is there any more pie?

Time for resolutions? I think not.

I thought this was worth a giggle or two. If I had any 2025 thoughts, they might be to cook less and quilt more. Hire someone to clean. Eat more avocadoes. Get rid of more “stuff”. Buy pretty clothes.

We are home, as of Sunday night. Banjo Man is ever so slowly recovering from the “coughing crud” he had for most of our time in Texas. The day before we left I was hit by one of the ever-present and infamous Texas allergies that tortures its residents year round.

The flights home were plagued with severe ear pain and tears. Yes, I cried. A lot. Like one of those poor infants who scream during takeoff and landing. Daughter Nancy picked us up at the airport and drove her weary parents home. I suspect we were pathetic. And maybe a little…elderly.

I went to bed Sunday night and didn’t get up again until this morning. I feel sooooo much better, though Banjo Man does not. He explained he is suffering from plugged “airplane ears” and is going to try all the remedies he just read on Google.

I hope one of them works so he will smile again.

I want to wish you a very happy, peaceful and healthy New Year. May we all find joy in every day.

I saw this online and had to share.

I have seen other lists, but I like this one most of all.

We are having one of those lovely “slow mornings” here in New Orleans. Eventually we will stroll down to Cafe during Monde for coffee and beignets.

At 1:00 we’ll be in the audience for one of our favorite jazz pianists, Richard Scott, followed by a late lunch at Mr.B’s and then a concert at the St Louis Cathedral at 6:00.

I have yet to do any Christmas shopping, unless a jar of spices for the annual Christmas gumbo counts.

I am having trouble writing this post. Oh, the internet! So I will leave it here and get on with my quiet morning.

The French Quarter is undergoing a badly needed facelift of some streets and sidewalks. There is a lot more to do. I cannot believe the disintegration of the sidewalks on Decatur and Royal. Bourbon Street is being “repaired”, supposedly for the benefit of the Superbowl visitors.

This special historic area of the city has been neglected and has lost a lot of its charm.

We still love it, having experienced its better days.

But I find it sad.

Yes, it’s my birthday and that’s how old I am! Am I going to party? Yes, I am!

The coffee tastes especially good this morning.

So, what is this old party girl going to do to celebrate? Should I tell you???

I’m going to Costco. Yes, Costco. There’s one less than an hour away now, in Connecticut, and daughter Nancy, Banjo Man and I are going on a little road trip this morning to check it out.

I mean, really, who doesn’t want 48 rolls of toilet paper for their birthday?

Actually, I do have a thing about NEVER running out of toilet paper. This started a long time before Covid shortages and the world-hoarding of paper products. So buying a massive amount of toilet paper will be great fun for me.

Thrilling, even.

And because I have gotten rid of so much “stuff” over the last couple of years, there is plenty of space on the storage room shelves in which to store it. Yay me.

Assuming my birthday was all about thrifty spending, Banjo Man quite seriously asked if I wanted the $1.50 Costco hot dog for my birthday lunch.

Think again, pal. We’re going to our favorite Italian restaurant and I am ordering pizza.

It’s December! Can you believe it? My shopping is in total freefall and as I sit here making lists (gotta love lists!) at my desk I am praying for inspiration…and maybe some texted hints from the family in Texas.

What to do, what to do…

I bought myself a new I-phone (the 15 to be exact). Yesterday I spent HOURS trying to set it up. Over an hour was spent “chatting” with the Visible helper and, eventually, I was able to overcome all the issues.

By the way, have you ever heard of eSims?

I hadn’t.

Now I am faced with trying to operate a new phone that doesn’t have a Home button (my previous phone was an old SE). I don’t have the energy or patience to do anything today, though, so I am addressing Christmas cards.

Yes, there will be cards this year! And I love them. I hope you do, too.

Just to complicate an already frazzled brain, I have an ear infection. It was a painful weekend, so Banjo Man took me to the Minute Clinic at CVS first thing Monday morning. I now have antibiotics and Flonase and am feeling much better.

Remember the days when the children looked like this? Daughter Nancy came down with an ear infection every December. Son Will had his ear infections every time we step foot in Nebraska. Son Ben ended up with tubes in his ears.

I guess it runs in the family.

I shall leave you with some happy Thanksgiving photos from our 2024 extravaganza. A good time was had by all!

There is a nasty rumor that we could get a little snow tonight.

I refuse to believe it.

What about you? Is there snow on your lawn? On your mountain? On top of your car?

Say it isn’t so.

In 2019, when my grandson was nine years old, I thought Die Hard would be a great Christmas movie to watch for his annual pre-Christmas condo sleepover. The Funny Grandson loved–and still does–to come down to Austin and camp out on the living room floor for a few days. We walk to the Magnolia Cafe for breakfast, go grocery shopping for party treats and gumbo-making, slurp root beer floats and watch football and movies and play chess and go for walks.

You get the idea. It’s a happening.

His parents like the free time to get ready for Christmas. Win, win.

So five years ago I had the bright idea to buy “Die Hard” dvd and party one night with Bruce. BUT I had to buy the special anniversary edition with all three Die Hards together in one package.

Of course I told the Funny Grandson that I had a special animated reindeer movie for him and he did his best to hide his lack of enthusiasm.

And then Uncle Will put DIE HARD in the dvd player…

EPIC.

The evening was such a success that the next night the FG had the bright idea to watch DIE HARD 2. And that’s where the whole “Bad Grandma” thing kicked in, because the language was HORRENDOUS.

Grandpa, Uncle Will and I looked at each other with equally horrified expressions. We let it go on for a short while longer in hopes that somehow Bruce Willis and the Bad Guys would find religion and change their ways.

Nope.

There had been a few “swears” in the original movie, but the four of us agreed that we would never, ever say those words. But this one? Oh, my God. I apologized over and over again to his parents.

I am now trying to find a Christmas movie for this year’s overnight, sleeping bag, root beer float, popcorn, movie extravaganza.

Do you have any suggestions?

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES come to mind, but I don’t know if he’s seen it. There’s a serious-but-true film called JOYEUX NOEL about Christmas Eve during WWI.

We’ve watched ELF and THE CHRISTMAS STORY many, many times.

Is THE SANTA CLAUSE any good?

Help me.