Well, I was suppose to clean today but did not. I will probably do the guest room tonight and clean the rest of the house tomorrow. I was working on an antipasto salad for tomorrow night. I will make the dressing tonight. Everything else is cut up and ready to assemble. I decided to have seafood chowder tonight. We usually have it Christmas Eve but since we'll be out, I thought I would make it tonight. DS won't get here in time to join us tomorrow night. It will be an early evening and we should be returning home shortly after he arrives so he can have the traditional chowder on the traditional night. There was a method to my madness all along!

Today I made a big pan of lasagna. For dessert it was a gingerbread cake with whipped cream. Hard to get the cooking done because my elbow still hurts & the Dr said it can take up to 1 year to heal & now because of knee surgery I am on crutches for at least 5 weeks. It is just so much fun having to use those darn things in the kitchen.

Georgysmom, just when I think I'M busy, I read about your day. Enjoy your chowder, your party and your son.

Oh, Mary--gingerbread with whipped cream. That sounds just wonderful and so does the lasagna. I don't know how the heck you managed that on crutches. Have you considered getting a walker on wheels with a seat you can use in the kitchen? Not sure how that would work for you knee, but it sounds like it would beat those crutches. Maybe you could borrow one?? Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and get better soon. Ain't getting old just fat great??

Mary...ditto about that wheeled walker (and taking your seat with you anywhere)....altho I do use a stool with those 'sliders' on wood floor so I can scoot around in the kitchen. I could not get anything done without one or the other.Made me hungry for that gingerbread cake, too.

Baked sweet potato and Fresh Market's sweet Italian sausage. They have the best :o)

Was gonna bake pistachio cranberry cookies, but DIL, her niece,, and DIL's daughter and boyfriend came by and stayed for almost 3 hours.

Neighbor had left me a bottle of Chocolate Lover's Wine, at my door, today, not a big one and my guests and I enjoyed sippin' and chattin' the afternoon away. The niece enjoyed her first glass of ginger ale
T'was a lovely unexpected afternoon.

I just finished baking stuffing and a pan of bread pudding - looks good - too hot to taste yet. I MIGHT clean house tomorrow - it sure needs it!

Mary, I should have said to check with your doctor first, but you can use it to walk or sit. Better yet, you have a great excuse to not do too much (;-0

Glenda, we sure miss Fresh Market, although we didn't go there too often. Wish we had one here. What is Chocolate Lover's wine? Do you eat chocolate with it or ??? Was it a surprise visit, or were you expecting them? Either way, it sounds like a nice afternoon visit. Glad you enjoyed it!

Kayjones, both the stuffing and bread pudding sound delicious. My house needs it, too. Just the kitchen, Florida room and baths. It isn't cluttered--just needs dusting and vacuuming/mopping. Have a great Christmas!

Breaded chicken breasts ("my" recipe, Patti!) baked potatoes and broccoli. We're headed out to the park to look at the lights.

I just got home from my youngest daughters. She's a nurse and has to work Christmas day so they had theirs today. She had both a small ham and a small stuffed turkey, cheeses, buns for sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, bakery cookies. I took a chicken/egg spread to put on crackers, and she and her husband had both requested cracker dressing. Let's just say that none of us could have starved to death. lol

If my knees/back get worse, I intend to try out one of those wheeled walkers. I've noticed more and more of them at the Home where Annie lives. I have questioned them and not a one has said anything against them. (Mary I admire you greatly for doing that type of heavy duty cooking on crutches.)

Shirley

The walker is good but I can't put weight on the leg so the walker is out. I had a meniscus tear repaired but also he drilled holes in one section of cartilage with the hopes when healing it will repair itself, there is a 50-50 chance it will take. This is the reason I can't put weight on it. The next step is total knee replacement. Patti, I just can't sit & do nothing, this is driving me crazy. Thank goodness for my husband. Thanks everyone for the info.

Jasdip, I love "your recipe". It's good on about any kind of meat or fish. Yummy! Have a magical evening looking at the lights.

Shirley, now that was a real feast you had today. Guess you didn't need dinner :-) Harry has two walkers. The first one we got has large wheels but it rather heavy and bulky getting in/out of the car. Then he has a Rollater (or Rollator)that is very light, easy to fold/unfold and has a back support--his other one doesn't have that. They sell them at Walgreen's but I ordered his on-line. I think it was $80 or thereabout--worth every penny. If you want to look, just Google Rollator. Because my backs been bothering me lately, I use it for moving things like a basket of folded clothes from the laundry to the bedroom. Or just about anything heavier from one place to another. Multi-purpose is a good thing!

Mary, sorry you're having a problem not being active--me, shoot, I'd be a happy camper!! But I understand this time of year you may not be able to do everything you have done in the past--but just think ahead. There's always next year. Sure hope that surgery worked. I'd like better odds than 50-50, but it is what it is, I guess. Better do what the doctor says, my dear!

DH & I enjoyed an entire day out together, something we haven't done in about a month with him out of the country for so long. We went to church & then to brunch. DH decided he wanted to go see "Jack Reacher", so we did a little shopping while waiting for the movie to start. One of the stores had their pashminas on sale for $6, so I got myself several Christmas presents. Then we went to Brixx Pizza & split a Cajun pasta dish & spinach/artichoke dip.

Went to the game today, not a good one, came home, had unexpected company. So, spaghetti and garlic bread. Easy!

Mike and I went to the Base this morning to shop at the PX. On the way home we stopped at a friends house to deliver some pralines. Came home and started fixing dinner.

Bobby and Amber were supposed to come for dinner but Amber got a call to go babysit. Extra money is always a good thing. She had said that she didn't care much for lamb so she wasn't too upset about missing dinner. LOL

So dinner tonight was roast leg of lamb, steamed rice, curry sauce, spinach casserole, rolls and apple/peanut butter pie for dessert.

Sat around most of the day trying to decide what to cook with a butternut squash that I keep tripping over in the garage. Took the easy route and sauted some lemon pepper seasoned chicken breasts from the freezer to go with the cubed roasted honey glazed squash. Steamed some brussels sprouts then braised them a little in the same pan that the chicken was cooked in. (saving another dirty pan to wash) Tossed some dried cranberries and walnuts in with the romaine with raspberry dressing. Best thing is...there is enough leftovers for tomorrow.