Goodness, it is amazing how life can take you away from little things you mean to do…like maintaining this blog.

Today is my beloved husband’s birthday!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!!

So the craft fair was a success. Dave’s maple syrup really sold well and our table looked so nice. If I can figure it out, I’ll post a photo.

My friend from Illinois came and we had a wonderful visit. She’d been to Connecticut and Rhode Island before, but never Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. So Dave worked on a route so that she’d get to see all the New England states. She arrived on Thursday late afternoon. We had a nice evening here at the house. Friday Dave had to work so my friend and I sat around the house chatting for a long while. Then I showed her some of the places I frequent. We’re both from Illinois so I finally had someone here to sympathize with me and my difficulty navigating from memory. These Connecticut hills/mountains are NOTHING like the flats and little hills of Illinois. On Saturday, Dave planned a surprise for my friend. I’d told her we were going to New Hampshire and Maine, but Dave worked out a route so that we could visit the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham, VT then traverse New Hampshire to get over to Freeport and Bailey Island, ME. Unfortunately, it was pitch dark by the time we reached the ocean so all she really got to see were the mountains in VT, but she could smell that salty air. On Sunday she had to leave for Illinois. And then her adventure really began. It took her 24+ hours to get home after we dropped her off at the airport because of ice storms between Oklahoma and Illinois. I felt so bad for her being stuck by herself in limbo wanting desperately to get home to her husband and children. She finally arrive safely home though on Monday afternoon.

This coming Friday, Dave and I are making another trip to Peoria for Christmas. We should hopefully arrive on Saturday afternoon. I’m looking forward to visiting with family and friends. I’m especially looking forward to visiting with my grandmother in Springfield. She’s had repeatedly health difficulties since my last visit.

Today I’ve got to get our Christmas gifts to Dave’s side of the family ready since we will not be here. I’m actually waiting for UPS to deliver a package right now that has a couple of last minute gifts we got for the new babies in the family. Since we’ve been married, Dave’s immediate family has not been entirely together at any given time. His brother’s are not all local and one lives in Idaho so getting together for holidays is a challenge. Everyone will be here for Christmas…except Dave and I. But we are coming back from Illinois early so we can get to see the Idaho contingency before they have to leave.

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a lovely time visiting with family & friends!