Hello November!!
We had a whirlwind October, and so I am looking forward to a less busy November. I want to fully embrace a slower fall, now that Halloween and October is over. We went all out for October because Wyatt had such a crappy summer, and we definitely had a blast. But, now we are ready for relaxing!
Most of the month should be pretty quiet, although we do have two milestone events this month. First, happening Tuesday, is Billy and my 25th wedding anniversary. It seems unbelievable that we have been married that long, but I guess it is true. I am pretty sure we are still only 17.
Which leads me to the next milestone – guys, I turn the big 5-o this month. What the heck? I really really can’t be that age. It sounds insane to me, but again, here we are. Honestly, I’m not really that hing up on the number. I feel every year is a privilege. I am not sure what sort of celebrations we will be having, but I am sure they will be pretty simple affairs. I do know that my besties here are planning a night out, with a bit of fun at the tie dye place downtown followed by dinner at Ima, a noodle house I have been wanting to go to for awhile now! I am the oldest of our group, by one year. Jill is a year younger than me, Kelly two, and Chrissy – well. Nine. Nine years younger than me. I am very much looking forward to our night out though. I miss my crew and life gets in the way a lot of us hanging out. Kelly has a senior in high school this year, and is busy with all of the events and different things happening in her daughter’s life, Jill works so hard – she is a respiratory therapist at two different places, a full time job during the day and then some night shifts at the hospital. Chrissy works and has two children, one of which is a toddler. So it will be nice for us to have some time together, hanging out and having fun.
Billy has plans for our anniversary, dinner out at an old favorite of ours, and he took the day off to hang out with Wyatt and I. We are hoping for a hike somewhere, full of fall colors and brisk weather.
Outside of these two big events, the rest of our month should be quiet, with the exception of Thanksgiving, of course, but my brother is hosting so I just need to provide a few dishes, including my Nantucket cranberry pie.
I want to try to repair my vintage quilts this winter. I don’t know how though. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I plan on making a post about this, with photos of them as they are. I love them so much, they are so soft and warm but they need some help and I don’t want them destroyed. But I do want them to be used.
Wyatt also wants me to make some mini-felt animals. He found a book at the used book store with photos and patterns, don’t ask me how, of little animals and wanted me to sew a few. So I am giving that a whirl to this winter. He wants to sew too, but I can’t figure out how to do accommodate that for him yet. He has full use of his left hand, he is a lefty, a natural one so that is good, but his right hand is more of a helper, and he does not have much in the way of fine motor skills with that hand. More like big movements that are sort of clunky. So I do plan on researching that a bit for him.
I also have some other goals, that are pretty small but I am looking forward to. I want to make really good cinnamon rolls, for one. I am not a great baker but I like to try and focus on something until I can perfect something, and have it be like, my good version. I have the nantucket cranberry pie, chocolate chip cookies, scones, and gingerbread cookies under my belt, and have my sights set on cinnamon rolls next.
I am also thinking of doing a little Soup and Saturday Stories feature on my blog. Doesn’t that sound cozy? Maybe make it a link up, and we can all share the soup we are eating, the recipe, and the book we are reading? I love soup. It is one of my favorite things about fall and winter, that it is soup season! And I have Billy reinvigorating his sourdough mother that has been sleeping all summer, because sourdough pairs perfectly with soup and stews.
I am of course thinking about Christmas. I would like to try my hand at painting some Christmas cards, but if that proves to be too much for my talent, I am going to just purchase some. I have been listening to the podcast In the Meadow, and Vic has been talking about how analog and doing things the way we did just two or three decades ago, can make such a difference in our lives. Screens, quick information, the digital life, has its good points, but it is also good to step away sometimes, do something like send Christmas cards again, or letters. Maybe use an actual clock or watch. A radio. You get the idea. I am going to start small – Christmas cards. What better way to connect?
So that is where I am mentally tonight, on this cold dark night already, the day after Halloween. I am sitting in the den with my husband and son, Billy watching some documentary on tv, Wyatt playing with his magna-tiles on the floor, my cat purring asleep next to me.
How are you doing?
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
Wow! I get to be the first to wish you a happy birthday! I remember my 50th…Mike had all the kids and my siblings meet us for dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant. My daughter and her husband had to drive in from Charleston, SC! It was really special. It’s hard for me to believe that was 18 years ago. It’s really been on my mind lately that I’m 68! I don’t feel that old (my knees do) so it’s just strange.
Happy 25th anniversary! Do you remember when you got married thinking it would be just ages until you reached any kind of milestone at all? We will celebrate 50 years next year…again mind blowing! (And, yes, I got married at 18!)
I wish I had some ideas for you about Wyatt. Could you use a hot glue gun and have him use some kind of stick as a helper tool? I know that’s not the same as sewing, but it would be creating. Are you a lefty? My oldest is, and I always struggled teaching him things.
I love the idea of Soup and Saturday Stories. Would I remember to do a post? Hmmm…maybe. I love soup, but Mike’s not the biggest fan of the really good ones! Well, that’s enough talking your ear off!
Have a wonderful birthday and anniversary! Tell Billy I said, “Happy anniversary, too!”
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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You are! Thank you Marsha! What an amazing sounding celebration! Is your family nearby, or all scattered around the country? I think that is part of my amazement at 50. I don’t feel 50? And I totally remember when I thought 50 was like the super oldest age.
Thank you Marsha! Oh my gosh yes. And then, I turned around and it has been 25 years. And we have a 10 year old! Lol. Wyatt is the best surprise we ever had in our 25 years. And that is awesome!
I am not a lefty. Most of my cousins are, but Wyatt is the only lefty in our home. I have had to get used to it when helping him with things and it is always so hard at first! Lol. I am struggling with cameras and him. Like how the heck do left handed people use a camera? Do they push the button with their right hand? Such a right handed world we live in. Lol. Wyatt’s OT told us that he would have been a lefty even without his brain bleeds, that he never had to try to retrain that part of him, and he naturally used his left hand, which his unaffected side.
Lol! I’m still mulling that over a bit in my mind. Expanding it. But I think it will be fun!!
Thanks Marsha! And you didn’t talk my ear off!
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Soup and stories sounds like a great way to spend a chilly Saturday. Have a wonderful month.
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Thanks Kristie! They are two of my favorite things! You too. 🙂
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Happy Birthday! I turned 69 on October 27th! Soup and stories on a rainy and/or chilly day is fantastic! Nice blog. Warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada. 🙂
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Happy birthday to you as well!! Today is a very blustery day here in Michigan, and while I am not making soup tonight, I am making another cold weather dinner, chili! Thank you for visiting Linda!
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It always feels like “The Busy Season” begins on November 1 when we anticipate the winter holidays, the gift making and giving, the meals we’ll prepare. And when you have two special events — wow! Happy Anniversary tomorrow and early birthday wishes. Those “zero” birthdays really help us take note of decades past, even when we are grateful for every day — there are so many to look back on!
Would it be easier for Wyatt to start sewing with burlap and yarn? It’s a little larger but with the yarn you can easily see the “holes” in the burlap to guide you. It’s not as soft as fabric but you could enlarge the pattern, figure out how to keep the edge from unravelling (a glue on the edge?) and it might work. I don’t sew either apart from some needlework, but it might work.
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I have no idea why but I don’t feel that rush anymore, and I should! LOL. Our family has scaled way back on gift giving – we only ever buy gifts for the kids and our spouses, and then usually make things for our parents, who tell us not to buy them anything. That helps a lot!
And thank you Jeanie! Every so often I think of it and am shocked, but I am very grateful for every day. 🙂 Getting older is a privilege.
That is a great idea! Thank you!
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I’m a leftie, but because my mom is right-handed, I learned how to sew and do all the crafty things with my right hand instead … although it’s definitely slower and not as fluent as things I am able to do fully left-handed. I do know I’ve seen some YT videos on how to crochet/knit left-handed, so that may be a resource too? Perhaps one way for you both to adjust would be to get some of those practice sewing cards – like thin cardboard with holes punched and you use shoelaces/cords to “sew” them? My mom got some for my niece to start learning, getting used to the rhythm and practice of stitching.
