There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays…

This was made painfully aware to me this afternoon as I drove down Main Street here in Fallbrook. They were preparing for their Christmas parade and the street was already lined with chairs! EMPTY CHAIRS. It was about 1:30 and main street closes to traffic at 3pm.

When I got home and told hubs he said “cue the John Cougar Melloncamp Music ‘I was born in a small town, live and die in a small town!'” It’s no exaggeration that Fallbrook is a small town… it’s not even a town, it’s an incorporate of San Diego County. Who knows who runs all these parades they have if there is no local government in charge of doing it!

On my way home I snapped a few pictures to show Hubs and then I saw a sign “Kringle Corner” It wasn’t Kringle, I forget the name, but it was a family area. It immediately reminded me of St. Patrick’s Day and the parade in Ocean View, VA! Our family had a corner where we would all gather. We would hang out for hours before the parade started and we would have chairs up on the corner waiting for us.

I know this will sound awkward, but last year Hubs was deployed and I guess I stayed in more than I wanted to admit even to myself, because the fact that I was alone for the holidays was not made painfully aware to me until Christmas day when family began calling. This year, there are lights up, and people celebrating, and parties… I HAVE my husband home with me, and I feel more alone than I did last year.

How do adults so it? How do you move away from your hometown and get through the holidays? How do you celebrate in a town where you know no one, but that town is now “your home“? Today I learned Fallbrook is definitely not our home. We have this Christmas and two more in town. Maybe next year we’ll go to the parade and see what the hometown fuss is all about.

Oh, and the chairs? Here ya go::

The Little Things:: Like a HUGE dinner!

Happy “Coma day” friends! I hope you didn’t eat so much that you are still feeling it today! I know I kept it in moderation and was so proud of how differently I ate this year compared with Thanksgivings past! Hubs and I had a wonderful day full of little things that made it amazing!

We got up early and got everything ready and a cookin’! This jump of the gun led to us having “dinner” at about 1:30. We liked it better as Thanksgiving lunch (I was aiming for around 3-4, so we weren’t that early) and I think that is what helped our tummies not go to bed so full!

I love the smell of celery cooking! About to add the onion to complete for the stuffing addition!

While I let that sweat it our in the skillet, we were able to sit down and enjoy tradition we started a few years ago: Panera for breakfast! Talk about yummy:

Yummy cranberry walnut bagels with cranberry orange cream cheese 🙂

We of coursed watched most of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade… before we realized our turkey was almost done!!

Back in 2009 we bought this roaster when we hosted Thanksgiving in our tiny little apartment and knew a turkey just would not fit in the oven. It produced the best turkey then, and this year was no different! Thank you Rival, for helping make Thanksgiving that much easier!

There of course were Naps::

My boys napping during the parade!

Then it was time to get ready for a delicious feast and celebrate all the things we have to be thankful for:

I knew the counter space in our dining room would eventually come in handy! Also, notice that awkward three dish buffet? Another thing to be incredibly thankful for! All our food stayed nice and warm!

Then the turkeys came out and cooled down! Yes, we went with two tiny turkeys, didn’t even eat one, and have plenty of leftovers! I was not juggling a huge turkey though!

Don't they look pretty on our Turkey Plate?

Of course, I was most thankful that the table was able to be set for two with our Thanksgiving plates that were in storage in VA last year, and our nice glasses! It was so special to share another Thanksgiving with my amazing husband!

This is one of the most beautiful things to be thankful for: Dinner with my husband!

Then of course we have our world class carver::

He is a Pro... for the most part!

The funniest thing to happen all day happened while he was carving away! You can kind of tell the electric carver is plugged in on the wall behind him. All of a sudden it stopped working and Hubs said “That’s awkward!! It must have overheated!” All I could think of is “Well, why don’t you use a regular knife? It’s a five-pound turkey for heaven’s sake!” We bantered back and forth and then at the same time realized and said “Oh, it’s unplugged! Problem fixed!

Of course, no Thanksgiving is complete without dessert! We went the cobbler route::

Deliciousness in a bowl!

I hope you enjoyed your day, friends: wherever you are and whoever you were with! I’m off for breakfast with my love (which will consist of cookies in the kitchen) followed by Pilates and DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS!

