Dinner is in an hour or so, and I wont post this until I get our dinner picture.
As always I try to get an artsy shot of the old shack across the
road...took this yesterday afternoon, the full moon was rising and we
were less than an hour from sundown...always a beautiful setting.
Here is the wood we cut this morning...John used the big Husky chainsaw cutting the downed hickory tree into chunks, and I used the 22 ton Hydraulic Ram/Splitter to break it into usable pieces.
And here was my station (sitting on the big round piece in front of the splitter). You can split a LOT of wood in a few hours with the gas powered ram...I cant imagine doing it by hand w/ an axe. One of his cows is peeking over the fence in the background.
While we were out cutting wood Jeannie was doing her own artsy thing. This is her cheeseball turkey! I think its AWESOME!
And finally...the masterpiece.
And thats a wrap....Thanksgiving dinner, which was FABULOUS! Im STUFFED (as always) and sipping coffee, waiting for a bit of room to open up for Walnut AND Pumpkin pie.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Asylum!
Hey Rae (will reply to your last comment on my V-day post here)...glad things are going well, been wondering what youve been up to. I know fans are heartless (to their respective team coaches if they GASP lose)...but its impossible to hold onto a winning dynasty forever. OSU has beaten Michigan the last NINE YEARS IN A ROW! It has to end sometime...this year is as good as any IMO (GRIN!)...though 8 years ago or anytime in the years since would also have been good. BLUE IS DUE!! (Im a freaking genius...just made that up!)
ReplyDeleteSusie, echo Raes thoughts that you had a nice day w/ your Mom...I know my little bro and family are really feeling her loss this holiday...as they have spent many T-days with her. Jeannie and I will really feel it over Christmas...as we went to visit over Christmas most of the time. We are still in denial that she is gone...it just cant be. But she had a long wonderful life, and raised 2 wonderful boys (and then me...GRIN!). Not sure whats in store for us today...just chillin I think (oh..and we will be putting up the Christmas tree today, forgot about that). Might go fire up the splitter and knock out a bunch more wood for John (he hurt his back and cant do all this at the moment). Later gaters!
And so...THE game. Im pretty stunned. Its like Michigan has a mental block against beating OSU. This year they clearly had a better team...yet the #1 defense in the country just had 62 points put on the board against them...its like the defense never even suited up. But you cant take anything away from Urban Meyer and his team....they WERE truly prepared, and Harbaugh seems to have just assumed they were going to roll over the Buckeyes. Thats what it looked like to me anyway. TEN FREAKING YEARS IN A ROW. Thats how many times OSU has now beaten Michigan. Youd think that just out of sheer chance the Wolverines would have won one of those days just by luck.
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo...still at the farm (Sunday night) but we head back into Richmond tomorrow afternoon, spend the night at a hotel and fly out EARLY Tuesday. Thru Chicago. And there is a storm coming. Keeping my fingers crossed...flying thru Chicago in the winter is always a risk. Its been a fun trip but theres no place like home, theres no place like home, theres no place like home (click, click, click). We were watching the original Wizaarf of Oz last night...I hadnt seen it in AGES! boy Judy Garland can SING...no wonder Liza Minnelli didnt fare so well (with a super talented mom like that). OK...gotta scoot. Happy Monday AFTER Turkey day! (Im currently having my last turkey sandwich of this bird as I type...mmmmm!)
I'm SORRY, MATT! The ONLY thing that kept me from pure ecstasy at the Buckeyes romping yet again over Michigan was thinking about you. Wow, that was a bit of a shocker! I thought OSU still had a chance since they had to be fired up after that disastrous game the week before & hearing EVERYONE count them out, (boy, that must have pissed them off!) but I never DREAMED it would be such a TOTAL BEATDOWN! Again, sorry Matt. But, wow, that 2nd half! Were you in the fetal position by then? At least you had a nice Thanksgiving & got in a workout cutting all that wood!
ReplyDeleteAnd almost as big of shock to me was that ND didn't exactly romp over USC! Woo, wipes brow. I guess the final spot in the playoffs will be between OSU & Oklahoma (assuming Bama beats GA, which I do but hey, look what "assuming" did for Mich!) I haven't seen OKL play this year so I don't know if they are better than OSU or not but I know they have NOT had a signature win like the Bucks just did! (Again, sorry Matt!). :) :)
Any more photos? That one with the shack & moon was fabulous!
Question - when you & Jeannie go to VA for Thanksgiving, do you look around for where you might want to live after you retire? Check out the neighborhoods? The houses & the prices? Of course, prices will change quite a bit in 4 years but it could give you an idea of the difference between CA & VA.
