Lots to do & freebie

Thursday was a Daddy day. Took him out to get his hearing aid cleaned and hearing test updated. Then he wanted to go to The Original Mattress Factory and get a quote for a new mattress and box springs. A couple shops over was Dollar Tree where he buys all the new word find books he can (he likes a particular publisher) so he will have something to do. When I got home hubby had made spaghetti with homemade meatballs for me and Italian sausage for him. Yummy! He had wrapped some gifts while I was gone and did the dishes. I was so tired after dinner; I didn't do much more than work on a crocheted sweater for Larkin while watching TV.

Friday I was having trouble with the penicillin upsetting my stomach and didn't get much done. Tidied up a little, paid bills, sent birthday card out to Berkeley, put some gift clothing in tissue and boxes, and prepped the fruit for fruitcake. A lot of you are probably groaning reading that. That's okay, I didn't like fruitcake for a long time. Then one day a lady I worked with in the telephone company (years ago) came in with what she referred to as a golden fruitcake. She made it herself and our whole crew was glad to have it. Her name was Flo Byrd, and she insisted I give it a try. Way different than the dark, dense, heavy with nuts fruitcake my Welsh (maternal) grandmother used to make. I got the recipe and have tweaked it over time to come up with "Sherry's Brandied Christmas Cake." Now I make some for a lot of friends and family and I look forward to having some with coffee. That candied fruit is so waxy and tasteless when you buy it. I found that mixing up all the required fruit in a huge bowl, dousing with apricot brandy, and letting the fruit sit a couple days, stirring occasionally does wonders to bring out the fruit flavor. That's the step I'm at now. Ideally the cakes should have been made in November and wrapped in brandy soaked cheesecloth and put into tins to mellow. Still, by Monday I should be able to bake and will just make sure I watch to keep the cakes moist until giving time.

Today our yard man will come over to cut grass one last time and clean up pinecones and other debris. I'm going to make turkey pot pie, do some cleaning, and try to finish the sweater pieces. Will also get out ornament boxes and take tree down and set it up. Decorating will happen gradually over next few days. Also do some more wrapping. Just about done shopping but what is left is really important - gifts for my husband, son, and new DIL. Hubby is hard to buy for. Son and his wife have been together for some time now and have most things they want. We used to exchange wishlists but didn't this year so I'm having trouble thinking what they might like. Their birthdays are 12/7 (hers) and 12/14 but I decided to just go with cards and checks so that is taken care of.

Wondering how your Christmas preparations are coming. Will you be making special family treats like cookies, candy, party mix?

Here is today's zip:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_2.zip