Follow me on instagram (TheYoungRetiree) to see it all go down live 🙂 Have a happy weekend! Don’t forget about 30% off in my shop until 11pm tonight with “BLACKFRI30” then 25% tomorrow with “THANKS25”!

The Pumpkin Patch :: 2011

Our Radio Flyer filled with out Autumnal goodies!

This weekend Hubs and I headed out on a pumpkin hunt! We learned the recipe for a delicious pumpkin and pork stew at a recent Williams-Sonoma class and I needed some pumpkin to make it! [You can look for the full report Saturday 10.29.2011!] I was also itching to take part in my favorite autumn tradition of heading to the pumpkin patch! Since moving to Southern California I have realized the east coast spoiled me in many ways. We grew up going to tree farms and cutting down our Christmas trees just like every year we went to an actual farm and picked out our pumpkins. Out here in SoCal, I have found most “pumpkin patches” are in parking lots or grocery stores (the HORROR!) so I was pleased enough when we found one off the side of the road in neither!

Hay bales with pumpkins and a curious cat to boot!

There is something about pumpkin patches: the smell, the ambiance, the chill in the air… oh, wait. It was pleasantly in the 70’s as we made our way through the pumpkins looking for the perfect ones. The smell was mostly of the hay, but they surely got the ambiance down! The even had cupcakes and caramel apples for sale, as well as cider – although there was more a need for ice than for it to be warm! The best part of autumn decorating is you can get so many wonderful things, for a pretty decent price right at your pumpkin patch!

It's like the big pumpkins had baby pumpkins!

Baby pumpkins are just about my favorite thing! They are inexpensive and can be placed all throughout your home to bring Autumn into it! We picked some out to place on our mantle to get us through the Thanksgiving season! Oh, and baby pumpkins aren’t the only great thing to be found at the patch! We also got some gourds!

Gorgeous Gourds!

I just picked up a few to put in our cornucopia, but at the price you could very easily pick up several to place in decorative bowls on a coffee table, book-case, or to use as a centerpiece on your table! We also, of course, picked out small pumpkins for our stew and the hunt began for our big boys!

There were rows and rows of pumpkins lined for you to take a look at and pick your favorite. The pumpkin has to speak to you! We looked for about a half hour before we decided on the perfect ones to bring home and make a part of our autumn decor.

Big Boy number one!

Hubs picked out this good lookin’ fella’ and we took him to our wagon! The hunt for his perfect counterpart was a little more difficult, but we finally found him:

Big Boy number two!

I assure you this is not how we would have normally dressed to head to the pumpkin patch, but we thought we were heading to a nice restaurant for their champagne brunch buffet… it was a champagne lunch (which was delicious) but an hour after we were expecting! We filled our time picking pumpkins!

With our big fella’s, our stew pumpkins and our decorations, we were ready to call it a day! We came home with quite the brood! Poor Jonesie does not like the big boys, and we had to immediately move them to the outside from inside… any tips from “scaredy cat-dog” owners? We tried introducing him to the pumpkins and everything… no dice!

Can you believe Halloween is this coming weekend? The season seems to be moving too fastly and getting away from us, even with our wonderful trip back home for some great autumn weather! Have you been to your pumpkin patch? I plan on enjoying our goodies for quite some time to come, and might pick up another little one for more stew to freeze!

Get On You Bad Motor Scooter, And Ride!

Any where I go around Fallbrook it seems I see motor scooters. Yesterday afternoon Hubs and I were talking and I mentioned getting a scooter instead of another car. We have had one vehicle since moving to California and it works for us… most of the time. It would be nice to just whip over to the post office, or buzz over to the grocery store to get something I need for dinner without having to call and ask Hubs to stop on his way home. Something to just cruise around town in… er, on.

This prompted our research for VESPAS! Of course, Hubs researched to the point of knowing when the first one was created, when they begun being sold in the States, and where the first dealership was. I just started thinking of the suh-weet goggles I would ride around wearing, with a cute little helmet and my cape. Oh yes, CAPE! Well, I suppose I’m kidding about the cape, but man, what I wouldn’t give to drive around with one on!

All I need is one that goes at least 45mph so I can ride on Base and head over to the MCX. That’s the furthest I think I would go on one.

