Broken Item of the Week

Yes Gentle Readers, I'm back with another tale of woe.  I've been really good as of late and haven't broken anything on my watch.


Until now.


You remember this lovely chair, don't you?

I cleaned it all up for lovely, pregnant Daughter #2

She does not look like this now.

On Monday, I went to look after the grandson as per usual.  As per usual I rocked him to sleep for his nap. (I spoil him)  All of a sudden, this happened:

Disclaimer: No babies were hurt in the making this BIOTW

I see you laughing Steve

Rollin' in the Dough.

I mean bread dough.  Literally.  I read The Gardner's Cottage latest post on how to make an inexpensive and thoughtful hostess gift of homemade artisan bread and was very impressed.  Mostly though, I just wish I lived near an Ikea.

The Gardner's Cottage

Daughter #1 called yesterday and asked if she could come over and help her make The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls With much trepidation I agreed.  Have you seen that recipe?  Do you know how many rolls that recipe makes?

So Daughter shows up around 8pm.  Yes, 8pm to make yeast rolls.  Scores of yeast rolls.

Eight pans worth of yeast rolls.

I think we finished up around 11pm.

Yes, that is pure butter she is slathering around the dough.

 She stood in front of the clock to verify how late is was.

All packed up and ready to go.  I think by the time I got her home and back to my place it was after midnight.  I'm a senior!  I don't stay up this late!

I had to laugh.  There's Janet's elegant healthy bread and here's our heart attack waiting to happen bread.  There's enough butter and sugar in those cinnamon rolls to clog the arteries of ten people I'm sure.

They sure are tasty though.

Chuckle for the Week and some Good Things.

If you want to have a good laugh atmyexpense go visit my daughter's blog Broken Poet .  I hope everybody's whipping up some great plans for their Christmas Festivities.



Here's a great gift giving idea for you at An Urban Cottage

Photo from An Urban Cottage

I'm expecting one of these any day now.


These look good enough to eat.

Photo by The Domestic Fringe

So does this:

Photo by The Gardner's Cottage

I can't believe this was last Christmas.

He's a whole lot bigger now:

October - One year old!

Go do some Good Things.

I Will Remember

One of the best things about my Cheapskate two country European Vacation was that it turned into four countries. Double the fun!

Anyway, we went to Luxembourg for two days and it was wonderful.  Very chic and civilized as well.  No shops open on Sundays!  Since we were there on a Sunday we decided to take a drive.  One of our stops was a war cemetery. This was for American soldiers. The Americans liberated Luxembourg after the Second World War.

To say it was moving can hardly do justice to the way it made me feel.

It was so quiet and peaceful and holy.

I loved the Jewish markers with the stones placed on them from visitors. Maybe family from America.

There were crosses as far as the eye could see.  All made from the most beautiful pure white marble. I just kept repeating In Flanders Fields over and over in my head.

There was also a lovely memorial that had a tiny chapel inside.

Above is the ceiling in the chapel.

This is the gatehouse.  The whole cemetery was immaculate.


I have always wanted to visit a war memorial in Europe and I never thought I would.  I'm so glad I did.  I had an uncle who served in the war and when he came home he would never talk about it.  I just cannot imagine what these people went through but I was so glad I could pay tribute to them in my small way.



Always remember.  Never forget.

Arc de Triomphe

I love Joni Mitchell don't you?

I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
Nobody calling me up for favours
No one's future to decide.

I loved the Arc de Triomphe.  Seriously.

I look so happy.

I never thought all that much about it until I saw all the history recorded there.  It honours all those who fought and died for France in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.

Here's a view from the top.  I didn't go up on this one but Mr LC did.

Guess who's peeking over there.

I just love the architecture.  The white stone kills me.

My son-in-law's grandfather fought in the Resistance.  Then he married a German girl, had two kids, and moved to Canada.

It's much bigger than it looks.  It's such a busy spot, being in the center of a roundabout, traffic whizzing by constantly.

I would love to be free in Paris.

Seriously.

The Eiffel Tour.

The main thing I wanted to see in Paris was the Eiffel Tower.

So, I saw it.

The day was pretty hot and also a Sunday so the spot was crowded.

It's a long way up there.  Don't let this picture fool you.  Mr LC said he was going up.  I said I'll see you later.  He said You're coming with me.  Gulp. We walked up.  Oh yes, we did.  I thought I would die.  I had to let people pass me on the stairs.  I thought I would never make it.  This was just the first level.

 Proof that I made it.

I'm so glad I did.  The views were amazing even with the haze.

They were filming a commercial or something way over there.  You could hear the music and the director say "yell and jump".  I know French.

I was never so glad to pay three euros for a bottle of water before.

fini.

A Change is as Good as a Rest.

I've been home from my cheapskatetwocountry European vacation for a week today.  It seems so long ago now. 

Well, I've come back with a new man.  Yes indeedy.  Remember Mr LC?

How could you forget that face?

I went to France and came back with a new and improved Mr LC.

How about that scarf?  The baret?  The tight(ish) pants! He even got a haircut there!

I think H&M gave him stock options or something.  The whole outfit came from that shop. One French city per item of clothing. Watch out guys.  Next year you'll be wearing coral pants.  Oh yes you will.