November Needs More Days!!!!

 I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  With the arrival of COVID three years ago, our holidays became different.  But still ok.  I do miss the wild pandemonium of Thanksgiving with all of us plus brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews....who can forget the trip to a battlefield or the new movie and then dinner at California Pizza Kitchen?  But, now travel is not big in anyone's mind and kids go off to their significant others.  I am not complaining.  We had a great Thanksgiving. We celebrated with our neighbor, Rhonda, and with a lot of food!  

Making the icing for the lemon cake (the bread for the stuffing in next to it)

Thanksgiving dinner

It was delicious!

Now, I am putting away all things Fall and getting ready to put up Christmas.  

Doesn't everyone use their bedroom as a staging arena?

I took apart these wreaths and re-put them together

Honestly, there need to be more days in November!!!!!!!

And in the world of our favorite things.....Jake is home from Dr. Fernando's rehab spa and apparently he is happy to be home ruling the roost.

Jake

And we say "Welcome" to Phoenix.  Jane got Carole to agree to opening their home to a dog that will be living her best life with Jane.

Phoenix

Phoenix is about 3 years old and was a stray in San Francisco.  Jane says she is the sweetest thing ever!!!!! Welcome to the Family!!!

So, enjoy the holiday and relax ~ everything does not have to happen before December 1st!  (That is what Amy tells me!!!)

Much love,

Leslie

It's Beginning to Look Like Fall...

 And it feels like Fall!!!!! Cooler than usual....very strange, but welcome.  We are decorating for Fall and Halloween and buying lots of candy!  My fear is that we will run out (thank you Dad!)

So I have chocolate candy, not chocolate candy and special things for the kids that can have neither.  So far, I have almost 600 pieces of candy, but I will get some more.

I love the pumpkins and the new bone.

The front of Amy's car

The front porch is decorated but since Trick or Treat is on the alley behind the house, everything gets moved to the back.  And then...............it is time to start thinking about.......Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!

But, before I jump into that craziness...here are some of the neighbors.  And one family's effort to change their decorations every day!!!!!!!!!

Look closely at this one.   It is a bit disturbing.

Our front porch

Enjoy the early coolness!

Much love,

Leslie

What a Glorious Wedding ~ In Spite of Ophelia!!!!

 It was a cold, rainy, blustery Saturday here in Hillsborough.  Every other year it has been hot and sweaty.  Not so this year thanks to Tropical Storm Ophelia!  But we were not going to let it get in our way to celebrate Maren and Patrick!!!!

You can't even tell it is raining!  Love the tents that only one person stood under.  A cousin.

I thought these planters were gorgeous!!!!

The front porch could not have been more beautiful!  Lots of lanterns and white pumpkins.

The wedding cake with Maren's bouquet.  

The fantastic grooms cake that Rhonda made.

Emma 

                                                        

Jane

                                                                           

           

David and Thomas

Jesse

Final touches....

                                                      

Megan, Jesse's fiancee ~ took the most amazing photos!!!!!

  
                                                 

Congratulations to Maren and Patrick!!!

Cousins ~ Jesse, Jane and Emma

Jim giving the first toast

Cutting the cake

The wedding favors that Patrick's Aunt Becky made.  So pretty and representative of Patrick's home in New Hampshire. 

All in all, everyone had a most wonderful time! We certainly were not letting Ophelia stop our party!!!!!!

Much love,

Leslie

Since I Have To Be On the Quiet Side.....

Amy is on a telephone conference so I am working on being real quiet.  She says I tend to make a lot of noise.......

So time to update you on what Amy and Leslie are up to in Hillsborough, NC.  Number 1 ~ it is hot hot hot.  But, since it is hot everywhere, how can we complain?  I like it hot and sweaty and it sure is! 

We helped Jesse and Megan celebrate their engagement:

Jesse and Megan

The Party

The Lemon Cake made by me!

We thought the cake was good (thank you Carole for your Meyer Lemons!) and apparently so did everyone because I am making Maren the lemon cake for her wedding and making Megan the lemon cake for her wedding in August 2024!)

Maren and Patrick ~ their wedding will be September 23, 2024

We have decided that our sofas are just not working anymore so Amy bought a new sofa and a recliner (that I think will help her back).  The old sofas and two end tables are leaving tomorrow.  Also coinciding with the arrival of the new sofa and recliner.  Any guesses on if it all happens at the same time?

So, I am getting the end tables ready to go:

This was all on the end tables....must find new storage

And here are some signs that fall is coming...

Very early Halloween decorations on Cole Mill Road, but cute!

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This tree is at the end of our block.  First one to get glorious for Fall!

Yesterday, I took Amy to Duke Spinal Center.  Her doctor decided to kill some nerves in her back, so hopefully a lot of the pain in her back will disappear.  Cross your fingers!!!

And of course, one of the first football games of the year is Notre Dame vs Navy in Dublin, Ireland.  You know how we feel!!!!!!! 

Much love,

Leslie