Random 5 for December 17, 2023 – Covid, brunch, stye, hanging loose, movies

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Source: The Spruce Eats

Another upside down week – We are in a holding pattern for people recovering from covid. We had two cancelled appointments recently that have been rescheduled to this coming week. Hopefully, everyone has recovered. It’s still out there and everyone knows someone who has it. Fortunately it’s not us!

Trying something new – We had friends in for a Christmas brunch. For the first time I made a French toast casserole (the kind you put together the night before and pop in the oven in the morning). Since my guests have various dietary restrictions, I kept it simple (eggs, milk, bread and butter – all the things that people buy before a storm) and it turned out great. The original recipe called for a cup of sugar. I don’t use sugar when I make regular French toast, so I left it out. Worked out great. We had syrup or fruit to offer sweetness. The recipe will be repeated. It can be cut in half for a small meal for the beloved husband and me. Hmmm…maybe Christmas morning (along with my multiple mochas!).

A humbling perspective – I’m in day 9 of my eye stye. It’s been horrendous. Even with the antibiotics and heat compresses, it refuses to be hurried. I have a January appointment with my eye doc and there will be a conversation on how to hurry it along in the future. I can’t imagine there isn’t something.

A nothing day – We don’t have anything planned for today. A day like this without appointments, rushing around or making decisions is wonderful. Maybe today is the day for a good Christmas movie.

Speaking of Hallmark – We watched a Hallmark Christmas movie this week. Yikes! I know people love them, but they are so predictable and young love is stupid love. Give me a movie (even a love story) with some nice middle-aged (or elderly) people and I’m all in. Maybe today is the day for Love Actually. Love me some Hugh Grant rump dancing on the stairs!

So how was your week?

 

 

63 thoughts on “Random 5 for December 17, 2023 – Covid, brunch, stye, hanging loose, movies”

  3. You made my day mentioning that you like “Love Actually” as a Christmas movie. I love that movie, and I watch it at least once every season. I mention it sometimes to friends who roll their eyes, but I don’t care–I love it! Just a few years back my daughter and I enjoyed seeing it replayed in a local theater, and I wouldn’t mind doing that again! 🙂

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  4. Since French Toast casserole is essentially bread pudding, I leave out the sugar too. Although, I sometimes sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar for a nice crunchy top. I don’t like syrup which is almost heresy among my friends and family. I believe I had a recipe with cubes of cream cheese in it that turned out pretty nice.

    I will be the only person to stand up for sappy Christmas movies. I like some of the Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies. My problem is that they keep remaking the same movie. I would also like to see more movies with older protagonists. An author I enjoy writes a series of older adult romance books. They are fun but still pretty unrealistic. If you’re up for a parody of Christmas movies try “A Christmas Movie Christmas.” My favorite holiday movies are an ABC (I think) movie called “Ghosting: the Spirit of Christmas” which you can stream for free on YouTube and Peacock+’s “Genie” starring Melissa McCarthy. It does not appear to be available on NBC.

    I am hoping your eye has healed. Coincidentally, an eye doctor squeezing the pus out of a stye popped up in my YouTube feed yesterday.

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    • Cream cheese was one of the recommended add-ins along with fruit (dried or fresh). I was impressed enough with the recipe that I’m making it for Christmas with the remaining Challah bread in the freezer. I want to look for that Melissa McCarthy movie. I’m a fan of hers. Stye is up and down. Just when I think I’m passed the worst, the next day is more swollen or itchy or crusty or something. At 3 this morning I contemplated trying to get an emergency appointment with my fancy eye doc (as if a stye constitutes an emergency — I can hear her laughing now). By the time I got up, the crisis had passed.

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  6. I love that French toast and make it at Christmas, too – yumm! Sorry about the stye, so painful. I just got over pneumonia and was off work for 2 weeks, the exhaustion is palpable. Well enough to go to the office 1 day last week where a co-worker showed up WITH COVID! (Wife wasn’t home and I think he came in for sympathy …………….EGADS) I’ve never moved so fast. Yeah – lots of bugs around – but I wonder if ppl stopped washing their hands and being clean/careful. Blah.

