no anxiety. i share my treasures as gifts with friends and family - books, art supplies, antiques, heirlooms. No regifting, passing along "things" with meaning for me to homes where they can be enjoyed and appreciated. Even talking about Christmas makes me twitch. Your soups, by the way, sound, well, divine. xo

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    1. The term Black Friday makes me cringe as well, never understood, never participated. I avoid those Christmas commercials if I can. . I love the sharing of treasures with ones we know will appreciate and see them for what they are. I love that I have a few friends who would swoon over a pressed leaf from my yard with a bit of gold paint spattered on it. Ha Ha It does take focusing, to keep peace and love at the forefront, with apologies to no one. When I waver, and wish I could do more, is when I get anxious and guilt ridden and just downright cranky. In a few more days and it will be over and done. Until then, I will just keep breathing, and cooking more soup.

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