Family matters

Our annual traditional tree decorating Pizza Party was on Friday.

Our tiny  Charlie Brown Christmas tree was draped with vintage ornaments and glass garlands.

Vintage birds

German pine cones...

and 

small glass baubles.

The littlest angel helped keep our spirits bright

her smiles and charms worked their magic.

She is the shiniest star in our lives.

We are so blessed.

Mr. HB's Mother had a fall and her caregiver thought that she needed to have an X-ray.

One phone call and
everything changes.....

Mr. HB spent the better part of his day sitting in the Emergency Ward waiting...

trying to keep his Mother calm and reassure her.

It's good that they went to the hospital because the X-ray showed a broken elbow.

We are getting advice from the orthopedic surgeon,
and await a consultation with her GP.
Surgery can be risky and  hospitalization will be somewhat unsettling for her as she is almost 94, likes familiar surroundings and a predicted routine.

I was at home preparing for our annual Family Tree Decorating Night while Mr. HB was with his MOM at the ER.
We had no inkling that her fall had been so serious.
I am so grateful that I could be kept updated by texting...
because my first reaction was to postpone the pizza party and rush up to help out...
it is so hard not knowing what's going on in a situation such as this one
and the waiting just escalates worry and fear.

The kids arrived and we ordered pizza and munched on appetizers until Mr. HB made it home.
The darling Miss Isla kept us entertained!
She had fun opening and closing the kitchen cupboards and taking out the contents and putting them back.
She repeated this many times and what a twinkle she had in her eyes...
she also left me a wee tomato lipped kiss mark on the glass at the front door
a sweet reminder that I will leave up for a few days because it brings me joy.

It's times like this that remind me of how grateful I am for our family and dear friends.

Friends and family really do matter.
hold tight
stay close
and hug often.

Hostess,
XO

Wishing you a Happy and Joyful Weekend.

Domestic helpers and Rosacea Salve

We recently broke a very large Reidel wine goblet,
it snapped with very little force and I was concerned that Mr. HB had sliced his hand.
He was fine but the goblet was a goner.

I have a thing about thick walled wine glasses.
I really truly hate them!
I've tried to like them but I cannot abide the width when sipping from them.
We have owned some for years and I have finally donated those that have been taking up space in the cupboard.
I feel so much better now because they annoyed me every time I opened the door.
De-cluttering is so wonderful...

We have some thin crystal glasses which feel great in the hand and are very light to hold.
They are very fragile and so I hand wash them very carefully.

I use foamy cleaners that we bought from Williams Sonoma in Vancouver.

Use lots of soap and hot water

gently wipe

place on a tea towel and let air dry. 

Luigi Bormioli 

makes titanium reinforced stemware which is much more durable

and they are whisper thin.

These gloves have a ridges which grip so the glasses do not slip out of my hot soapy hands.

Our farmhouse porcelain sink is not very glass friendly

many a chip has happened by accident

and I do not use any chipped china or glassware.

It repels me.

Chips in crystal and china are to me 

what Faux Fuchsia feels about chipped nail polish.

The weather has turned very cold, there was ice in the birdbath this morning.

The grass is frozen and the front stairs were treacherous.

I hung on tight to the handrail on the way down.

The skies are a beautiful clear blue and the trees silhouetted against that backdrop look amazing.

Outdoor lights twinkling in the icy and frosty nightlight

in the Humble Bungalow front yard.

I am so happy that I purchased the down puffer coat this fall

I am toasty and warm on my walks.

My face is the coldest part of me when I walk.

I have rosacea

and cold air exacerbates the skin condition.

It is troublesome,

 as the skin becomes quite pink and stays that way.

Products that have alcohol or with hazel are to be avoided as they irritate and inflame the skin.

Gentle natural ingredients are the way to go.

I spoke with the esthetician at the local Pharmasave 

who coincidentally suffers from Rosacea.

She has taken many workshops and has spoken to the skin care representatives about their products

 with the hope of finding a line that helps her skin look it's best.

She suggested that I try the Sea Buckthorn Salve 

 it was 1/3 rd. the price of any other product for Rosacea on the shelf.

I am testing it out and will be returning to report back to her in a few weeks.

It is rich in natural oils

goes on smoothly

imparts a glow

and has no scent to speak of...

Rebekah over at Cupcake Caramel

is having a similar problem.

I wonder if this salve would help settle her skin...

I think I'll let her know about this product

maybe it'll help her rash.

Hope that your week is off to a good start.

Harrods soap, an eggnog loaf, and roast beef Sunday dinner.

When I think of Harrods I think of quality.
My English friends who have lived and shopped in London feel that it is up there with the best merchants.
I am disappointed in their soap...
is it the soap or is it the way that I am using it?

Calling all experts...

here's the soap

looks nice 

smells lovely

all wrapped up in a pretty package 

and now look...

personally I think this is hideous looking soap and I am going to chuck it in the garbage

it sits in an english china soap dish with raised ridges to give it a chance to dry between uses

Is it the soap or is it the dish?

What is the problem here?

Please let me know if you have the answer as this is really bugging me.

There are very few pet peeves of mine but this is up there with rudeness 

and those annoying sticky price stickers that will not come off of glasses and other things that one buys.

