Holiday/New Year Update – with the first ever Cocoa Diary

January 6, 2014                                                                                                                                News from the HoLmestead

The tree has been undecorated and removed. Furniture is in the process of being rearranged, but I'm off the hook at the moment so decided it might be time for an update.

[Warning: this is long.]
 
We had a very busy and very good holiday season here at the HoLmestead. Before getting into the details we want to wish you all a safe, happy, and blessed 2014.

Thanksgiving etc.
 
The whole family was here for Thanksgiving on the day before (Wednesday) so everyone could get to their other commitments on Thursday. We gave thanks, feasted, and enjoyed having everyone at home for the day. That evening Mary Jane, Jo and I had our traditional viewing of Miracle on 34th Street. On Thursday the three of us had a very nice, quiet Thanksgiving day.

On Friday, however, we picked up Ben, Amelia and Elliot and traveled to Chicagoland to Jo's brother's house (Danny and Robin) for the traditional feast after the feast called "Mambo Italiano."  Danny's thinking is that after all the American food (Turkey, etc) you need a fix of massive amounts of strictly Italian food. And he and Robin lay it on proper, including several kinds of meat, pasta, desert, wine, etc., etc. This feast goes late into the night. Some of us take time to go downtown in Glen Ellyn for the Christmas Walk and lighting of the big Christmas tree on the square by Santa Clause. Amelia and Elliot particularly enjoy this walk. Stores are open and there's free hot cider and other goodies.

On Saturday we were blessed and privileged to attend a Mass at St. Catherine's which was 'intentioned' for Aunt Rose who had died a few weeks earlier.

Of course, being Italian, after the Mass there was a meal at Paulette and Vic's. Again there was a bunch of really great food.  Many of us pledged that we were going to eat nothing but veggies and water for the next week!

Thanksmas

Ben, Amelia, Elliot, Jo and I traveled to the Holmes 'Thanksmas' (a blend of Thanksgiving and Christmas) in Veedersburg on the 14th. Another large (although not Italian :-) meal and gift exchanges and visiting. It's great to get together with my side of the family whenever we can.

The day's weather was a harbinger of things to come. It had snowed the night before and we had some trouble getting to Veedersburg due to the slick roads. There were several slide offs (others, not us), but we made it there and back again ok.

 Christmas
We spent the week before Christmas preparing for Christmas Eve and Christmas. I was involved in getting things ready for the Grace Church Christmas Eve services. There was an extra choir rehearsal and several work sessions to prepare the 'Christmas in Your Car' service (which would take too long to explain here). At home we had a bunch of cleaning, wrapping, cooking, etc. to do. Also, we were in the process of building three small treasure boxes to give to each of our three grandsons (see below).

 Christmas Eve services were fun and uplifting, but kept us up late. The 7:00 traditional service was great with music from the choir and others, communion, and candle lighting. After the 9:00 Christmas in Your Car service, for which we were outside in very cold (but thankfully dry) weather singing carols, we went home, finished up a few preparations, and then watched A Christmas Carol. We didn't get to bed until after 1:30 AM on Christmas day.

Jo and I had a quiet Christmas morning (after sleeping in - something we had not been able to do on Christmas for about 34 years :-) and exchanged stockings, then we visited Ben, Kat, Amelia and Elliot to see what Santa had brought. After that we went directly to Byron and Jenelle's to visit. That afternoon and evening we had a lot of finishing up to do to prepare for our family Christmas the next day. That included finishing the treasure boxes. An earlier post showed the boxes being clamped. By Christmas Eve Jo was putting on the last coat of paint, and on Christmas day I put the finishing touches on them.

One Treasure Box

All three Treasure Boxes

The next day we had the whole family, including Danny and Robin and Mary Jane, at home for our family Christmas. Many blessings. The Knipps stayed for two nights! It was a little crowded (15 people all together), but warm and happy (most of the time), joyful, fun, and with plenty of food (especially desert :-).

New Years Eve

Our New Year's Eve party was small and quiet. Dorothy and David came for another great meal (prepared by Jo and augmented by Dorothy), and some nice visiting.

