Fair to middling

 

fair to middling

  (informal)

neither very good nor very bad 'What's your French like?' 'Oh, fair to middling.'

See also: fair

Mediocre, pretty good, so-so, as in I asked them how they liked their new home and John answered, "Fair to middling. This phrase, often a reply to an inquiry about one's health, business, or the like, is redundant, since fair and middling both mean "moderately good." [Mid-1800s] Also see can't complain.

See also: fair

(Thanks Free Dictionary by Farlex)

I’ve been wanting to update my post for a while now.  I’ve had good intentions.  Really.  I even planned on blogging every single day during Spring Break to show that there is still life here at The Gathering Place.  But, it just didn’t happen.  I can’t even justify why because I’m not sure which excuse to use.  I have a whole list if anyone really wants to know.

I’ve been pondering my blog content and the direction (or lack of) that I want it headed towards.  Maybe that is my problem.  I’m not a decorating blog, unless a few random before and after photos count.  Even when I do have a “Fixer-upper” moment, my photography skills are less than stellar and nothing ever looks as good in print as I think it should.  I consider myself a faithful “foodie”, but my dishes seldom get photographed before consumption.  My travel photos are few and far between.  (I teach school which might have something to do with that.)  I love posting photos of my grandkids, but that is walking a fine line between showing off and would-you-like-to-to-sit-for-hours-as-I-show-you-all-my-pictures.

I enjoy writing, but shudder to think of the mistakes a true writer would find in my posts.  (Thanks, Ken for catching my spelling mistake-shutter!)  I truly envy those who can make their words magic, or who find clever ways to say something ordinary. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that sometimes I question why I’m a blogger,  (I know, anyone can be called a blogger)  but I do love the creative outlet a blog is for me, and my greatest enjoyment from blogging is in making new friends.  So while this little blog barely hangs on, and my posts are anything but regular, thanks for visiting me. 

I think I’ve found my niche-

“Fair to middling”,

but I’ll take it.

 

JoAnn

P.S.  Thanks to Andrew and Irene for strongly suggesting we get some good garden mulch and then for actually helping us go get it and spread it all around!

P.P.S.  The gorgeous sunset tonight was a gift I stumbled on to as I went outside for something else.

P.P.P.S.  Thanks, Sue for the gentle reminder.

Is there such a thing as P.P.P.S.?

One more family portrait….saved the best for last!

I have enjoyed reading your supportive comments about decorating our homes with things we love.  I guess we all tend to want to show off our children or grandchildren, and who doesn’t want to remember a fabulous vacation?  What else is one to do, but cover every available space with family memorabilia.

(I’m glad I’m not alone in doing this.)

This family portrait, drawn by daughter Katie many years ago, is one of my favorites.  While none of us would be accused of  being handsome, I think this rendition of my husband with his lopsided mustache, shaggy side burns, and high ears is quite endearing.  He wore that mustache for many years and it is a huge part of our memories of him as a young dad!  I guess my hair color is spot on for a  dishwater blonde, and I’d give anything to be that trim once again.   Artist Katie did a great job recreating the various outfits and other details of each family member.   Yes, this picture makes me smile.

Together

we   make   a

f a m i l y !

While none of us is perfect, we do make wonderful memories..

And that is why my house is covered with personal memorabilia.

JoAnn

Clip art by Fiddlesticks

Breaking the rules

It’s a good thing my house isn’t on the market.

I watch enough decorating shows to know that too many personal momentos and photos do not make a house “buyer-friendly”.  Neutral is the big guide for making a place sellable.

We pretty much don’t do either.

 

Our grand kids hang on the wall of the office.  (Yes, that sounds wrong-but they really are climbers, so in a way it works.)  Some day their pictures will all show them between three and four years old, but a few aren’t quite there yet.

A family mini-gallery hangs in the living room.

Some of our ancestors pictures are also hanging in the office.

(My husband just finished putting the popular shiplap on one wall.)

There are a lot more pictures throughout the house .

A LOT!

Our book shelves are adorned with more photos, Ken’s dad’s American flag, grandmother’s tea cups, inherited vases, old tools, and some antique family books and dishes.  We have items brought back from vacations.  We have inherited souveniers from our parents and grandparents travels.   Practically everything has a personal story behind it.  If we ever sell this house, we’ll have to empty it out completely before we show it. 

But…

It is kind of nice walking in to a room and being reminded of people and places we love. 

When asked what our decorating style is, perhaps we’ll have to create a new phrase-

“Sentimental family museum style--collected over time.”

Does any one else have this same dilemina?

JoAnn

P.S.  Even my office windows are family decorated.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….again

The scene outside my windows this morning is WHITE.  Very white.  Yes, it is snowing here in Utah.  We haven’t been pelted like Washington and other places back east, and the airports probably aren’t in any danger of closing, but the snow is starting to accumulate on the ground and it is looking quite pretty (since I don’t have any travel plans for the day)!

Which reminds me, I didn’t ever finish posting my December/holiday photos.  I realize that finding Christmas photos on a blog at the end of January is probably not on anyone’s wish list, however, I’d like it to be in my record, so here goes.

