New Years Eve 2017

Peggy and David invited me to have dinner with them, and I accepted.  David prepared prime rib, lobster,  lobster bisque and Yorkshire pudding.  Peggy prepared shrimp cocktail and a nice green salad.  I provided tapioca pudding for desert.   Everything was delicious.   We watched the end of the football game on TV and Buffalo won and will go to the playoffs.

On the way there and also on the way back I drove down Maple Street and saw some very well decorated houses.    Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me.   But this was on the Lockportians facebook page:

When I got home, I called two friends, Betty and Pam, and wished them a Happy New Year.

12/29/17 Celebrating Becky's SEVENTIETH Birthday

My mothers cousin Becky turned seventy on December 13th.  Her sister Betsey reminded Peggy of it and we decided to do something to celebrate it.  I had planned to make a cake and we would celebrate it on Christmas Day but Becky was sick and could not come.

We arranged for Gail, Peggy and I (me and my two sisters) to take Becky out for lunch.  We decided on Cafora's on Route 78 in Newfane because it is closer to Becky and Gail.  It is a small family owned Italian restaurant.

We all had presents for Becky and she appreciated them.  Here is a picture of her opening one of them.

  Our lunch was great...............I had the fish fry.  Becky had eggplant parmesan.    Before leaving, we sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Becky.  I gave her a bag of small containers of items we had for Christmas dinner.

Christmas Dinner at my House: December 25, 2017

Carrie arrived home mid afternoon on December 24th.  We settled in for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I gave her her gifts.  

On Christmas morning I called my grandkids and spoke to each of them as well as with Megan and Chris.  

I had invited Peggy and David, Katherine and Scott and Becky for Christmas dinner.   Katherine and Scott decided to accept a different invitation and Becky was sick, so it ended up just being the four of us:  myself, Carrie, Peg and David.  

Peg brought a lemon meringue pie and David had cooked the Appleton Farms Ham.  I provided

pineapple stuffing,  macaroni and cheese,  applesauce, rolls and butter, butternut squash casserole and cooked carrots.  The carrots did not turn out well, they just did not seem to cook thoroughly no matter how long I cooked them, first a few hours in the crockpot, then a half hour in the oven and then in the microwave.    Our meal was very good!!!

We exchanged gifts.  Peggy seemed to really like the crocheted throw I gave her.  They gave me a gift certificate to Millers Bulk Food Store.  I showed Peggy my Christmas decorations in my family room.  

My former mother in law made the two ceramic snowman heads with black hats and gave them to me.  

This little fiber optic tree belongs to Peggy, and I have that small collection of Christmas tins on display with it.  

I got this larger fiber optic tree at Rite Aid a year or two ago during their after Christmas sale.............75% off.  I really like it!

In the evening, Christa called.     It was a good day.  

SAVOR Holiday Lunch Buffet (Niagara Falls Culinary Institute) 12/23/17

Last year Peg and I went to this buffet lunch and loved it.  At first I could not find any information online about it, but I finally did find some information just a few days before today, which was the last day it was offered.  This year David wanted to join us.

They picked me up and we headed out, even though the weather was not all that good.  We were a few minutes late for our 12:15 reservation.

We were all disappointed because this year they did not offer prime rib and scallops (like they had last year).  But they did have a LOT to choose from and everything was delicious esp. the honey carrots.  The meats were salmon and chicken.  They had three different pizzas to choose from and there were some HUGE shrimp on the salad table.  The deserts were good, but not as good as last year.                                      the hot food station

 the pizza station

After lunch we went upstairs to see SANTA'S NORTH POLE TRAIL.

there were some gingerbread houses, made by kids, on display on the firsts floor.  

I enjoyed this outing, but I am not sure I will want to go again.  Its a bit pricey and I missed the prime rib.  

Life Group Christmas Party (12/19)and Christmas Lunch at Sean Patricks (12/20)

Tuesday the 19th (yesterday) was our last Tuesday morning Life Group at Faith Tab. before Christmas.  We planned for everyone to bring  a scripture verse or something else to share and also for each one of us bring a dish to pass.    Several of us passed out Christmas cards.  There was a pretty big turn out. I took devilled eggs, Karen brought scalloped potatoes with ham, someone brought a bread boat with dip and the rest was mostly deserts.

I shared the PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS:
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true friends; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world your best anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

It went over very well and a few ladies asked for a copy of it, so I said I would make copies for all of them.  

The office staff joined us for "lunch" and Pastor Craig came in and spoke with us for a bit.  

It was a great morning.  I love LIFE GROUPS!!!!!


Wednesday 12/20
Today, my "lunch bunch" of girls who graduated with me in the LSHS Class of l967, along with a couple of others we picked up along the way, met at Sean Patricks for lunch.....the last lunch before Christmas.  There were eleven of us:  myself, Mary Ann, Sheila, Darlene, Bonnie, Elaine, Nancy, Janice, Barb, Lynette and Liz.   We exchanged small gifts and had a great time.

I had the roasted turkey open sandwich, which came with mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a vegetable.  It was delicious!!!!  Everyone elses lunch looked great, and nobody had any complaints.

I hope we go there a couple of times in 2018, since there are several items on the menu that I want to try.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER!!!!! 12/17

A few weeks ago, when I found out that Pam was going to be in this play, I bought tickets for Marlene and myself.  I invited both Pam and Marlene to my house for lunch between church and the play.  My menu was hot dogs, potato salad and baked beans.

