Happy New Year 2014

The end of a year, and the beginning of another, is a great time to review, refresh  and delete.

Review:  Go through your experiences.  Filter through the good, the bad and the ugly.

Refresh:  Hold on to all the things that are good, or that work for you.

Renew:  Improve on all the things and experiences that are worth keeping.

Delete:  Rid yourself of all the things in your life that aren't working for you.   

Sweep out all the things you don't need to be involved in.  

You'll make room for all the good that's awaiting you in 2014.

Happy New Year!

Until next time, when we can chit-chat again! 
T.

Casual Holiday Party Time....

Are you planning on throwing a Christmas, Boxing Day or New Year's Eve holiday party at home? Would you like to do that as nice and inexpensive as possible?

First, remember it's all about presentation.  You can attain elegance on a budget, by keeping your decorations simple and the food table brightly colored.  The idea is to use as much of what you already have on hand to make things look good.   For instance, use real plates, cutlery and cloth or fancy paper napkins.

 

    .  Send an e-card or e-vite instead of paper invitations.

    .  Almost every town has a dollar store, discount emporiums or
   low cost retailer.  Shop there for decorations that you don't already
   have around your house.   Use white tea &/or floating candles
   along with pillar candles wrapped with ribbon.  Surround them
   with pinecones for a more festive look.  You can also fill your
   fireplace with the candles and/or pine cones.  Use tree decorations 
   to string along stairs or over mantels.  Wine glasses can be turned
   upside down if you run out of holders.  You can also fill glasses
   with sand, cat box filler or decorative rocks to hold taper
   candles in place.

•     .       For inexpensive holiday scents simmer some apple cider, fresh cloves and cinnamon on your stove, instead of buying pricey pre-made potpourri; you can also try simmering cinnamon and vanilla extract.  It gives the aroma of freshly baked goodies. 
             Use a roll of quilting batting as a tablecloth.  You can make snowflakes to hang using copy paper and glitter then hang with fishing line.
  
  

 

•     Offer appetizers and desserts.   Make party mix instead of 
      nuts.  Do vegetable trays instead of meat trays or at least make
      a larger vegetable tray than meat tray.  Have crock-pots or
      warmers filled with pre-made (chestnut, etc.) soup, chowder,
      chili. Add a crunchy breadbasket.   You can also try layering
      veggies and dip in individual servings.  Fill votive
      candleholders with berry salad.  If you are good at baking,
      make your own desert; if not try buying some festive deserts.
  
  

•     .      To minimize the cost of alcohol you can make available lemonade, coffee, tea or other soft drinks and a big bowl of alcoholic fruit punch.  Or, tell friends to bring a bottle of their favorite alcoholic beverage to introduce to others.  You can also empty box wines (like black box) into decanters.
      .       Here are a few more ideas for your table snacks.

* Warm a mix of olive types with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of crushed red pepper in a sauté pan. Serve in small bowls as a pre-dinner snack.
* Roast whole raw almonds in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Toss with Kosher salt, a touch of olive oil, and some citrus zest.

* Make your own gourmet chips by toasting pita bread in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and olive oil.   

* Cube cheese, maraschino cherries, and olives skewers and place with assorted crackers and/or assorted crunchy bread.

*Stuffed baby Red potatoes or twice baked potatoes.

*Baked ziti.   

*Hot Spinach Spread with Pita Chips.

*Spicy meatballs.  

*Variety grilled chicken wings.

*Stuffed baby Red .

Rent Christmas CDs from the library and play them during the party.  You can also play old fashion board games or watch movies.  Have children make and decorate ornaments.

• 
  
      .  If you are a guest at a party.
      .  Bring something along.  A bottle of wine, dessert, etc.
      .  Don't arrive late.
      .  Don't be a wallflower.
      .  Don't lose control, especially at a work party.
      .  Don't show up your boss at a work party.
      .  Don't tell racy jokes, especially at a work party.
     .   Most of all HAVE FUN!!!!

