Ok, folks, out with the Thanksgiving decorations and get going on Christmas! This morning I started packing up the fall leaves and flowers I'd had decorating the house for the past several weeks. It's an abrupt change-over to everything Christmas. I'll put together some swags for the doors with clipping from some of our evergreens, or maybe it'll be wreaths this year. I love the fragrance of the spruce, fir, cedar and pine I collect. Today would be a perfect day to do that except while it's mild (about 40 degrees), it's been raining lightly since early this morning and everything is dripping. Unfortunately, tonight is going to get much colder and we're in for a real stormy, blustery day tomorrow. Temperatures will be dripping bringing high winds and, according to predictions, several inches of snow. I have a small collection of clippings from pruning some of the trees in our yard, so I can get started with some decorations. I won't do indoors because everything would be past prime by Christmas, but I can do wreaths for outside.

We had a lovely day yesterday. Our family has much to be thankful for. We are all healthy, jobs seem secure, and we have a great time when we get together. This year we were particularly thankful that Bill's wife, Monika, graduated from Lebanon College and last month passed her board exam so she is now a certified radiology technician. Monika is from Namibia and has overcome what I would consider almost insurmountable difficulties studying and learning in a language that is not her own. We're very proud of her.

At the top, in the kitchen way before guests arrive, I'm trying to get as much as possible done ahead. After dinner I have lots of help in the kitchen. Monika and Fred tackle the dishes between courses and I was behind Fred cutting pies. That's one of our neighbors, Elizabeth, with her back to the camera. She was discussing Bill Rossi's new book with Bill and Bob. At the table, that's Theresa, me with my back to the camera, Bill, Monika, and Elizabeth. Bob had left on his trail bike and would meet Theresa later in West Danville. I think he intended to ride on the rail-trail.Jamie and Marie had made made other plans so weren't with us yesterday, and another neighbor, Louise, didn't feel up to coming, so we took dinner to her. It was such a nice day, we all commented on how fortunate we were to have a beautiful, mild, sunny day this late in November.

I found an interesting e-mail from Bonnie Dannenberg last night:

I've been talking with Rita Durgin about how to help the local troops who
are going to Afghanistan in January. She'll be putting donation boxes
around town, [Cabot] soon after Thanksgiving, to collect things for care packages
for the troops. She sent the attached list of suggested items if folks want
to donate. (Some aren't very specific.) I'm also trying to find people to
knit wool helmet liners. I have the pattern and specifications if anyone
wants to help with that project. Anyway, if you all can help spread the
word, I'm sure she'd appreciate it. Her e-mail is: Rita.Durgin@state.vt.us
Bonnie ~

The Best Items To Include In Military Care Packages:

AA batteries

Air activated heat wraps for sore muscles

Air fresheners (...like stick-ups, F’breeze.)

Altoids or mints

Baby wipes

Beef jerky

Board games

Boot socks

Brown t-shirts

Canned air to blow dust out of electronics

Canned food items

Cereal bars/granola bars

Chewing gum

Coffee

Cookies in individual packages (Big bags often fill with dust if not eaten right away.)

D size batteries

Deodorant

Dice

Disposable camera

Disposable shower towels

Dominoes

DVD movies

Foot massager

Foot powder

Footbag/hacky-sac

Gatorade

Gift baskets filled with lots of useful items and packaged as a present

Hand warmers

Hot cocoa mix

Icy/hot patches

Individually-wrapped licorice

Inflatable pillow

Inflatable seat cushions

Ink pens

Jaw breakers

Jelly beans

Koozies to keep water bottles and cans cool

Little Debbie's snacks

Long-distance phone cards

M&M's (plain or peanut)

Macaroni & cheese

Magazines

Microwave pasta that doesn't need refrigeration

Microwave popcorn

Microwaveable plates, bowls, paper plates

Music CD's

Newspapers

Notepads of paper

Nuts

Olives, pickles, peppers (Be sure to add lots and LOTS of bubble wrap around these items.)

Paperback books

Pasta and sauce

Playing cards

Poker game

Pringles chips

Ramen noodles

Razors

Rice Krispie treats

Sewing kit

Shoe laces for gym shoes and boots

Shower to Shower body powder

Smoked oysters and sardines

Snack mixes

Soup mix

Spices, salt, pepper

Squeeze butter

Stress relief squeeze balls

Sunflower seeds

Toothbrushes & toothpaste

Underwear

Vitamins

Word Puzzle books

Ziploc bags

I have the pattern for the knitted helmets and will send that to you if you contact me here or at janebrown@fairpoint.net. I'll also have more information on where the donation boxes will be located, or you can contact Rita Durgin directly.