My husband and I went down town in early December to attend a Christmas concert with  the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  It was a beautiful, crisp evening.  The Latter-day Saint Temple is a perfect back drop for all the colorful lights.

The Conference Center, which seats 21,200 people was filled to capacity.  (This is a wonderful, free concert produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Christmas gift to the community.  It will be available to purchase as a DVD later.)  The choir and orchestra were in place, ready for sinding, dancing, bell-ringing, and wonderful narration.  Laura Osnes, a broadway star, British actor Martin Jarvis, and four soloists from the Metropolitan Opera were all primed for an amazing concert-which it was!

We lingered a bit after and enjoyed the beauty and magic of snow, colored lights, and crowds of happy people.

This reflecting pond was stunning.

 

It was a lovely evening which we will always remember.

Even in January.

Thanks!

JoAnn

P.S.  The second annuall Clegg Christmas pagaent is still a work in progress.

A day late and a dollar short-wrapping up Christmas memories part 1

Now that 2016 is well under way, I thought I’d better hurry up and share some memories of Christmas 2015.

(I always seem to be running after the bus, so to speak.)

The season started out with some great helpers decorating our house and tree.  Our children and the grands always do so much of the decorating for us.  Yes, we are spoiled!  

We tried to simplify things this year, and yet we still had a lot of things we couldn’t do without.  

There were parties....

 Our ward party at our church had individual people hosting a table- being responsible for the dishes, centerpieces, and decorations.  There were all kinds of looks, but it all made for a festive atmosphere.  

 This was our table and we enjoyed hosting some dear old friends.

 

We also hosted several family parties at our home.  My side of the family had over fifty people.  We had tables everywhere!  (Paper plates this time!)

And of course some delicious food!  The dessert table made for some hard decisions!  Some people started cutting things in small bites to allow for tasting everything.

 My husband's family party was equally fun and almost as large.

Some of the kids escaped to the basement for some Nintendo time.

To be continued.....

Hands-on Christmas

Doesn’t it seem like the words, “Don’t touch!” are spoken so often during this time of year?  If you think about it, a lot of Christmas decorations are either breakable, fragile, or just carefully-placed-vignettes-that-you-don’t- want-moved-around.

We had some little grands here tonight and that phrase was repeated over and over again.

Evan is a busy thirteen month old who is quite curious, and who wants to keep up with his older siblings. 

His favorite “Don’t touch” activities were the dials on the dishwasher, the computer printer, and the tree ornaments.

We do have a Fisher-Price nativity set that is fair game for the kids.  The characters get moved around a lot (and the place of honor for the baby Jesus is often filled with a shepherd or one of the animals).  Sometimes, the whole manger is uprooted and scattered around the room, including under the edges of the furniture. 

It always gets put back together though, usually by an older, thoughtful child who understands the beauty of the birth of the most perfect person to ever live on this earth, a King born in a lowly stable, right there next to bleating sheep, donkeys, and smelly cattle, and of the importance of the weary Wise men and humble shepherds who traveled great distances to welcome their Savior.

It’s a beautiful message!

And, it is the real reason for the whole Christmas season.

That should qualify for some hands-on play time, don’t you think?

JoAnn

P.S.  He also likes to climb on tables…..Good thing he is cute!

Reflections

 

This Christmas season is quickly approaching, and what better time to think back and reflect on some Christmas memories.

It has been the best of times…

We got married during Christmas break, while we were attending college.  It was a bit of a whirlwind affair (sorry mom).  Miraculously, things came together for a lovely event (well, thanks to a ton of work and stress by my parents).  We are looking forward to our 43rd anniversary this year!

Our last child (Number 6) was born a few days before Christmas.  Rocking a brand new tiny baby by the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree was a poignant reminder of the birth of our Savior.  (Feeling a lot of gratitude for an  efficient hospital staff and modern conveniences, compared to the humble setting of a crowded, animal stable!)

There are so many  happy memories of sharing the excitement of Christmas mornings with our children and families.  During the really lean years a lot of work went in to creating a “respectable” Santa delivery.  (Why do we let ourselves feel that pressure?)  Some years, finishing sewing and other projects went right down to the wire, even well into the Christmas Eve.  I think the rewards for making gifts is much more satisfying, don’t you?  (Although I’m relieved I don’t have to do all that work anymore.)

It was the worst of times…

There are a few memories that come with a bittersweet reminder.

My sweet parents passed away just before and just after Christmas, one month apart, following their three month sudden illnesses.  They both had unrelated cancers diagnosed at the same time.  That year we put on  happy faces for our young children, but our hearts were hurting deeply.  Thoughtful family, friends, and neighbors helped so much by supplying  little treats and surprises.  We’d come home from long, depressing  days at the hospital to find goodies, meals, and surprises on our front porch.  This gave our children excitement and joy, which we didn’t have the energy to provide.

Thank you to our secret angels!

If you would like to read a story I wrote about that Christmas you can click here. 

So there you have it. 

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, despite those tough experiences we sometimes go through.

It is a time for giving and receiving love and service.

Both are equally important.

May this Christmas season find you and your loved ones enjoying the sweetness and excitement that our perfect Savior, Jesus Christ provided for us.

Merry Christmas!

JoAnn