Seven Days and Counting

It's only seven days until Christmas. There are still many things that need to be done, but we have managed to put up a Christmas tree. This year we are reverting back to our childhood and have only bubble light on the tree. Did you ever have those? Hubby and I both loved them as children. So our tree looks like the 1950s. We love it.

We have a couple of special gifts for special people in our lives. Hubby has been busy in his workshop making some tin pieces. The large sconce was a gift for someone at the Docent's party at Stately Oaks, where he volunteers.

The smaller one is for a classy lady that we have known for many years, but moved to Florida. She has a beautiful home that the exterior is a typical Florida-looking house, but once you step inside you are surrounded by beautiful antiques. It's amazing that someone would depart from the beach-type decor in exchange for the wonderful traditional antiques. She is getting a hand-made tin sconce.

Then there is a special concert in some one's future. They are going to love it. So are we, because we are going as well. We have been to one of these concerts at Spivey Hall. Sprivey Hall is a music/concert hall built by Dr. and Mrs. Walter (Emily) Spivey. They left the money, but they both died before the construction of the hall was completed. Mrs. Spivey, who was an organist, designed the hall. It was sad, because they both had lung cancer from the asbestos in their home.

Mrs. Spivey was a very classy lady and quite wealthy. They owned Lake Spivey that used to be an amusement park of sorts. They had a man-made beach around the lake and a train ride through the woods surrounding the lake, a pavilion where you could dance and a concession stand. They eventually closed the park and turned the area into a gold mine by selling lots, expensive lots, very expensive lots and now there are million dollar home surrounding Lake Spivey.

We met Mrs. Spivey through Homer, our builder. He wanted her to see our house because he wanted to build one similar on one of her very expensive lots as a "spec" house. She was a very gracious lady and agreed to partner with Homer and build the house. The fun part, we were allowed to help with the selection of every thing in the house. It was so much fun, because we didn't have to worry about the cost. After we met Mrs. Spivey, we saw her in town one day stopped at a traffic light. It was in the mid 90s that day and she had all the windows down in her Lincoln Town Car. We shouted to her, "HEY, MISS SPIVEY HOW ARE YA?" She replied, "I'M FINE, DARLIN." Then we asked, "MISS SPIVEY, WHY ARE YOUR WINDOWS DOWN?" She laughed, "DARLIN, I JUST LOVE FEELING THE WIND THROUGH MY HAIR." The light changed and we both drove off. How did I get off on this tangent about Mrs. Spivey? Oh yes, Spivey Hall.

Tomorrow my family will be gathering at our house for our annual party. Hubby will be cooking a ham on the Big Green Egg, which is wonderful. We will enjoy some of the green beans out of our garden, which I canned this summer. Because of the picky eaters in this group we will have regular green beans and then pickled green beans. Pickled beans are, well, pickled with salt and vinegar. They are so yummy. Hubby requested glazed carrots. Why I don't know, but they are so simple to prepare. Steam the carrots, then put some butter and brown sugar in a skillet until the sugar has turned kinda syrupy and coat the carrots. Your finished. I'm making some lemon bars and some chocolate chip brownies. There are other dishes being brought as well. I've asked my niece to bring her mac and cheese, which is wonderful and my sister-in-law to bring her sweet potato souffle. Maybe we will have a pie or two as well.

I better get going or the above menu will not be prepared or the house cleaned for our party tomorrow. Merry Christmas to you all.