We headed into Riverside this morning to check out a Motorsports shop. I have fallen in love y’all!

This is one bad motor scooter!

Oh, and she can go as fast as 80mph! We did not come home with a Vespa today… we are going to price shop while in Norfolk since the tax and registration would be so much cheaper! We can just have the movers move it to California with our HHGs! If they will move it, that is! So, we are going to check with the moving company and then check with a dealer out in Virginia! If not, I think I’ll be getting this beauty under the Christmas tree this year, if not before!

Of course, you have to practice safety:

Safety First, kids!

Let me tell you: I have never been more excited for anything in my life! I am ready to have it, yesterday, y’all! Oh, and of course since the visor is for daytime, I get to have these sweet goggles for night operations:

Night time goggles

I need Victoria the Vespa in my life! The pink is limited edition so we have to act quicker than we want and may not get her… If not I think I’ll go with Ruby, the red one! Either way, she will be pretty, shiny, and all mine!

Three’s Company!

Saturday was a very important day in our lives over here at TYR! We embarked on a new journey with a new little friend:

”]We give our dogs “royal” names, but we just call him Jonesie! We went up to Temecula Saturday afternoon for some Five Guys (um… I’ve been craving their bacon dog ever since I tried it a few weeks ago!) and we heard all the barking doggies at the Petco across the parking lot. Just a quick drive by couldn’t hurt, right?

But when you have a connection with a dog, you just know you need to give them the forever home they so desperately deserve! [Enter PSA on adoption] There are so many animals out there in need of good homes! Animals in shelters and foster homes waiting to find the family the fit into it. Don’t think they are all mutts either- there are well-bred dogs in shelters, and some with AKC certification. You just have to look and be patient!

You can’t just get a dog because you want a cute accessory in your life. You can’t just get one because you’ve always wanted a bulldog. You can’t get a dog just because you want a buddy for one you already own. You have to want to add a member to your family! There should be a connection and you should just know! We’ve been frequenting the shelters for the last two months looking for our next family member and leave every time heartbroken that from all the dogs, we didn’t feel a spark with any of them.

When we saw Jonesie we just knew, and the minute they let him out of his kennel and into our arms, he jumped into our hearts and we were sold. Our new baby brother is getting along pretty well and already has momma wrapped around his [kind of big!] paws.

Today we had to get some boosters and a shot for tapeworm 😦 Not loving that, but hopefully we can get rid of all the junk inside of him and move right along. He’s a mama’s boy, even if he fell in love with daddy first:

Jonesie swooning into daddy's heart as mommy filled out the paperwork for him!

When The Lights Went Out In Fallbrook!

I heard we made the 11 o’clock news in Norfolk, on the night the lights went out in Fallbrook. I was in the middle of a movie when the lights flickered and slowly faded out. I thought nothing of it other than it must have been the heat. I tried to call Hubs and was unsuccessful. Anyone who knows me knows I am a panic person. The longer he did not answer my page, the more worried I became.

Soon, word came from the gal next door that the base was locked down. Not much later CNN was reporting about a terrorist attack and with no power to verify I relied on words from a friend that helicopters were flying back to base and preparing. My husband got home from deployment, off the ship, and in the last two days his life has been at risk? WHAT? 

Still no word from Hubs.

We were just talking about how we needed to build a little Emergency Center in the house which I have begun calling “The Fallout Shelter”. We have yet to start. I was able to meet the Marines across the street and one of the wives (as there are three Marines, two are married, living across the street). One of the fellows just got off base, so obviously they weren’t locked down. *Sigh of relief!* We chatted, and I returned home. Then I just sat and waited.

I booked the dogs for Dogtopia in the event we still did not have power today, and then I sat thinking about blogging, tweeting, facebook and MFP! What in the world did we do before the internet?

My phone because usable for emergencies only, as I assume the networks were crazy busy. Hubs got home shortly after midnight from dealing with hospital stuff. I laid in the dark, in bed with a busy mind: after I drop the dogs off I would have Chick-Fil-A for breakfast (as Temecula did not lose power!). Would I head back up there for lunch? Maybe Panera so I could use wi-fi and get some blogging done! Would the two pounds of shredded cheese in the fridge go bad? I just went grocery shopping!

