Ketchup Ain't Just for Burgers

Time to ketchup ... I have been distracted for too long. Some good distractions. My dearest, oldest friend, Ann, whom I've known since 1968, came for five days. We had fun, visited a lot of places with beautiful objects d'arte, laughed, talked and also got ready for Thanksgiving. Ann couldn't stay for Thanksgiving, but she helped me get ready because I had our friends Faye, Bill and Isabel over, as well as Alix and Adam. The company surpassed the dinner, and the dinner tasted very good! I still have some pie left.

Tori helped me make the pie. I got some photos and plan to post one, she looks so cute and overwhelmed! Of course, she's only 13. I also have a photo of the new cozy corner, thanks to Tori who shot the picture while practicing with her new camera. You'll get to see that one, too. And a picture of Ann, hopefully. A lot of photos to post.

I make fabulous pie. My crusts are really excellent - flaky and substantial. I use a recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook from the 60s. You can't beat it for pie crust. My pumpkin is good - I make it from scratch except for the pumpkin, which is canned - but my apple streusel pie is absolutely delicious. I had to bake two of each pie this year so we would have enough. Faye brought a pecan, too, so the pies overflowethed. Yum.

Now I'm suddenly thrown into Christmas. I am making felt Santa Bear tree ornaments for friends. Every evening I sit in my big lounge chair and cut out felt pieces, sew them together by hand and stuff them. I designed the bears myself. Pretty cute. Last year I made angels. I like to have something to give friends. I am also making Christmas gifts this year for several people. Partly because Michael still isn't working, partly because I'm in a "folksy" mood and feel like being creative. I'd tell you more about the gifts, but some people who are getting them may read this blog and be tipped off!! You'll have to wait until Christmas just like everyone else!

I need to get a Christmas letter and cards out. Last year I was really sick at Christmas and didn't do so well on those kind of niceties. The thing about lupus (my particular life hassle) is that you can't predict when it will throw a big kink in your plans. Last year at Christmas I was trying to arrange for three days worth of at-home steroid infusions so I wouldn't end up in the hospital. The holidays interfered, so I didn't get my infusions (which were ordered by the doctor December 17th) until December 31, January 1 and 2. I was pretty sick over Christmas.

This year, I'm not going to be sick. I was dragging pretty badly in October, but had some steroid injections and that helped. These are legal steroids, by the way, nothing unsavory. Although they are still dangerous. I have had a LOT of steroids over the last 15 years, since my diagnosis. And I have had a LOT of complications from the steroids. They are nothing to fool with. But, if you need them, you really need them.

I know I'm rambling. I am feeling flighty. I need to do some work and I'd just as soon not, so I am dissembling. Well, no more of that. I have been poked into blogging after an inexcusable absence and I will blog again soon.

Ciao!