Around the House

Thanksgiving was great in our new home in Grand Haven. It was just the two of us. Adam and Steph spent T-giving in Boston. I made three new recipes - home style meatless loaf, green beans and rolls. Probably not the best of ideas but I had a great time chopping and Jack was a big help. He did the green bean prep and kept up with the clean-up. We started the day with squash bread loaves. Those are not full size bread loaves. They are mini loaves. Two are in the freezer for future breakfasts. OK it was four new recipes. Squash loaves excellent - will come back again.

Table with the center piece I didn't know I needed until Dale at the local garden shop sent out an email saying they had center pieces.

Meatless loaf comes together.

Loaf recipe - excellent and a keeper.

Green bean casserole - not so good won't come back again. It wasn't Jack's help that didn't work. Just not the best.

Biscuits ready to go in the oven. They were wonderful. Nice and flaky, they will make a comeback.

Jack and I agree this is my best gravy ever.

Rounding it out, garlic smashed potatoes - no recipe needed. And of course, Jack's jellied cranberry sauce from the can - he won't eat fresh.

Thanksgiving evening we went out for a walk. It was in the low 60s. On Friday morning we had snow showers. Michigan, got to love it.

 Our Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations. Jack got the shovel ready a bit early.

Decorations as critter food.

Christmas decoration. We don't do a tree or anything. So this is it with a poinsettia for the house when the center piece dies.

New living room clock.

And we have a new Spike. I spotted him in the greenhouse when we bought the center piece. My plan was no house plants as we're travelling a lot now and didn't want to pay someone to take care of plants. But Spike 2 can live without water for a long time so no problem. Original Spike we got before Adam was born and gave him away when we moved from Illinois. He was about the same height as Spike 2 when we got him. He needed to be cut off twice as he hit the ceiling. We have nine foot ceilings here so Spike 2 will not need to be cut in our lifetime.