Late into the night, around 1 am our power was restored. The dishwasher (which was half way through when we lost power) kicked on. I felt the fan above us create a cool breeze. The sounds of home alarm systems began to blare throughout the neighborhood. We closed up shop and turned all the lights off. A calm fell over me and I fell into a peaceful sleep. I don’t think I will soon forget the night the lights were out in San Diego County, and most of Southern California, Arizona, and Tijuana!

Backyard Shenanigans with Barry {the} White {Rabbit}

This last week has been overly interesting in our backyard. Fefe (the next door neighbor’s tiny chihuahua) has been a regular over here. Saturday morning we were violently awaken with Fiona going bat sh- crazy at the patio door in our bedroom. I jumped out of bed, and there in the yard, along our back fence, was a fluffy white rabbit. Here we go again!

I know nothing about rabbits except for the fact that the young couple next door have one. We secured the dogs in the house and went to investigate. You could tell the rabbit was a pet as it came right to me and allowed me to pick it up. I couldn’t very well allow a pet rabbit to be eaten by my dogs, could I? We got our old dog kennel and Hubs brought it out to me. We placed Barry inside and put him in the garage on top of the washing machine. (because yes, our washer and dryer are in the garage)

Me and Barry {the} White {Rabbit}

We called the next door neighbors, who were gone for the day out on the lake. We brought Barry inside when we went for lunch and some shopping and when we got back, we let the dogs get used to him. HOURS had gone by and we didn’t hear from the people next door. I called the animal shelter because I was pretty sure it was theirs, but I didn’t know what to feed it or if it would drink water out of the bowl we put water in for it.

After being reassured the baby carrots I had fed it were sufficient and that yes, he would drink water from a bowl, I felt better.

It was not until after 9pm the neighbors came home and I went over to ask them about their rabbit. Sure enough, Barry was theirs and she came over to get him. Bosco has now gotten attached to Fefe and Barry and is usually sad for a few hours after they go home.

This morning, they were both in our yard. Hopefully they get that fence fixed before I have to bury a dead bunny. I don’t think the dogs like him that much!

You Can’t Make This Up, 911?

I like to think I’m a pretty good neighbor. I keep to myself for the most part, but I smile and wave when I pass the folks right in our little cul-de-sac. Hubs and I are quiet people – there are no obnoxious gatherings and beyond the occasional fight, you don’t know we’re here. (Oh yeah, because when we fight, it’s loud.)

Yesterday after dinner (which was so very fun!) we arrived to our next door neighbor’s driveway (and front yard) full of vehicles. They have had people over since Thursday evening and we assumed it was some kind of family reunion/get together type thing. We come inside and can not help but still here the live mariachi music coming from their back yard. The bass thumping beats of this little live group were amplified, and all they had to do was turn it down a notch.

I don’t speak Mexican and they speak very poor English, so what did I have to do? Call the non-emergency police. We are not a city, Fallbrook is a non-incorporated area of San Diego County. There is no noise ordinance for the county, which means you can call and complain whenever someone is being obnoxious.

I called 411 to get the non-emergency number. I kid you not: I asked for the sheriff in Fallbrook (since we aren’t a city, we don’t have police. We rely on the county Sheriff.) and the operator asked if I was inquiring for a 911 emergency. Um, thanks, but I’m pretty sure I know the number for that one… it’s something like a nine, then a one… oh shoot, what is it?

You could not make this up if you wanted to, friends. She seriously asked me this, which makes me wonder how many times someone has called looking for the emergency number. GOOD GRIEF!

Furthermore, I kind of feel like a grandma for the fact that I called the cops on the neighbors at 10:30 on a Saturday night. They (the neighbors) didn’t even come and offer us carne asada or street tacos! I mean, if you’re going to party all night, at least offer some goods up to the people who share a fence with you. Jeez!

I hope your Saturday night was smoother than mine and if you are in the Wake of Hurricane Irene, you are making progress with the clean up. That is mostly what Nan is dealing with. She only lost power for a few minutes. Several of my old neighbors, friends, and family have severe damage to their homes and yards (down fences, a lost roof, and several trees down, a few of which found their way onto homes). Please keep these people (and the families of the 9 lost, including a few children) in your thoughts and prayers!

