House-sitting

We're settled into our house-sitting adventure here in the mountains. It's foggy today. On a foggy day, our world looks just like this, all day. We would normally be able to see trees, mountains, valleys, and eagles drifting leisurely on their thermals.

Adam and Philip were gone all day, trying to repair the Jaguar. It had multiple issues, and diagnosis was difficult. So the girls and I were stuck at home all day, and I decided to make the most of it. I donned an apron and took to the kitchen. I made peanut butter cookies.

I made a pumpkin pie for Adam. (Allow me to say that I used a can of Laura Lynn pumpkin, and was therefore stuck with the recipe on the back of their can. It was not the Libby's recipe - boohoo! I think it called for an extra egg or something, and the texture was not quite right, not quite custard, too fluffy. Adam said it tasted right, though.)

Clearly, I need to make another one. And I made a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce.

And some French bread to go along with it. It was a good cookin' day.

Pom, you asked about how Sandy's doing.  She's doing' just fine! She likes her new digs.

The girls watched National Velvet on Anna's computer.

Our friends put up a little tree in their window. This may be the extent of our tree this year, unless the boys want to go out in the far woods and chop down a little Charlie Brown tree for us. I told Julia we should trim it with popcorn garland, paper angels and snowflakes, and pine cones. Sound good? I think it does!

I brought along my favorite candle. It's smelling like Christmas!

You know, I totally forgot about Pom's "Childlike Christmas" today! I'm sorry. I guess I'd just have to say that a Childlike Christmas doesn't need one's own home, or even one's own tree, or even a pile of presents. It needs the warmth and security of love, just love. A spirit of thankfulness and joy. Sometimes these things are more readily found, when the familiar physical comforts are removed. I think we will have a very fine Christmas indeed.