Around here, it’s a little behind. But what’s new? I do have the tree up and decorated, most of the presents home but not all wrapped. Christmas cookies are in the oven and Will’s upstairs sleeping. Huh? It seems like yesterday, while I was gone shopping, he decided he would not only move a bunch of big round bales closer to the cow yard but ALSO put the door on the tractor’s cab. Now, that door weighs about 100 pounds. Gee, the doctor’s orders say not to lift anything heavier than ten pounds for two weeks! I thought he could hear better than that. Not only did he do that but, during the process, he lost his balance on the tractor’s steps and hurt his shoulder grabbing onto the side, to keep from falling.

Cookies, in process.

I didn’t even ask what the door was doing about that time! Of course, he’s crabby too. But I’ll shove a few Christmas cookies at him, and he’ll be better. I guess I’ll have to watch him closer, huh?

The Christmas tree is lit. Notice Mittens keeping my chair warm.

Well, I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas and Holiday week. We’re expecting family and that’ll be so nice. We’re supposed to have rain for Christmas Eve. I don’t think that’s ever happened before here in Northern Minnesota!

Not artistic, but done! Delilah and the older grandchildren won’t care and Melanie is too little to know what they are. Whew!

–Jackie

61 COMMENTS

  1. 1degree to a rain forecasted Christmas. life. so happy you both are doing well again(recuperating from the door lift, shoulder injury; just like a fellow usually following docs orders). the yummy looking cookies should appease the ill mood. I’m sure you made enough for the kids too!
    Merry Merry Christmas to you and your family! enjoy the holidays :)
    Mary

    • Oh yes, I made more than plenty! We’ll be having them for weeks, as well as those sent home. I didn’t give Bill’s family any as they had, also, made tons of cookies. Merry Christmas!!!

  4. Merry Christmas!
    Your cookies look delicious! Everyone will love them I can tell.
    Oh, Will, I’m so sorry you are struggling with healing.
    Your tree is absolutely gorgeous!
    Thank you for your wonderful updates.
    Take care

    • We’re eating those cookies today, on Christmas. Will’s feeling much better although I’m sure the tractor door/slip didn’t help much.
      We had such a great time with family, opening packages on Christmas Eve. So much fun!

  5. Merry Christmas Jackie and Will!!! Will you need to stop lifting or you will have a problem with healing. I can vouch for that!! Jackie, men can’t hear well when someone tells them to take it slow!

    May God bless you!!! Thanks for all you share. Cindy Hills

    • Yep, I think some men are selectively deaf. He’s doing much better now. Maybe he’s learned his lesson????

      Merry Christmas Cindy!

  6. 47 for an overnight low in the Des Moines Iowa area? An inch or 2 of rain coming for Eve and Day? Used to be that 47 for a daytime high would be note-worthy. But we are 13″ behind on moisture so will take fog, downpours, anything!
    That is a concern about him lifting and wrenching that much, (bad boy!) hope this turns out ok. But yes, we all understand because we do things that we see need to be done, just like when you overused your new knee in garden. Problem is, the work is never done, we need to become wiser.
    Merry Christmas, and Happy wiser New Year. Hugs, Erin

    • It’s Christmas and it’s still raining. Weird. It’s the first time in Minnesota history to have rain on Christmas day. We are experiencing a winter drought so I guess the rain is needed. But ISH! So sloppy. David said his car is slowly sinking into the mud.
      He’s feeling much better today, now that he took it easy for a couple of days. I hope that’s lesson learned. (That door could have waited….) Just saying….

  7. I hope Will’s OK after all that “rest” he got yesterday. Hardheads are hard to heal! :)

    Wishing you all the best Christmas ever!

  8. Merry Christmas! I get yelled at for overdoing too! I do try and follow doctors orders, at least the way I interpret them!

    • Howard,
      You made me belly laugh with your comment “I try and follow doctors orders, at least the way I interpret them”

    • Ah ha!! It’s just an interpretation thing, huh? I’ll have to remember that so I can speak slowly and clearly next time the doctor gives him instructions…
      Merry Christmas!!!

  10. Love to you and your family, Jackie! Merry “Jesus is the reason for the season”! We’re going to stay in our daughter’s time share at Sunriver, Oregon. She will have her hands full with 18 in-laws, her children, and husband. But, she was so kind to invite us to her time share nearby. We will celebrate with our youngest daughter, husband, 4 yr old, and 1 yr old daughters, and with our son and his bride of 1.5 yrs. She’s from Sweden. She likes it in the U. S. a whole lot better. In Sweden even the ocean freezes. We’ll get use of a nice jacuzzi in Bend’s frigid evening air. Mt. Bachelor is just a hop, skip, and jump away. The Sister’s range is snow-capped and gorgeous!

    • Oh, that all sounds so wonderful! Family and a wonderful spot to share Christmas. Very nice. Merry Christmas to you!!

  11. Your tree is beautiful! We are getting rain for Christmas here and I am so thankful. I don’t think we will get enough to break our drought, but it will certainly help. So, Mr Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof thought he needed to be out working! He may have to return his cape for a bit so he can heal up. Keep feeding him cookies so he won’t be to grinch like, lol. Merry Christmas! By the way, the cookies look awesome! Prayers for a blessed week.