Hungry Like… [the wolf]

Image by Todd Huffman via Flickr

Now that I am feeling 100% again, I got to go have my blood work done this morning. YAY! (NOT) I do blood work about as good as I do sick. Not well.

I rode into the hospital with Hubs so I could have the car. As we were getting ready to leave (fixing to go coffee, making sure he had snacks and I had my I.D. card to get back on Base this afternoon) I grabbed my “blood work buddy” – a teddy bear Hubs got me for our first Valentine’s day as Husband and Wife. Hubs just kind of gave a funny look and asked what the heck I was stuffing into my purse. I explained, much to his entertainment that I need a buddy with me, since I enjoy blood work so much. 

We got to the Hospital around 6:30 and I figured I would go right on over to the blood place since they opened at 7. Well, there was a line outside when I got there, so I just parked and called Nan. The line stayed there and grew, and grew, and grew! I got out of the car and into line around 7:30. Around quarter to eight a gal came up in her scrubs, frustrated and in a rush. The 7:00 gal never showed. Upon opening the doors, the waiting room was already full for her.

I sat and waited for doom’s day. Soon my name was called and I sat in the chair with my little blood work buddy. Of course, I’m fasting for this blood work and have been starving hungry since I woke up at 5! Any other day of the week, I don’t eat that early- not even by 6. Today- I could eat a horse.

The gal who did my blood work was a doll and I barely felt the needle! She was in, got her FOUR tubes of my sweet blood and was taping my arm up. I was in and out in an hour (which you know never happens at those places where you get seen on a first come basis!) and feel fine. Now we just wait for the results 😦 They are running a whole slew of tests and I sure hope they find an answer. Naturally, I will keep you posted and appreciate your thoughts during this time of uncertainty. I am hoping it is not diabetes. I am hoping it is lazy-itis… or something simple to fix like an iron or vitamin deficiency.

Onward to the commissary… AND BREAKFAST! Happy Monday, friends!

We Saw It In Fallbrook | Put Your Hands Up!

Image via Wikipedia

This morning Hubs woke up with the worst chest congestion/runny nose/cough in the world. He is usually great when he is sick! He sleeps it off and gets better right away. There’s no whining or pouting or any of the “typical man” sickness stuff. I’m the one with those “typical man” symptoms of whining and needing to be taken care of. Today, hubby is full on man sick- whining and all!

I decided to force chicken noodle soup upon him (and some good old Jewish penicillin on myself as well- just to help ward off the spreading of his sick germs!) and made him ride with me to Panera to get it. Oh, you thought I was making him chicken noodle soup? Well, we got “soup for a group” from Panera, so technically I made it by filling his cup up!

I digress.

On our way back down the freeway from Temecula I was automobilically (yep, I just made that word up) harassed by the California Highway Patrol. This is not the first time Estrada has come out of nowhere (and I mean literally, where the hell did he come from?) and almost rammed my vehicle. No lights, no sirens, nothing. He came weaving through traffic on the 15 south bound and almost merged right onto my poor sick hubby in the passenger seat. (Yes, I made him go with me, I thought the fresh air and trip might make him a little better.) I was going about 73 and only recently accelerated as the jackleg in front of me was only going 67. (Speed limit of 70.)

After he almost rams the side of the car he gets over behind me and I swear, I think he touched my bumper. I wish there was a hotline I could call because I’d love to know why it was so important for him to get to the scene which we passed moments later:

Estrada put his lights on, but he put the blue and yellow ones on. He pulled off the Fallbrook exit just ahead of us and was exiting his car to approach a car where there were three youths (we say about 14-17 years of age) standing on the exit shoulder with their hands in the air! What did they do that they knew they were busted for? Didn’t they ever learn to sit in the car, play cool, and wait for the officer to tell the to get out?

Furthermore, he hd them all put their hands on the shiny black car- OUCH!

I think I’m going to investigate via the CHP website to see if I can get ahold of a police blotter somewhere- you know, since I’m a working, tax paying, resident of the state of California… oh, wait. Well, since I live here and don’t make trouble.

Have you ever seen anything crazy… or ever been nearly rammed by a state trooper?