I worked all day Wed & Fri & spent the weekend watching TV Xmas movies. I've already seen MORE than 15 NEW ones & about 15 of previous years! Oh, it gets worse - I LIST them (& the date I viewed each) & RATE them! And let me tell you, the past few years, they have been pretty disappointing but I watch them anyway as they have constituted my Xmas for the past 7-8 years or so. I start watching the "real" Xmas movies after Dec 1st. I'll probably watch even more than usual since I'm not watching any NBA this year (yes, I'm still furious with LBJ for joining the team I hate more than YOU hate the Buckeyes!) I do keep track of his scoring because I started crossing off names on the All-time NBA Scoring List about 6 years ago as LeBron ascended into the Top 25 & I'm not stopping till he gets to the top! He just passed Wilt a few games ago & should pass Jordan by Jan 20 or so (can't wait for this one!).
Well, gotta run. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving too, Rae!
Well...tomorrow is the Bama/Georgia game, and the OSU/Northwestern game (there are a few others, Utah/Washington should be good, also Texas/Oklahoma). Rooting for Georgia, and that's about it. Can't force myself to root for OSU, even though if they fare well and make it into the BCS and do well it will lessen the blow of the SOUL CRUSHING we (Michigan fans) took last Sat. Crazy weather here...like STORMS! Flew back from rain in VA to rain in CA! Also need to get the Xmas decorations out of the attic and get BUSY! Tis the season all of a sudden! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteOMG, just found out that Paul Sherwin passed away...at 62! (damn...you know you're getting old when people very close to your age are dying) I'm just floored...what will future TDF commentating be like? WHO can possibly fill Paul's spot? NOBODY, that's who! Paul was the even keep voice of reason and sanity when Phil would get too excited and start mis-naming riders and such. Damn...so very sorry to hear this. You will surely be missed Paul! RIP!
ReplyDeleteDamn! I just wrote a lengthy comment & it vanished when I tried to post it! Poop!
ReplyDeleteWell, I was SHOCKED & so very saddened to see the news of Paul's passing! Next July will not be the same! I'd always assumed the older Phil would eventually retire & either Bobke or CVV would be tapped to share the booth until Paul then retired. Wow, still can't believe it. He seemed such a nice guy. Cycling will miss him terribly.
Compared to the above news, it's inconsequential, but I was bummed that OSU did not get into the Playoff. I disagree, but since I watched less than half as much CFB this year as I normally do (heart just not in it this year), I can't really throw a hiss fit. Did you watch any of Okl's games, Matt? Are they really better than OSU & did THEY have a signature BEAT-DOWN win over their arch-rival? (sorry again about that).
On Saturday, I bought myself 2 live/fresh Xmas wreaths for the 1st time ever! One for my house & one for the office. And 2 tiny poinsettias (4 inch tall containers) for the office too. I wanted that 'Christmas smell" in my house & office. Unfortunately, the home wreath, which is actually heavier & nicer looking, does really emit any smell. But, at least it looks nice. Since my Xmas TV-movie watching is actually making me sad this year, I was looking for something that could help me "CHOOSE JOY!".
Hey, do you or Rae watch the "Great American Light Fight" of TV? I've watched each year & get such a kick at seeing all those lights! This year it's on Monday nights till Xmas (ABC). And for the 1st time, we see some of the folks Xmas Décor/collection INSIDE their houses! Man, some of these people are a but goofy with Xmas! One couple last week had 75 (!) decorated trees in their house!
Gotta go but I recently saw a doormat that continued the "see ya later, alligator" ditty & I'll use my fave to sign off today : "Gotta swish, jellyfish"! :) :)
Hey Susie...I can't even see how Phil can go on w/ out Paul (and the country of France tourism dept will REALLY miss Paul, as he was their greatest advertiser of the amazing sights in France for 21 days every year!)
ReplyDeleteAs to OSU not making the top 4 (BCS), I think it's the same for Georgia...(their 2nd loss was playing the #1 team, and lost by 1 touchdown). OSU had that devastating loss to unranked Purdue and THAT is what's keeping them out. I personally don't think Oklahoma is as good as either OSU or Georgia...but they didn't screw up and they are in. The bigger problem is that the BCS needs to expand to at least 8 teams...only 4 means you are leaving out valid teams every year. And sure, even w/ 8 there will be controversy at the #8/#9 spot, just like now w/ #3 and #4 spots...but at least w/ 8 you would get MORE of the top teams w/ a chance. I think Georgia did fantastic against Bama this weekend, yet they are denied due to their crushing loss to LSU. Notre Dame is going in w/out having to play a div championship game...they REALLY need to be in a division...it's almost not fair. Both Michigan and Georgia would likely still be in if they didn't have to play that last championship game. I think ND will get somewhat of a beating in the coming game, no matter which team they play (but I could be wrong, I am a LOT it seems). It will be interesting to see ND and Clemson play TOP teams finally and see if they are as good as the committee thinks they are.