    Nothing days are the best, enjoy!! 🙂 MJ

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  10. The French toast casserole looks delicious Kate. I bought some cookbooks for stews, soups and desserts to make in the crockpot and hope to expand my horizons when I’m retired as I just make simple meals in there now, but in the meantime I follow a crockpot cooking site on Facebook for ideas and I am sure they had a French toast overnight casserole to make for Christmas morning. I’d make it during the day as I never leave the crockpot on and go to bed or leave the house.

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  13. I haven’t been inspired to watch any Hallmark Christmas movies. But I did watch on Prime what I found a delightful movie that came out in 2017: The Man Who Invented Christmas. It’s about Charles Dickens and the writing of A Christmas Carol. NPR says it’s a, “jumble of biography, fantasy, and backstage melodrama.” It worked just fine for me and had me in tears by the end.

    Your overnight French toast sounds like a good idea for serving my house guests. (One daughter, a son-in-law, and grandson will be here for 8 or 9 days.)

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  14. It took my neighbor quite a while to be totally rid of her stye – what’s weird to me is that I know a LOT of women who have had or currently have styes! What’s that all about? Anyway, hope it’s GONE soon for you. I love those casseroles – they’re handy, they’re delish and they are perfect for company. We watched our first Christmas movie last night – The Christmas Story – we laughed all the way through and for a movie we’ve seen a million times to STILL make us laugh……well……that’s rare!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • I have no idea where the stye came from. I am meticulous with my eye care. No makeup at all and an eyelid wash everyday to ward them off. We’ve seen a mix of Christmas movies — some good and some meh. We keep watching though.

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  16. I love make-ahead meals that allow you to actually enjoy your guests. Covid seems to be making a comeback this winter. I’m seeing a lot more people wearing masks than usual. Funny, at the beginning, I used to be suspicious of those who weren’t wearing masks, now when I see someone wearing one, I assume they aren’t feeling well and avoid them. Kooky, I know.

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  18. Hubby has been really poorly, but luckily not Covid. I am just hoping I don’t go down with it as I have a Christmas dinner to cook for THREE (plus the dog) and do not want an unwelcome bug to spoil things! Something nasty is going around the town and knocking people down like flies. Our neighbour is entering her fourth week, a neighbour two doors down is starting his third, and Hubby is into his second, with 2 A&E visits.

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  19. Same here with COVID. Had an electrician cancel and husband has multiple coworkers with it. I had a few early holiday parties this year and stayed outside as best I could. We’ve escaped so far, probably aided by keeping up with our boosters and good weather in SoCal. Since we hosted Thanksgiving (for 16!), spouse and child have rebelled against doing a Christmas party. And now that the kid is older, I don’t have to bake for teachers/ class parties, etc. I think all I have to do is make cookies for the Christmas Day gathering with husband’s family (after making cookies for earlier parties). It feels weird to have Christmas only a week away and not to be overwhelmed with baking!

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  20. Sounds like a good time all round … especially as you are COVID free 🙏🏻 Love Actually is my fav Christmas movie. Already watched it last week and will do so again when I visit my Mum for the New Year family gatherings.

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  21. I make sweet potato chews for Elsa (and I’ve been known to nosh on them as well-so tasty)as well as fruit leather and dried fruit like apricots and then dip the dried fruit in chocolate and drizzle white chocolate stripes on top. Some years I’ve done bananas and pineapple but not doing fruit this year-there’s just not enough time.

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  22. We’re hitting the final push on homemade goodies and gifts. My dehydrator will likely be running for the next 3 days. While that hunk of beef I managed to score at half price for the jerky I make my Dad every year seemed like a bargain, slicing said hunk took forever. I’m nursing a blister on my forefinger but reading about outbreaks of COVID and stubborn eyesties makes me grateful-it could be worse. Enjoy an easy Sunday with a good movie (or two).

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  23. Yes, there’s a lot of ‘stuff’ going around out there right now. Hope your friends all recover quickly. Sorry your eye is still bothering you. It seems like we’ve all got something going on that we’d really like to cease and desist. Your breakfast looks delicious. I watch Hallmark because, well, there’s nothing else on except repeats. You can set your watch and set the mood because it comes in 20 minute increments. Have a nice Sunday with no appointments.

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