And now for the winter weather event of 2014 (so far):

Between Jan 1 and Jan 5 we learned that we were in for a record setting weather event comprising snow, wind, and arctic temperatures. Today (Jan 6) it was -13 here when we got up! It hasn't got above -10 all day. Fortunately we have a wood-burning stove so we don't have to worry too much about keeping warm. We had time to prepare and had a bunch of food (mostly snacks) left over from the parties. We have both been sick with sinus infections and bronchitis for several days. We were able to get medication on our trip to town on Saturday before the snow came.

I moved some extra firewood to the house. Note: we already had several inches of snow on the ground before the snow arrived on Sunday.

And we hunkered down for the duration.

And now, for the first time ever we present an entry from Cocoa's Diary. This one centered around the winter storm of January 2014:

Cocoa’s Storm Diary

January 4, 2014

Well, my people, Steve and Jo, are bustling around again.  They left today and were gone for a really long time, and instead of leaving me outside to play, I was stuck in the laundry room again “just in case,” Jo said.  Just in case of what?

Well, when they returned they unloaded a bunch of stuff from the van, and put things away in the kitchen.  Last time they did this a bunch of cute little kids came over and everyone was saying “Merry Christmas” and I got a new Nyla Bone.  But there was no new Nyla Bone today and no little kids.

Luckily, it was a great day to be outside, but they kept “checking” on me, as if I don’t know what to do…gotta keep those birds from eating that seed too fast.  And that squirrel just doesn’t seem to understand that this is not his yard!  I kept looking for mice and moles, but none were out and about…and such a nice day too!

It is nice to come in and get warmed up by the wood stove—my people have been keeping it going most of the time these days.

January 5, 2014

I had so much fun today!  It’s snowing and Steve keeps going in and out getting more wood.  I keep trying to grab some and play keep away, but he is too busy to play.  Jo is really busy in the kitchen and it smells so good…I hope she drops something for me.

That squirrel keeps annoying me…he chatters at me and then hides in the tree house—doesn’t he know that it’s for the kids!

I thought maybe all the little kids would come over today—just their boy Byron came, and he left Kinsey at home, says her fur isn’t as thick as mine.  Jo says my fur is so thick she can’t even see my skin, that I was made for the cold.  It made me feel so proud.

Well, maybe Byron will bring Kinsey tomorrow.

I guess Amelia and Elliot played in the snow today.  I miss them, wish they would come play with me today.  Jo keeps saying the roads are blowing shut...can't figure that out...

Steve went outside the fence tonight to clean off that funny looking round thing…says he hopes we get reception for Downton Abby…oh yeah…I remember that.  Those two sit in front of the TV for a very long time and don’t pay any attention to me.  I was pretty tired, though, after playing all day in the snow and didn’t mind curling up for a nap.

January 6, 2014

Well, it’s sunny today, I think it’s time to go outside.  But something strange happened…Steve opened the door to let me out and this really cold blast hit me and, boy I just wanted to stay in!  Well maybe later things will change.  Maybe Kinsey will come over to play while Byron plows the snow.

I keep asking my people to let me out, but when they open the door, that blast of cold comes again.  One time Jo pushed me out “to do my business” she never does that!  Well, I tried to chase birds and squirrels, but my paws were hurting.  I was really glad that she let me back in right away when I came back to the door!

The phone just rang and I heard Jo say, “ Don’t worry about us, we are fine, just stay home and keep warm!” 

I guess Kinsey won’t be coming over today.  I’ll bet the little kids won’t come either.  That squirrel isn’t even out today!

Oh well, Steve is napping and I’ll just have to nap, too.

Cocoa enjoying the warmth of the wood stove

Below are some pictures of the snow that I took just yesterday. We had over 9" of new snow and it was a wet heavy snow.

Things haven't changed much today except for the frigid temperatures. It was above 30 degrees yesterday morning and just plummeted throughout the afternoon and evening. Then it just stayed there all day today. It looks like tomorrow will be the same as today. I'm hoping we will be able to get to town on Wednesday!

Cocoa surveying the snow. Heavy snow on the tree branches.

Snow weighing down the branches of the evergreens.

 The snow is beautiful, but I worry about what damage it may do to the trees.

A pretty view to the South

Cocoa in the back yard. Snow, snow, snow.

Cocoa often lays on the picnic table – even in this cold weather. In this picture she is watching a couple of deer in the trees in the distant background. She can't get to them, but would really like to.