Hi, just stopped by to commiserate with you all about Paul Sherwin. It is hard to imagine who will take his place (and like you, Susie, I always assumed Phil would at least retire first). I get impatient with Phil now at times, but truly if they hadn't been the announcers when I first got OLN on my cable service, I wonder if I would have been so enthralled with the sport. Now, who will replace him? Would Bobke or CVV being able to pull it off, although they have replaced Phil on other races in the past year? I love Robbie McEwan's commentary but I think he is pretty firmly tied to the Australian broadcasts -- There are some other retired pros (Magnus Backstedt comes to mind) who I've heard and who are pretty good, but I would think they would want to stick with an American for the USA feed. I used to think that Chris Horner would be good, but more for color -- and he seems to be persona non grata now.
ReplyDeleteAs for OSU being prepared and fired up for Michigan, you have to understand. This is THE GAME in Buckeye Country. They can lose in the Rose Bowl, that would not have the impact that losing to Michigan would have!
All I know is what I read in the paper -- it seems that OSU has not impressed, even though winning, with its play in several games, including the last. So no one here seems surprised to not make the playoffs.
I'd not heard of that show about the Christmas lights. I'll take a look! I want to drive over to Clifton Mill to see their light display -- doing something like that, going to the Nutcracker, to the conservatory to see the displays, and so forth make Christmas special for me. The only movies that I really like to see over are Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, and Amahl & the Night Visitors (if I can find that one!
Thanksgiving was kind of a bust -- my daughter was sick, and trying to work her overnight shifts, so we rescheduled and rescheduled but I finally had to cook the food and stick most in the freezer, and we never got together. HOWEVER, I have to say that I tried spatchcocking, dry brining then a lemon-sage rub on the turkey -- fabulous! Also made a different pie -- cranberry walnut -- that is going to be a regular item from now on! (Yeah I made pumpkin too and I ate it all by myself over the past week!)
Hey Rae, good to hear from you! I guess we will see soon enough what NBC Sports plan is for the race commentating...does Phil continue w/ a new partner or retire and a new duo take his place...that is the question. Either way it's still going to be a shock...Paul was so even keel and REALLY always has me wanting to go to France to see these amazing sights.
ReplyDeleteI understand about THE GAME...OSU and Mich have been knocking each other out of contention for a Natnl. Championship for a century...one of the oldest rivalries in CFB. But I was really astounded by the complete collapse/dismantling of the Wolverine defense...OSU's only fault this season was that loss to Purdue...that totally sunk their BCS chance. Doesn't surprise me that the commission vaulted Oklahoma into 4 after the Wolverine loss. And Georgia...they had their loss to LSU to sink their chances if they didn't win the SEC. Had the Bulldogs still been undefeated and played/lost to Bama they would still be IN (like LSU/BAMA a few years back...LSU won the SEC, and Bama was decided as the #2 team so played LSU again for the championship and won it handily (their LUS loss was in overtime). OF course, the LSU fans were claiming it's now 1 and 1 and they need to play again...but not how it works (no BCS yet).
Sorry your T-day was a bust...but hey, you had PIE...can't go wrong there! Cranberry walnut..mmmm..sounds scrumptious! (I LOVE PIE!) Back in VA my bro in law John made pumpkin AND walnut pies...(the walnut was exactly like a pecan but diff nuts on top)...that was awesome, and became breakfast for a few mornings! Pie and coffee...MMMMMM!
Velo News has a nice talk with Phil about Paul...see the link below:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.velonews.com/2018/12/news/liggett-on-paul-sherwen_481917
And today is Pearl Harbor day...about an hour and a half from now (7:48am Hawaii time) 77 years ago. Still blows my mind (I've been ON the Arizona Memorial several times...even re-enlisted on it once back in 1987, have an American Flag that was raised on the Arizona flag-mast in my retirement shadow-box at home). Standing onboard the Memorial looking at the "wall" with all the names of those killed is always super-humbling...it was a LOT of men (just peeked at Wikipedia....the number was 1177 men who died on the Arizona that horrible morning).
ReplyDeleteVelo News has a nice bit from Sagan's book about his winning Paris-Roubaix this year...a really nice bit giving his thoughts and tactics during the race. He was also awarded VN's Rider of the Year...and deservingly so! What will 2019 bring him? We can only wait in wonder.
ReplyDeleteOOPS...forgot to post the link.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.velonews.com/2018/12/from-the-mag/velonews-awards-2018-peter-sagan-cyclist-of-the-year_482349