Teas and T's: Week 104, 12-17-2017

Thoughts and Quotes: When you help a child today, you write the history of tomorrow.
Father Flanagan

Travel: As promised, here are the photos from Bill's Christmas Around the World trip. I don't usually post photos of people, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Day 1: Lunch at Smokin' Guns Barbecue.

A bathroom stop at a convenience store in Rockport, Missouri, near the Shelton Fireworks, yielded some interesting products made from recycles.

Arrive in Omaha, Nebraska. Check into hotel and then an Olde English Madrigal Feaste.

Dinner was preceded by Warm Wassail and the Procession of the Singers. Sorry, the salad photo was blurred. Broccoli soup, roast beef, apple pie with rum sauce.

No flash allowed, so the singers didn't photograph well, but the costumes were beautiful. Songs were from the 1500-1600's. Sing, Sing a Song, April is In My Mistress' Face, Fire, Fire My Heart!, A Little White Hen, My Heart Doth Beg You'll Not Forget.

Followed by The Twelve Days of Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Shows in 2018 will be held on December 4-7. For reservations contact Dwayne Ibsen or Cheri Sanwick at 402-556-1400 or email at dibsen8075@ aol.com.

Day 2: Big day today. First a trip to Father Flanagan's Boys Town, which is now an official village with their own zip code, fire department, and police department. The focus now is on prevention rather than cure. Consultants work with families in their homes to work out problems so that families can stay together.

You may visit at anytime, but there are also guided tours Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., leaving from the Visitors Center. Or you can pick up a CD to play in your car stereo while you take a driving tour.

In the early days, the boys went on tour to raise money.

Father Flanagan's house.

The desk made by the manual training class is still in the house.

The statues are made from casts of Boys Town residents.

Spencer Tracy's oscar which he received for his role as Father Flanaga in the movie Boys Town.

Someone pasted some used stamps on a golf ball, and then some more were added, and then some more, and now it's a giant ball.

You can learn more HERE.

Now to Le Voltaire French Restaurant for a 3-course lunch and cooking tips. Choose one of each.

Bill chose Escargot

Fresh Fish

And Creme Brulee

Others chose Coq au Vin

Beef Burgundy

or the Vegetarian Dish

You can learn more about Le Voltaire and see the menu and more photos HERE.

Then it was off to the Mormon Trail Historic Winter Quarters to see the exhibits and the gingerbread house display.

Learn more about the Mormon Trail Center HERE.

And then the gingerbread house display.

Afternoon break at the Lithuanian Bakery for coffee and tort samples. You can order HERE. Use code TORTE10 for $10 off on your first order.

Then back to the hotel for an Irish dinner and an impressive talk about the pioneer days by Cherrie Beam-Callaway.

You can read about Cherrie HERE. Bill thought this was one of the best parts of the trip. He even learned about cow hairballs.

Shamrock Salad

Shepherd's Pie

Carrots, and of course, more potatoes.

Carrot Cake

The night wasn't over. A drive through some of Omaha's neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights.

Day 3: A trip to Lauritzen Gardens to see the poinsettia display.

This tree is decorated with birds made from paper plates.

Banana, anyone?

Read more about Lauritzen Gardens HERE.

Time for a scrumptious Italian lunch at Lo Sole Mio, your choice of entree.

Roasted Garlic and Tomato topping for your bread

Your choice of entree

Bill chose Chicken Piccata

Tortellini

Pasta Reggio

Chicken Parmigiana

Pasta Pollo

No dessert, too full. You can see more about Lo Sole Mio HERE.

On to the Durham Museum at Union Station to see the exhibits and the festival of trees.

A railroad car from the past

The museum artifacts

Then the Festival of Trees from around the world.

Learn more about The Durham Museum HERE.

Next, a trip to Omaha's Old Market to visit Hollywood Candy, a candy shop like none you've ever seen.

Now to the Greek Orthodox Church for dinner and Greek dancers

Salad with feta

Chicken with Potatoes and Green Beans

Baklava for dessert

Sorry, no photos of the dancers

Day 4: Before heading home, a visit from a lady from the Ukraine to tall about the traditions surrounding her beautiful rushnyk collection. Most interesting and very beautiful. The rushnyk follows you from cradle to grave. You can read about them HERE.

For more info on Omaha click HERE and for a free visitor's guide, scroll to the bottom of the link.

And there was a published author on the tour. Check out Clark Selby's books HERE.

END OF TRIP

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD

DECEMBER 6-9, 2017

The Pepper and Pal Report: Pepper's wound is much better, his feet have healed, but he's still wearing his cone collar and being fed by spoon for awhile.

Fred came home and reunited with his mom and siblings.

Only one more kitty to trap (BJ).

Thrifting: I had to go to Lowe's and Goodwill is right across the street. Of course, I had to stop in.

A real bargain at 50 cents each. Shorter stems than I usually find.

I've never seen these colors before, so a great find at $2. I'm ready for spring.

I just can't pass up a president book; especially when it's in pristine condition for $1.

Now I need to discard ten things this week.

Thank yous: To Becky for this doorstop/paperweight and Kathy and David for the lovely top. Now I need to discard twelve things this week.

Thrifting: AGAIN! This time at Michael's. I only went for glue and I had a 25% off coupon and the Christmas stuff was on sale and the other stamps were 50% off. What's a girl to do? I only have to count the things on the right, because the other things are consumable. Now I need 20 discards (sets count as one item).

Tasting: The raspberry vinegar is finished, but I haven't made anything yet. The photo doesn't do it justice. It's a beautiful color. More on this next week.

Time for Others: Martha had the ladies from her Sunday school class over for a Christmas dinner - twenty people. Of course, her house is totally decorated and beautiful. I've shown you photos before, but here we go anyway.

Nancy, a friend and also a member of the class made the cake, truly a work of art. She's such an artist. It was sitting in my garage refrigerator, so that's the best I could do with photos.

Two Things from my Christmas Bucket List:

My cards are all in the mail. All the same except the one which has to be different as they go to a mother and a daughter.

And Bill helped me so my outdoor lights are finished. The bright white light in the middle is not a ghost orb; it's the reflection from my security alarm sign.

Tidbits: My fortune cookie this week says, "Remember to share good fortune as well as bad with your friends", so you'll be receiving a bill for your prorated share of the bill for my replacement microwave oven.

And my discards for the week:

A suit, a sign, a hanger, some earrings - 4