    • I think the cookies did the trick. He’s feeling much better and even helped bring in firewood; but NOT over 10 pounds worth!! Everyone has ragged on him so much even he admits he shouldn’t have overdone it.
      Merry Christmas to you!! Thank you for your prayers.

  12. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and Will and the rest of the family. You have been like family to me for many years. I always count on your advice. Keep up the good work.

  13. Merry Christmas Jackie (& Hardhead) You make all of my year happy with your pictures, projects, and gardening. Tell Will to behave himself. I think a lot of the medication they give you makes you feel like you could leap over mountains; so, all this may not be entirely his fault? You guys settle down and have a wonderful Christmas.

    • Thanks Jan. Everyone is doing well and we had a great get together yesterday. Will’s feeling much better today, as he was yesterday. He’s getting over the surgery, finally. Merry Christmas!!

  14. Oh! Will could really tear stitches and put himself out of commission for a lot longer if he doesn’t behave himself!
    Wishing you and yours a very happy Christmas and a good year ahead!

    • Well, he was glued. So, he didn’t have stitches. BUT he definitely could have done some serious damage, which he now gets. He’s settled down and doing better. Merry Christmas Holly!!

  15. Merry Christmas to you and your family! (I have to agree on the coal in the stocking on the naughty Will issue 😉😁)

    • I was going to put some coal in his stocking but couldn’t find any! He’s admitting his mistake and is feeling much better. Merry Christmas!!

  16. Hi Jackie, a message for Will: don’t make me have to come up there! The very ideas of him lifting heavy things makes me so worried. A piece of coal in his stocking. Rain for Christmas Day for north Georgia also. Love you both and enjoy those grands.

    • Yep, his daughter said she was buying me a tranquilizer gun for Christmas so I could shoot him in the butt if he did too much! We had a wonderful time yesterday, although it rained all day, as it is today. Merry Christmas anyway!!

  17. Merry Christmas to you and your family, our Homesteading Sensi!! 😆 Had to do it, sorry.
    Will is a go getter, like you, staying put in not in his nature. Something I have problems with as well. I love your columns, articles and the blog. I’m wishing you, family and your friends a very Merry Christmas and praying that the New Year is a good one for you.

    • I totally understand the need to DO, but, really, a hundred pound tractor cab door??? I hope you have a great and wonderful Christmas!!!

    • Yep, last year we had nearly 3′ of snow on the ground and were having sub=zero days. This sure saves firewood but is really strange…. Merry Christmas!!

  21. Wishing Will a speedy recovery and wishing you both and the family a very Merry Christmas and great year ahead!

  25. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Now, you will need to tie Will down I guess to keep him from hurting himself again. Meanwhile a few of your cute cookies should cheer him up.

    Cathie

    • I think he learned his lesson. He’s doing much better now. Thank God!! I was worried even the cookies wouldn’t do the trick. Merry Christmas Cathie!!

    • Gee, that reminded me of when I was in the Oak Lake Church choir and we went caroling around to older folks’ homes in the evening. It was so much fun and I’m sure they enjoyed the visit too.
      Merry Christmas!!

  27. Merry Christmas to you and yours, Jackie!
    Thank you all for being such blessings and encouragement, being very real people to your readers so we can truly relate. Praying your Christmas is full of meaning and love. Happy New Year, too!!

  28. Hi Jackie
    Will just doesn’t like to be kept down does he!
    I’m glad he’s resting now and hopefully those delicious
    looking cookies will take the grouchy right out of him.
    Your tree looks wonderful even if a bit behind.
    You, Will and family have the most wonderful and blessed Christmas!!

  29. We are expecting rain on Christmas also. But probably warmer. Upper 60’s.
    The weatherman reminded that last year the highs were 12/23 – 14, 12/24 – 27, 12/25 – 33 but no snow. Now I know that it is probably a bit warmer than normal for you but definitely u unusual for us in Northern Mississippi.

    Merry Christmas, kathy in MS

    • It’s a lot warmer than usual for us. Last Christmas, we had 3′ of snow on the ground and highs in the low twenties. Now, it’s raining, raining. Not a flake on the ground. Brown Christmas for sure. Merry Christmas!!

  30. No one would say a word if there wasn’t any frosting or sprinkles/”adornments”. Rain for us too and have to say I can’t remember it ever raining on Xmas Eve/Xmas in this area – I’ve lived here all my life. Snow, cold, cold and windy, and dry yes, rain no. Moisture is moisture I guess. Melanie will have to live vicariously via her sister and her cousins.
    Merry Xmas and tell Will no being a Grinch. He knows better but as the C&W song goes, “old enough to know better but still too young to care”.

    • Aw heck, you’ve gotta have those sprinkles!! Just aren’t cookies with out it. We’re having rain, rain and more rain. David had to move his car as it was sinking in the mud. Really! Yeah, I think Will knows, deep down, that he shouldn’t be putting the hundred pound door on the tractor’s cab. Today he even admits that wasn’t a good idea. Like Dad always said “Too soon old; too late smart!” So true. Merry Christmas!!

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