Jesse

Jesse's wife had cancer. And with cancer your world gets smaller. Your time is filled with this appointment and that appointment. This treatment, that doctor. It consumes your world.

Jesse and his wife spent their days going to and from doctors appointments. In the afternoons they would watch Wheel of Fortune and eat a small supper. They would then sit at the sliding glass doors and watch nature unfold as it turned dark. And living in Fairbanks it got dark quite early.

One day as they were sitting at the doors they saw two gray steller jays in the back yard doing what ever it was that gray jays do. Jesse's wife was so engrossed in these birds that for a while she forgot about the cancer and just relished in the birds.

The jays became a part of their daily routine. His wife looked forward to sitting at the window just hoping the jays would be there. And each time she fixated on them, forgetting just for the time, her sickness. It was a joy for both of them.

Jesse's wife took a turn for the worse and was hospitalized. The doctors did what they could but the cancer had taken it's toll on her. She passed while still in the hospital.

Jesse left the hospital for home heartbroken. On his way there he prayed, "Please just let me know everything is going to be alright."

When Jesse got home he walked through his house to the sliding glass door. He opened the curtains and there, in his backyard, were 100's of gray steller jays. He said to himself, "Everything is going to be ok." And at that the birds flew away.

This is a true story. Jesse lives in Alaska and told this story to the wife of an acquaintance.

And since Jesse gave this gift to her and she passed it on to us. I thought I could do nothing less than to pass it on to you.

Holiday Countdown

Life has spiralled this season. My parents are preparing for their first trip south for the winter. With that preparation we are spending a lot of time with them and not getting to our countdown. But we have spent a lot of time helping grandma and grandpa with things like dusting and vacuming, carrying heavy things up the steps and helping mount the heavy things on the walls. We have made batches and batches of Chex Mix, made trips to Best Buy, tried to help with the laptop issues they are having. We have eaten lunch there 3 times this week and talked and laughed and reminisced while drinking coffee and eating angel candy. And through all of this I keep thinking 3 months without them being right here. At 39 years old, I think I may have abandonment issues...lol.

Anyway, we celebrate the holidays with Cool's family tomorrow. My BIL and his family will be there as well as a couple friends of the family. Usually it is quite low key with sandwiches and finger foods. We used to play a present game with dice but stopped that a couple years ago. It really stressed me and Cool out. It wasn't fun. Not because if we didn't win we didn't get prizes but because other people participating got very angry if they didn't win. So the picklets, niece and nephews are the only present recipients. My youngest nephew is getting a video camera from us. It sounds extravagant but cost well under $100. My niece is getting a pamper me set. I bought lotions, hair ties, pedicure stuff, bath products and various other items to put in a basket for her. Since she is our God-daughter I probably will throw in a gift card or some cash too. My oldest nephew, through he is going to be 19, will get a gift card cause I don't have a clue as to what to get a 19 year old boy whose parents (his mom and step dad, not my in laws) have given him everything he has ever wanted. We will also celebrate my MIL's birthday. We bought her a pair of Betty Boop pj's. She loves Betty Boop and pj's so it is a win-win situation! Unfortunately, it will be a fast celebration as we won't get there until 4ish and will have to leave by 8 because of paper delivery. But it will be family getting together and will make my MIL happy.

On Sunday we celebrate the holidays with my family. My dad's side of the family, my aunt, uncle and Gaga will be at my mom and dad's house. Mom's family isn't able to join us this year. Mom and I have prepared stuff all week and, I am positive, we will have enough food to feed double or triple the people coming. Buying for this side of the family is hard. They all buy what ever they want so what can I possibly buy for them? I bought used. I got my uncle a squirrel feeder for a quarter and got some feed corn up the street. My aunt is getting a unique potpourri holder for her table that cost me $1.00. I put some cinnamon pine cones in it that I got for free at Menards. My grandma is getting a denim button up shirt with cardinals on it (quarter), some blank note cards with envelopes (dollar), a grocery list for her fridge (dollar) and a notepad for her purse (dollar). I am also going to give her some big tapioca from my pantry because she is out of hers and I can't get down to the bulk store until after the holidays. My mom is getting a whole bunch of stuff including a Precious Moments coffee cup, a platter, angle candle holders and a some cookies freshly baked by the picklets. My dad I bought new for. Since he got a laptop for the holidays from my mom I bought him a keyboard and mouse. It will make it easier for him. I also bought him a dollar beer stein from Germany (he was stationed there) and fresh baked picklet peanut butter cookies.