I dislike wasting food and those items that don't get used up before their expiration dates.

Which brings me to the eggnog that is about to get tossed...

Did you know that you could use eggnog for something other than sipping?
I have sampled French Toast made with eggnog and it's delicious.
So in the spirit of thrift. waste not want not...

I went online and found an eggnog loaf recipe which I made this afternoon...

It went together very quickly and baked in the oven for 50 minutes.

I will wrap these up and store them in the freezer

later when I am busy 

I'll have something tasty to share with friends and family.

 The Humble Bungalow is a busy place these days.

More workers on the scene, dust seeping upstairs.

More next week and the reno is coming along nicely.

I'll be taking photos one day soon.

Exciting times!

I am cooking a roast beef and yorkshire pudding with veggies tonight.

Mr. HB's sister and Mother will joining us for dinner.

SIL lives near the Alberta border and is in town for a reunion.

Must get busy and get cooking...

I'll be wearing an apron so there will be no OOTD images today!

Have a great day.

Lights and natural touches...

Lighting up the Bungalow...
Mr. HB has been busy stringing the white Christmas lights.

He has been up on ladders to add some twinkle and sparkles to The Humble Bungalow.
I like the dark wood details much more at night when it takes on a warm glow.

Daytime it can be dark inside and I find myself turning on lots of lights.

Living room

(I did not use the flash as it looks far too harsh)

view from the kitchen butler's pantry door 

looking east into the dining room

mantle above the fireplace

sporting the resident 

Ojibwa tamarack duck decoys

Mom and babe...

Salal

a native plant,

simple and natural 

in a mercury green glass vase

a gift last year from a friend

The Paper Whites are growing taller

I hope they bloom for Christmas!

Dining room plate rail lit with white

 subtle and just enough to add warmth to the dark fir.

Simmering on the stove is a tomato sauce 

made with whole tomatoes,onions, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes

a healthy glug of Worchestershire sauce

salt and pepper...

I'll boil up some pasta and dinner is done.

Quick and easy are the meals these days as there are lots of things to do to get ready for the holidays.

Most of the gift shopping has been done.

There will be some more baking as I give homemade goodies away.

My uncle, who lives alone always gets an assortment of treats.

I take some to work and share them with the staff.

Then there is the fellow who hauls away our garden refuse to the compost centre

 and various others who provide us with service over the course of the year that I try to remember at Christmas.

The Food Drive is in full swing at school and the truck will be overflowing with food for the needy.

The sock drive is at 500 pairs with our goal for 1,000.

Street people need to keep their feet warm and dry.

The Hampers are getting filled with toys for the families at the school who are experiencing hard times.

With generous hearts 

this spirit of giving could happen all the time.

I'm thinking of dedicated tireless volunteers

 whose helping hands and hearts of gold

make such an enormous contribution to our communities everywhere.

I am in awe of you all!

There's lots to do this weekend and I may not get to it all...

what's on your agenda for the weekend?

Have some fun!

OOTD and Gingerbread in the afternoon...

It's tea time in The Humble Bungalow.
Mother and my sister popped by for a visit...
I put the silver service into action and took out some pretty china teacups.

 I made gingerbread for tea this afternoon.

I made the recipe in a pie plate so that I could serve small wedges of this delicious treat.

You can serve this with a dollop of whipped cream or a good Greek yogurt if you so desire.

Gingerbread Squares

1/2 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c.molasses
1 1/2 tbsp. coffee
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. dried apricots chopped
1/4 c. chopped candied ginger
2 tbsp. icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 9X9 pan. (or 9 inch diameter pie plate)
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in egg, molasses and coffee until well blended.

Mix or sift dry ingredients together, then stir in wet batter. Mix in fruit. It will be sticky. Press into pan.

Bake 20 -30 minutes until the top starts to crackle.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and slice when cool.

I got some great prep bowls last year from Santa......

they are so handy when you are baking up a storm in the kitchen.
They seem to reduce the mess on the counter and leave little room for forgetting to add all the ingredients.

measuring is easy peasy.....

At tea today we caught up on all the things that my sister was doing in Rancho Mirage,
it is a tony neighbour to Palm Springs.
She shopped El Paseo, rode horses in the desert, walked her dog and swam...
all while her significant other played golf.

They have a townhouse in a gated community and have bought several acres outside of town with thoughts of building a great southern retreat.
I think that they have what it takes to make the classic Canadian Snowbirds.

Meanwhile I have had a house full of electricians and the lower level is in controlled chaos!
Things are progressing at a healthy pace and the reno is in full swing.
The downstairs is not Pepper friendly so we have been keeping her upstairs and safe while the work crews are here.

I am slightly under the weather with lower back pain....
not to complain too bitterly but it is not my favourite way to live.

I have no idea what I have done either, I woke up this way.

I am calling out for the big guns in pain relief
Epsom salts, Voltaren
and ALEVE!

To give me a boost of energy I am colour blocking.
I am wearing a red tunic top with my charcoal wooly tights and my boots.

Style and Co. red tunic

which is above my knees

by about 3 inches!

I might be pushing the best before age limit here with this top...

what say the fashion police?