Here it is another Monday Morning.  It's cold.  The car was covered with frost and needed a good scraping this morning. 

We had a wonderfully restful long weekend at Chez Wood.  Wednesday after work, Elanor and I baked pumpkin and apple pies.  Thursday we got up and put the turkey into the oven and then got prepared to watch some parades.

To quote Inigo Montoya, "I don't think that means what I think it means.....".  In my mind, when you say Parade, I envision marching bands and floats and some movement down a street.  The parades in Philadelphia and NYC have become production numbers and not so much parades.  They have performances by dance troupes and singers in staged areas and there is a decided lack of marching bands.  Being a former band geek (a majorette for years), they are my favorite part. 

Em and Jim came for dinner and it was good.  We had a good meal and talked and just enjoyed each other's company.

Friday, Pk and I planned to go to the grocery store to do our regular shopping.  We kind of got sidetracked.  First, we went to the diner for breakfast and then decided to take our car to get a good cleaning and a coat of wax put on for the winter. 

The next stop was to Lowe's to get 2 things, a light bulb for the refrigerator and a leaf rake.  We came away with some paper for the front door, 2 containers of LED lights, a 9' blow up Stewart, 2 lengths of lighted garland.......you get the picture.

This brought us to noon and we decided we'd had enough and went home.  We did get up early Saturday morning and get the groceries.  Pk and El put lights up outside and I put away the groceries and did the laundry and cleaned out my spinning supplies.  I made a big pot of turkey soup for dinner and it was a good day.  Oh and we made 7 Fruitcakes.  Yes, we like fruitcake.  These are dark and deliciously flavored with rum and spices and lots of citrus flavors.

Yesterday, we got up early and went to Columbus to the Flea Market.  It was a very good day!  My favorite cookware is Calphalon.  We own a set that I've cooked on for over 35 years and it's still going strong.  I picked up a large frying pan with a lid, a new double boiler set up and a wok-like pan that will work for a number of dishes and a cast iron dutch oven.  All at really good prices. (the calphalon still has the stickers on it and hasn't been used and it's so expensive in the stores).

Pk got a couple of woodworking hand tools-something called a "scorp".  I swear I think he makes this stuff up because I don't know any better.....

And then we ended our weekend laughing out loud at Despicable Me.  It was a good way to ease back into a work week mentality.

And now we are at the point where it's 4 whole weeks until Christmas, really plenty of time, but people will start the "OMG!! Buy ALL the things!!There is no time!!!".  That is so not my style.  I'd have an ulcer if I let it get that way.  We will decorate next weekend and then buy our tree the week after.  There is a plan and it will ease us into the holiday season with our sanity intact.

Penguinski!

Are you ready?