JAYSA'S VISIT

We had a great visit with our niece Jaysa.
What a bright light she is. Her chatter and exuberance lit up our home. We had a fun evening filled with good food and drink, a gift exchange and movies.
I find that Jaysa and I are quite alike in many ways. We both love to read, we are into silver jewelry especially rings. We are both artsy. We both love to talk sometimes both chattering at once. She is not yet 30 and she is my younger brothers youngest child. My Mother her grandmother just adored her. My Mom would say to me, she reminds me so much of you Zo. Well she was right I think. I usually only saw Jaysa when she was at my Mother's home visiting. I miss that we could not have been closer when she was younger but there is still time for much sharing and becoming closer, I am looking forward to that.

Well the Christmas holiday has now come and gone. I am sorry I was so remiss about blogging these past couple of weeks. It is a busy time of year. I also have been negligent in taking food photo's.

Yesterday we had the most amazing turkey I have ever roasted and I forgot to take a photo the thought never passed through my mind. The last minute preparation is a busy time with turkey dinner. I was mashing potatoes and making gravy and getting the items on the table.
Our menu was. Roasted turkey, I rubbed olive oil on the skin and then put a rub of kosher salt, cracked black pepper, oregano, cumin, paprika and garlic power. The skin was a nice rich color and crispy just like hubby likes it. Inside the bird I nested fresh rosemary and lemon. The aroma coming from the oven was mouth watering. The rest of the meal consisted of my apple, sausage and nut cornbread dressing, sauteed brussel sprouts with crispy bacon and shallots in a buttery sauce. Mashed potatoes and turkey gravy made from the good pan drippings, cranberry sauce, and yeast rolls. For desert we had rum cake, a fave ours.
The table was festive in an old fashioned way. We had a large oil lamp and several candles for our lighting. I used my Mother's green plates with gold rims, and the xmas place mats she had made for me years ago and bright red napkins. The silverware I used was left to me by my aunt and is a gorgeous pattern in sterling silver. I makes my heart so happy to use these things that were so cherished and touched with loving hands so many years ago.
Tonight we will have the meal again.........hubby said this morning he cannot wait so I suspect we may eat early this evening.

We went to my sis in law's late afternoon to see family. Our two nieces Kara and Sarah were there as well as hubby's Mother and younger sis and husband. Sarah showed us photo's on her laptop of her time spent last summer in Europe. I will share more about Sarah and what she is doing after she forwards me her photo's so I can share some of those also.

Today is a lazy day now that the festivities are over. I am looking forward to sitting in my chair and reading. The book I am reading right now is rather heavy in that I mean you can only read a couple chapters then must set it down as it is quite draining. I think my next book shall be much lighter something I can flit though quickly.

We woke in the middle of the night to a battering wind storm. The wind was howling and the rain was wild on the roof and against the windows. I was very happy I was warm and cozy in my bed and I thought about the homeless in our city trying to find refuge from the storm. It made me sad.

I do not know if a walk is possible today. I stepped out on the deck earlier and the air is chilled at it's edges and it raining lightly. I may skip the walk and just be a lazy girl today.
Till tomorrow.