My parents leave the next day for three months. Cool is off work starting December 24 through January 4. We will grocery shop, clean, sleep and hopefully reconnect.

As for our Holiday countdown, I have failed. We didn't have some of the ingredients and then got off track. We will do all the activities we skipped after the first of the year. Until then we will celebrate the season in Pickle fashion. Together.

So, if you don't hear from me, except for the occasional already scheduled posts, until 2010 know that we wish you Happy Holidays with all our hearts and a safe, peaceful beginning to 2010.

Cool, Gerky, Chip, Dill and Sweet Pickle
Gracie the Meek, Millie the Wonder Dog, Shadow and Palo too.

Remembering Char, Grandma and Grandpa Johnson and Dick who we have lost through our years together and sorely miss. Also remembering Dutchess, Asia, Shamus, Blacktop and Number Three whom we will meet again at The Rainbow Bridge.


(c) 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Wassup??

Well the first blizzard of the season sure has spun my Holiday Countdown into a frizzy or frenzy. Heck it was into a tail spin and still hasn't stopped. I don't think we will ever get caught up. The picklets still pull a link off the chain each day only to be told, "We can't do that either." Guess I should have prepared better. BUT items 1-8 have been finished. Yea us! You can see our projects by clicking the links below.

Day 1: Apple Crisp
Day2: Donation
Day 3: Windows
Day 4: Cookies
Day 5: Lights
Day 6: Check Your Shoes
Day 7: Holiday Letters and also here
Day 8 is done with a picture yet to be posted.
Day 10 has also been done with pictures coming sometime today, I hope.

We finally baked Christmas cookies from Day 4. Not that the chores have been done diligently or that the picklets are not still grounded but I really wanted a cookie so we had baking school. Baking school didn't sound fun. It sounded schoolish, thus making them say, nay whine, "It's 4:00. I don't want to do anymore school." Anyway...

Chip decided he wanted soft sugar cookies with a hint of lemon. We did not have any lemon extract so he used lemon juice. The cookies are wonderfully soft and delicious but have absolutely no lemon taste. Oh well. If you want to make a delicious, easy, soft sugar cookie here is the recipe. One hint for you: Do NOT accidentally use baking soda when the recipe calls for baking powder. The result is one thin, salty, icky cookie that even the dogs won't eat. Just sayin.

Dill made our three ingredient peanut butter cookies. These were Cool's favorite by far (as if he should be eating cookies). If you haven't made these I say, "Make them. Now." They are so easy. The ingredients are 1 cup of peanut butter (Dill used natural chunky), 1 cup of sugar and 1 egg (fresh fromt the chicken). Mix, roll into balls, put on baking sheet, criss cross with a fork dunked in some extra sugar and bake on 350 for around 10 minutes or so. Easy peasy and DELICIOUS!

Sweet made her favorite cookies in the whole world. Again very easy. Chocolate Crinkle cookies. A tutorial from Sweet will be coming on this subject later today so stay tuned.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Countdown to Christmas!

(c) 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Delivering Papers Post Blizzard

Yesterday we delivered no papers. The wind finally died down about 8:00 last night. The drifts were amazing. Here is what some of the town looked like today.

We usually deliver to that small door.

This tree reminds me of Cousin Itt.

No delivery to this one either.

This is the house the picklets call the ivy house. It was gorgeous.

