Christmas Time and I'm a Scrooge

So it is about Christmas and here I sit watching cheesy Christmas movies. I have no idea why I watch these things, some I’ve seen every year. I always know what the end will be but I still watch and get all mushy are the sad parts.

I haven’t bought any presents yet as I’ve spent every spare cent on the cookie business. I’ll give out smoked almonds to mine and Dale’s siblings. As for the grandkids I have no idea what they will get. Something small I suppose.

Fortunately no one will be here at all this year. We will all meet at my brother Mike’s for Christmas Eve and then go our separate ways. I don’t need to buy a tree or extra fresh decorations, thank goodness. What a scrooge I am!

37 Years and Counting

Yesterday was our 37^th wedding anniversary, hard to believe that it has been that long but it does seem like forever in another way. But actually we did get married on a Saturday night.

We’d wanted to go away for a change and had thought that a place with a campground nearby would be perfect. We had some great Iron Horse Champagne and BV Cab that we wanted to drink with our dinner but didn’t want to drive anywhere after drinking.

Looking at our finances over the weekend I found that we really didn’t have enough money to do much extra. With starting up the cookie company recently all of our extra funds have gone to the start up costs, hence we were going to need to stay around here and make the best of it.

I took an inventory of what we had on hand: fresh brussel sprouts with fresh lemons and butter, celery and the makings for Celery Soup a la Julia Child and Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and some instant vanilla pudding.

Visiting the local butcher was my next step. I was thinking about smoking a nice piece of meat as without an oven that works the smoking was the next best way to cook. The butcher suggested a N.Y loin roast and I had him apply a garlic rub.

So I smoked our meat, made the other dishes, got out the silver, lit the candles while Dale poured our champagne. Ah, a wonderful dinner with the man I love.

A Halloween Wedding

I saw yesterday that I’d never written about Justin and Jenavieve’s wedding. The wedding was so much fun, just a fun, fun wedding.

The wedding took place on Moonstone Beach, this is in Northern California, on Halloween. The beach is at the bottom of a bluff with boulders along the bottom edge of the bluffs.

The day was rainy but by evening the rain had stopped. We arrived at the beach after sunset with fog settling in.

The person to officiate the ceremony was dressed in a dark brown hooded robe. He stepped out of the foggy shadows into the area the guests were in giving an air of mystery.

A circle had been drawn in the sand that would enclose Justin and Jenavieve. Justin 1^st walked into the circle then Christabel, the flower girl, came along tossing her peddles on the sand. Christabel was dressed in a black dress with some sparkles, black tights, shoes and black feather wings.

Jenavieve was wearing some beautiful shear colorful wings that matched her green dress and she entered the circle to join Justin.

As the mother of the groom I laid a broom across the place Justin and Jenavieve entered the circle. This is called “closing the circle”.

The ceremony fit Justin and Jenavieve and fit with the entire location.

We Made the Newspaper

At Sunday’s farmers market I was working alone as Dale was working at his nursing job and the Silva girls were not able to help out. A man came along carrying his camera; he looked like a news person. This is nothing new as journalism students regularly take photos of us for one assignment or another.

This man introduced himself as David Karp, writer for the food section of the L.A. Times. He’d met Nate at the Thousand Oaks market but was covering the Santa Clarita market this time. He wanted to feature our products in his article.

During our interview Bekki arrived with Christabel and Zaya in tow so he snapped photos of them as well. I wish that he would have put their photos in as they are the ones who can really sell for the business. Everyone loves these darling girls.

The article is in the Times on-line but I think it might be in next week’s actual paper. 

This is so great for Nate and his Fat Uncle Farms. He has worked so hard to make this business work and we are so happy for him. It wasn’t that long ago that we would try to go on Dale’s days off and whenever I could otherwise, just to help out. Now he is truly on his way and we are so proud of him.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fow-marketwatch11-2009dec16,0,7291917.story