Pam and I waited quite a while for Marlene because she decided to get her car washed before coming over.  Pam was a bit upset.  Anyhow, she finally arrived and we had a nice lunch together, with OREOS dunked in milk for desert.

The play was wonderful.............so funny!   It was about a bunch of difficult children who took the main parts and did a lot of acting up during practices, but pulled off great performances when the play was performed.   Here is Pam in the green sweater.

and some after play pictures of the other actors and actresses.

Christmas Lunch at ENH on December 15, 2017

A few years ago, Betty told me about the Christmas dinner offered to hospital employees and others.  I went twice with Betty, Elaine and Peg and David.  But this year,   Betty did not seem to know when it would be and Elaine kept asking both her and me for information about it.  Yesterday after my barium swallow, I meandered down to the cafeteria thinking I might get something light to eat since I had been fasting.  I saw this notice:

I took this picture and when I got home I immediately called Betty, Peggy and Elaine and told them about it.  Both Elaine and Betty wanted to go for lunch so we arranged to meet there today.  

The meal was outstanding, as it always is:

We each chose two out of three meats.  I chose the Cornish hen and stuffed beef.  The other choice was sliced pork.   Both of mine were delicious.  The vegetables and sides were great especially the scalloped apple/sweet potatoes and the cauliflower.  We were given a huge shrimp cocktail as an appetizer.   There was fresh fruit and a chocolate fountain.  The deserts were magnificent.  I had hot fudge sundae cheesecake.  The price for non hospital employees was a mere $10.80!!!!    I almost wish I could get hungry enough to return for supper.  

After leaving (Elaine called it waddling) the hospital we stopped at the CARENET Center so Elaine could pick up an item they were donating to the Presbyterian Home.  Cindra gave us a tour of the place.  It was very interesting.  

CONNECT LUNCHEON at Faith Tabernacle December 10, 2017

Once again, Peggy held a luncheon for the seniors.  My friend Elaine joined us.

Laura V. did the cooking.  I helped her serve the chicken and biscuits.  There was salad and lots of deserts to choose from.

We had a gift exchange.

I got  cute candle.  There was also a silent auction.  Many people donated items including myself.

Here are a few more pictures. 

Before leaving, I took Elaine into the sanctuary so she could see it decorated for Christmas.

It was a fun event!!!!!

HOLIDAY CONCERT with Nan Hoffman and Friends at Lockport United Church of Christ : Dec. 9, 2017

I woke up today without any firm plans even though I knew of various events going on.  I checked out the events and decided that going to the Nan Hoffman and Friends Christmas Concert at the United Church of Christ would be a good thing to do in the evening.  I called Elaine and left a message asking if she might want to accompany me.  She called back later and we agreed to go together.

I picked Elaine up and we went to the church, arriving a few minutes before the concert began.  I took a couple of pictures of the nativity on the stage.

The concert was wonderful.  They did a variety of songs, some of them Christmas Carols.

Between the two sets, there were refreshments offered in the lobby.  

This was Nan's thirtieth Christmas concert but it was the first one I went to.  She has a lovely voice.  I hope to go next December to the thirty first concert.  

Colonel Bond House 2017

Once again the Colonel William Bond House was open to the public for WINTERS FEST EVE.  This years theme is "Victorian Christmas".  At the last minute, I decided to go and it was too late to find someone to accompany me.  Here are a few pictures I took.

It was very nice.  

Before heading home I drove  few blocks to check out  house on Church Street that had been reported to be well lit up for Christmas.  

 Indeed it is!

MENNE'S WORLD OF CHRISTMAS and more 12/4/17

I asked Pam if she wanted to go to Menne's with me this afternoon and she agreed.  We had a light lunch at my house before leaving.

Unfortunately, Menne's was a bit of a disappointment.  It was small and subdued compared to when I went the last time (either one or two years ago).  What they had on display was nice, but not as marvelous as it was before.  Here are a few pictures

As we  were leaving, we saw a poster announcing that Menne's will close their doors forever at the end of the month, which kind of explains the change.  After Menne's we walked over to McDonalds to have hot fudge sundaes.

We went to the Entenmanns Store on the boulevard, but found a sign on the door saying that they are closed today.

We went to PLATTER'S CHOCOLATE in the Wurlitzer Building

in North Tonawanda.   It was a pretty neat experience.  They have glass windows so visitors can view the workers making the chocolate creations.

  Pam had coffee and I purchased ONE piece of chocolate:  dark chocolate raspberry jelly............it was delicious!

There is a hallway beyond the factory that has a lot of old photographs of the Wurlitzer Factory long ago.

We left Platters and entered the front door of the factory and it was kind of like urban exploring.  

It was pretty neat.  Then we headed for home.  

It was a fun afternoon.

VICTORIAN TEA and BASKET RAFFLE at UCC in Lockport 12/2/17

Once again I attended this great event.  Bonnie reserved a table for 18, but a few did not show up.  I invited Lydia and Becky.  Lydia did not come, but Becky did and my friend Pam also joined us after her play practice.  

The buffet spread was great!  Here are a few pictures taken before it was officially served:

I looked the baskets over but did not see anything I particularly wanted, but I purchased five dollars worth of tickets anyways.  I left before the drawing.