Who is that masked picklet eating snow?

Every pine tree in town was plastered with snow.

I love how there is grass showing and then 4 foot drifts.

I normally park in this driveway and then walk through the backyard to deliver the paper. Not today.

It was cold, cold, cold out today but it was so pretty.

The picklets had a good time climbing the piles of snow and sliding on the ice. We just finished delivering. It took us over two hours and we still didn't deliver 13 of them. But hopefully by tomorrow everyone will have had their drives and sidewalks plowed and delivery will resume as normal.

Happy Winter!

My Christmas Letter

On day 7 the picklets had to write holiday letters to be sent out with mine. I thought it only fair to post my letter too.

Happy Holidays.

As I sit here drinking my morning coffee, outside my window it is blizzarding. The wind is whipping the 10+ inches of snow around with fury. With a blizzard warning until 6:00 tonight, bringing us high winds and more snow, we are in for a fun day.

Cool and I were up at 3:00 plowing so I could deliver the papers. He took the day off due to snow but I don’t think he could get out of town even if he wanted to. We went to the gas station this morning and got stuck up the street. It is NOT nice out. The papers still haven’t been delivered.

2009 has been an eventful year.

My grandpa died in March. It was not unexpected and rather a relief since he had been suffering for quite some time. Gaga is still living in (town). She and I go shopping together every two weeks. It is such a special time for me and her. And the kids enjoy spending extra time with her too.

Cool is still at (company) in the accounting department, running queries and solving problems. He still likes the challenge of it all. He also delivers pizza 5 nights a week for Pizza Hut. In his spare time he teaches boy’s gymnastics and still manages to be an attentive daddy.

The kids are still in gymnastics at Sokol. They are really progressing and still enjoy it quite a bit. They amaze us each week with their skill. As well as gymnastics they are all still in piano, a Czech folk dance group and 4-H. They are all doing well and are really looking forward to getting out and playing in the snow.

I am still homeschooling the kids. We have our ups and downs but really enjoy the opportunities we are allotted with it. I volunteer at Sokol helping the parents, collecting monies due and doing what ever else might come up. Along with all that, I get up at 3:30 every morning and deliver the paper. I really kind of like it. I can’t believe how peaceful everything is at that time of day. I get to see the sunrise each morning and there is nothing more spectacular. Plus it brings in a little extra money.

There are so many things we have seen and done this year, I can’t possibly write them all in one letter. One thing has been constant though; our love for each other. We are a unit, it doesn’t falter and because of that we know we are truly blessed.

Wishing an abundance of blessings upon you and yours. May 2010 bring you more than you need, less than you want and leave your cup overflowing.

Love,

The Pickles

(c) 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

It's a Blizzard!

Cool and I were up at 3:00 this morning plowing so I could get out and deliver the papers. The papers still haven't been delivered and I don't plan on delivering them anytime real soon. This is what some of my morning looked like.

Right outside my side door.


Looking at the house from the garage.


The Webber.


The van before I cleaned it.


Cool cleaning the sidewalk.


Looking at the driveway from inside the garage. I started cleaning the van and couldn't believe how much snow was on it.


I tell you it looks beautiful outside. The white glistens and looks so crisp. But the 50mph winds, negative wind chills and whipping snow makes going out and enjoying the new fallen snow hard today. The wonders of winter. :)

(c) 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Sick in Bed

Sweet has been sick in bed for the last two days.. Yesterday she played the guitar almost all day. She has been yearning to learn to play and being stuck in bed gave her all the time in the world to learn. She has learned to pluck Jingle Bells, Good King Wenceslas, The Caisson Song, Beautiful Brown eyes, Little Brown Jug, Lightly Row, Kum Ba Yah, Down in the Valley, Blue Tail Fly, Aura Lee, Good Night Ladies, She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain and Are You Sleeping.

She also took pictures while in bed. I really like this one.


(c) 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines