Checking in on a cozy late November Saturday morning and wondering what you’re doing this weekend.
Shopping? Christmas decorating? Eating leftovers?
Things are low-key in our home this long weekend.
I have undecorated autumn and am not ready to put up any Christmas décor yet. So it’s a little bare. But I know myself. If I put up Christmas now, I’ll be wanting it all down before the holiday actually arrives.
When I worked, for years and years and years, I would spend the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving taking everything Christmas item out of storage. Then I would decorate with every single thing I’d ever owned. Every single year.
And half the stuff (okay maybe more than half) was in crummy shape or I never even liked it in the first place.
Over the past few years, I have been slowly weeding out and minimizing our Christmas décor. But this year. I removed everything from its storage place and I donated half!
Not only did I only keep what I think I like (I reserve the right to change my mind on that!), I have made room to make a couple purchases and update our décor a bit this year if I want.
We will see. I’m not running out trying to get all the latest items, but if I see something gorgeous, I won’t feel guilty getting it.
Like something McGee & Co. Or something Pottery Barn. Or a “get the look for less.” Getting dupes is definitely my hobby.
Have you made any changes to the way you decorate or have you updated your Christmas geegaws?
What I’m Eating
Occasionally I get in the mood for spicy sausage and wanted to try a recipe for a sausage soup. Natasha’s Kitchen is reliable with edible results and doable ingredients.
I found a recipe on her site for Zuppa Toscana – a copycat recipe for Olive Garden. Of course, I always have to put my signature on every recipe, so this is what I did differently:
- I didn’t have kale (and hub would not eat that) so I stirred in frozen spinach in my servings near the end of cooking.
- I omitted most of the garlic.
- I didn’t have whipping cream so I used half and half.
This was my first time using my new Calphalon slow cooker on the stove top to brown the sausage and then transferred it right to the crockpot to slow cook. Worked like a charm.
I liked this soup and it was hearty but the jury is still out if I’ll make it again after the leftovers in the freezer are gone.
What I’m Reading
Basket Case on audio by Carl Hiaasen was written in 2013 and really came across as dated, but it was a fun story with good narration. This was sort of a thriller and a mystery, but there were no twists – just a nice path to follow along.
The protagonist is a newspaper journalist and it made me nostalgic for the days when news was written by people and not AI. Sigh.
Wrap Up
I am sure I will succumb to some online shopping this weekend, but I plan staying pretty close to home and maybe topping some hot chocolate with whipped cream!
God bless you and yours for a good weekend and a nice wrap up to the Thanksgiving holiday. And a kick off to the Christmas holidays.