And YAY for big anniversaries and new decades! 😀 ❤
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Oh wow interesting that you learned to do it right handed!! And I think that is a good idea, well all of your ideas. Lol. I will check out YouTube and also those practice sewing cards. We used to do those together when he was really little, so that might help the process too.
Thank you Rebecca!
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I love the soup and stories idea so much I literally did a little bounce in my chair while I was reading it! Giggle! I can’t wait to participate!
I also love the idea of setting aside the digital and doing more crafts and other things like that. I just feel like my spirit comes alive in fall and winter these days. Being trapped at home can be hard but also a chance to create in a different way!
As for baking…yeah, I probably won’t try much because I generally just burn stuff. Ha Ha.
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Lol!!! I am glad you are excited about it! I am too. Soup and stories, two of my favorite things!
I am looking for ways I can change up some of my dependence on technology/digital. It is so good for some things, but it is nice to make swaps when you can. I am not going back to VHS though – our house is too small for extra boxes, etc. When we were finally able to get all that streamlined we cheered. Lol. I think our hobbies, like crafting, coloring, those are all perfect for slowing down. I am excited to try to make Christmas cards. We will see though. LOL.
I have to move slowly with baking. I can sometimes pull it off, but if I focus on one thing I can usually do it.
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Recently stumbled onto your blog and have been trying to “catch up”. I am really enjoying a new-to-me voice that is so down-to-earth and open, a kindred spirit so to speak.
I love the idea of a cozy soup Saturday series. I, too, adore a good soup even if the season is a bit abbreviated since it’s warm so much longer here in SC. Originally a Northerner (Ohio) transplanted via family to the south.
Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary–what a blessing to reach such milestones! I’m not far from your heels.
As a lefty, my righty mom used to sit facing me to show me how to do some crafts. I learned crochet that way, as well as how to do most needlecrafts. One thought–if your son would like to sew, have you thought of plastic canvas to start? It is stiffer, has very defined holes, and might be easier to hold or prop. It can also be cut and sewed together to make shapes, such as animals, boxes, etc. For using cameras–we become adept at reaching over or simply becoming somewhat ambidextrous. I have even held a camera upside down to take shots I want–since most are digital you can always flip the image later. Being a lefty encourages creativity.
I do hand-written Christmas cards every year and my friends and family always love them. We include a typed letter to kind of “update” them since we are so spread out. I have zero talent for painting…but that sounds like an AMAZING personal touch!
What am I baking? Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for fall; plus, plain pumpkin mini muffins for the pup. Then come December we do the twelve days of cookies; the cookies change from year to year but include a few traditional ones like “kiss” cookies, snowballs, meringue squares, and dream bars.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Looking forward to your next adventures and am curious how you do with your cinnamon rolls.
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Aww thank you Rissa!!! I enjoy your blog as well!
And Ohio! You know about these winters then! I imagine SC is beautiful in winter. And I am curious about your regional soups that you may have!
Thank you! I do believe getting older is a privilege and a blessing. I am looking forward to celebrating this new age of my life, every day.
I was thinking about getting him a camera for Christmas – I will have to practice those different methods with him! Phones make it easier, but I thought he might like an instant camera type thing too. Instant gratification there. And I think that the plastic canvas would be a good plan – if his right hand doesn’t need to do as much work, it will be easier for him for sure.
I haven’t sent Christmas cards in maybe 6 or 7 years. I am looking forward to reviving that tradition. And I love that you make yours so personal! I think we all need more actual mail in our lives.
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins sound delicious, and I love that you make dog friendly versions for your pup!! That is awesome!! I am not cut out for that much baking but I do enjoy making gingerbread every year. I would like to add in a few additional baked goods as well this year. I am planning on going down a few rabbit holes for holiday planning soon. Lol.
Thank you so much for visiting!!
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