Photos from:
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIhI5LOHQPWbYJsZRTO8w71diEQGEWb03pGWjGmnjL93jkX3a5ai2qdkyVGYC4a8R_zzYOIjlyHJLTCbaVVYJUVYs588UqyURBvP7ZTRmoZUuTXVrz8TESnQlo-rnbHQ3JVxpb3fUiMLp/s320/DSCF1652.JPG


http://tog.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5539d5b8488330120a617b2e1970b-320pi


http://oldrecipebook.com/images/holidaypunch.jpg


http://www.howsweeteats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/IMG_2095-300x168.jpg




Until next time, when we can chit-chat again! 
~T.

Happy New Year 2011

Until next time, when we can chit-chat again! 
~T.

Happy New Year! Have a safe and prosperous 2009

It's been a heck of a year "109"...HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

FEWWWW.... What a year this has been!  So many changes have occurred over the last year.

Looking back: My paternal grandmother died Christmas Eve 2007 (in Jamaica).  Her minister was off the island and she had to be "held" until January 10th, before her burial.  Now if you know me, you know that I'm not fond of weddings, funerals or being noticed.  (Looking at the body in the casket just really drives me nuts.)  Anyway, the family really wanted me to read from the scripture or something.  I politely declined, of course.  I knew that any of that type of involvement would cause me to "PASS" the "COFFIN".  

On the day of the funeral they were looking for someone to pick up collection in the church.  So I figured, "what the heck, that seems well within the realm of my comfort zone".  I diligently did my duty and finally ended up, yep you guessed it, at the coffin.  I passed up dearly departed grandma, to get the minister to put his two cents into the collection bag.  Most of the folks in the church were mortified that I approached the pulpit, holding out my bag for the minister to put money in.  I can just imagine the whispers..."No way, she doesn't go to church on a regular basis","Where's she going, oh no she didn't", "Why is she approaching the reverend, I hope a no fi tek money fran him".  Hey he's a part of the church, he should be putting money in the pot for the organ fund too, right?!  (No the truth is, he beckoned me as I was walking down the isle with the collection bag.)  So there I am, bag in hand and I realized...I had to pass the body AGAIN!!!  I tried to slip by it without LOOKING in.  

I went back into the rectory and turned over my stash.  "Now how do I get back to the pew to sit with the rest of the family?"  I walked out and there were six or seven people, sitting on pews just to the side of pulpit.  I spotted my uncle, who needed to sit next to the door because of his medical problems.  "Perfect, I'll just sit there until the end of the service, then I'll get back with my family."  I took a seat next to this elderly gentleman.  Before I knew it the minister turns to us and said "rise"... Well wouldn't you know it, "People, I was sitting in the middle of the mini choir and 'crap' I can't sing".  Before I know it, I rose with them, was handed a book and told rather forcefully by the man next to me "109, 109".  So I dutifully turned to song 109 and did what any smart girl on her feet would do...I belted out one hell of a LIP SYNC. Unfortunately for me, in Jamaica, they now have this nasty habit of taking photos at funerals.  I looked up and there's the pesky photog taking a pic of ME...I looked over at my mother and her sister, they were red-faced, leaning on each other, with tears running down their cheeks.   Yep you guessed it, they were laughing, hysterically, at ME!  I looked forward to my cousins who were elbowing each other in the side and querying each other "Can she sing?". Even my blind aunt, who was told that I was up there, was squinting to see if she could get a glimpse of me.  My father, at his mothers funeral, had tears running down his cheeks as he hid behind a program.  "Poor thing" I thought, then I realized that he too was laughing at ME!   I have to admit I too was hiding behind my song book laughing.  After all that singing I figured out a way to make it back to my family in the pew.  I later found out that that church is one of the most famous in the Caribbean and that they traditionally have a 100 person choir that sit up in the balcony.  The Minister, Choir Director and members of the church all had a good laugh at the visiting songstress and I am now affectionately know to all as "109".  So I decided, since the choir at one point had sung for the Queen of England and recorded an album I'm adding this to my resume.

No sooner than I returned state side, I was informed that my job in the city would be over;  I found out that five people I know were diagnosed with Cancer (So far three of them are in remission, one is working through it and one is in the fight of her life.) I moved; lost money in my 401K; am looking for a job; got a year older and have arrived at reflection time.

Looking ahead:  I'm putting last year behind me and taking with me only the lessons I have learned and the truth that anything is possible.

I hope everyone has a Happy and Successful 2009!!!