Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful and fulfilling Christmas and New Year that was everything you needed it to be. Ours was a bit of a mixed bag, but it will definitely be memorable! Our Christmas break started with picking up a dining room set I found on Facebook Marketplace for $40. This set had been listed for a while and I kept overlooking it because it needed some work. Now, I’m not one to shy away from project furniture, but this one had issues that aren’t easily fixed like broken stretchers and chipped veneer. But, it’s a sweet set and, at $40, I thought it was worth buying, even if it was just so we had a table and chairs for Christmas.
As we were driving home, I was so excited that we would have a table and chairs for our Christmas brunch. We wouldn’t have to squish six of us around the small kitchen table or eat on trays or set up a folding table paired with a gathering of chairs. On our way home, though, Marshall called to tell us the power had gone out. It wasn’t surprising because we were experiencing high wind gusts and the lines in our neighborhood are above ground. We figured it would slow down our preparations for Christmas, but the power would be on soon and we could carry on.
After a couple of hours and no updates from the power company, I was getting a little nervous. We really weren’t prepared for a power outage at those temperatures. The high was unusually cold (in the single digits) and, while our heat is oil, the blower is electric. And we have an electric stove, so we couldn’t heat food or boil water. We have a wood-burning fireplace, but we hadn’t had it inspected to make sure it was clean and safe to use. And, we didn’t have a generator.
We went out to dinner, hopeful the power might be back on when we got home, but that didn’t happen. We weighed staying at my parent’s house for the night, but I couldn’t stomach leaving the cats alone in the cold house. We didn’t know how cold the house would get and I would be worried about them. I know they would’ve been fine, but I liked the idea of staying in the house so we could be with them and be there if/when the power came back on.
We watched Elf on my iPad using a hotspot and turned in for the night, expecting the power would come on sometime through the night. We’d wake up to lamps coming on as the power was restored. It was a cold night and the house dropped to the low 50s, but we slept pretty snugly. We all had down comforters and extra blankets, so warmth wasn’t an issue when we were in our beds. I probably would’ve had a solid, hopeful night of sleep, but I received an automated call at 10:30. “The power will be restored at 11:00 pm…” Yes! That is fantastic. When the message repeated, though, both Jeff and I caught what we missed the first time. “The power will be restored at 11:00 pm on December 27.”
That was four days. I know people lived without power for centuries and people live without power after storms and natural disasters all the time, but this four-day estimate was a hope-dasher. It was during near-historic cold temperatures and over Christmas. All of our plans were upended. I drifted in and out of sleep and woke up at 3:00 in the morning on Christmas Eve, running scenarios and logistics in my mind. Jeff and I talked about getting a generator and I started to check out local stores to see who had one in stock. We went over possibilities and the whens and wheres of the next four days. It was complicated by having the cats and we had to be at church for the Christmas Eve and Christmas morning services. I was fretting over Calvin’s insulin and all of the food I had made and bought in the fridge. I didn’t have time to clean the house and there was still prep work to do for Christmas day. I was teary-eyed and disappointed. I knew it could be worse and there was so much to be thankful for, but this was not what I wanted.
Jeff wisely pointed out that I was trying to tackle all of the details through December 27 when all we needed to focus on was that morning and then that day and then that night. One thing at a time. That perspective helped so much and we decided that buying a generator was a good first step. I really didn’t want a generator for Christmas, but it’s the kind of thing you don’t want until you really want it! Lowe’s had some in stock and Jeff planned to be there right when they opened at 6:00.
When we finally left the warmth of the blankets, the house was starting to show the cold. We woke up to ice on our windows and frozen pipes were becoming a concern.
Jeff was able to buy one of the last three generators () at on Christmas Eve. He sent me this picture and it was such an awesome sight. We could run a couple of heaters in the house, charge our phones, and keep the fridge at the proper temperature.
It was about another hour before Jeff got home with the generator, but it was all assembled and ready to work when he arrived. Jeff asked if he could assemble it at and one of their employees was happy to help. He got the tools they needed and helped Jeff get it assembled so we wouldn’t have to do it outside in single digits or try to hunt down the tools he needed in a dark garage.
It took a while to figure out all of the ins and outs of the generator and there was about an hour when we thought it was faulty (it was running, but not providing power), but it was as simple as a switch that needed to be flipped (that wasn’t in a very obvious place.) Anyway, we were exhausted, but things were looking hopeful. We also heard from neighbors who spoke to a tree-removal crew that the power was expected to be restored later that day. We went out to breakfast, which was a nice break from the chaos. J’s Diner in Hagerstown has become a family favorite. Getting a warm meal and sitting in a warm restaurant was just the thing we needed.
We went to my parent’s house for a few hours to charge devices and extra battery packs, take hot showers, and I could finish some baking and food prep. We still weren’t sure if we were going to spend Christmas at our house or my parent’s house, but we decided we would sleep at home and take each day as it came.
Marshall was enjoying the warmth and wifi, so he stayed with my parents for Christmas Eve. Jeff, Calvin, and I headed home to go to the Christmas Eve service. I received a text on the way home that the power would be restored by 10:00 pm. At 4:30, the lights flickered and the house came back to life. The heat started pinging and ticking through the vents, the tree was aglow, and our first Christmas back on the east coast could be in our house.
The Christmas Eve service has always, for me, been a beautiful time of reflection and peace and I felt that even deeper. I was brimming with gratitude. I was also acutely aware, as reports were coming in of thousands of families without power during a blizzard, that we were always fortunate. We had lots of options, invitations, and offers of help. Neighbors invited us over to enjoy their woodburning fireplaces or their generators. One even offered access to over 400 gallons of gas they have on hand for their business if we needed to refuel our generator. People from the church offered hot food and hot showers. Our parents, of course, said we could stay with them and have Christmas at their house. Losing power for 24 hours showed us how much we have to be thankful for.
And, I thought I wanted a dining table for Christmas, but what I really wanted was electricity!
I slept like a rock and woke up to a house that had warmed back up to its normal comfortable temperature. The morning service didn’t start until 10:30, so I was able to finish off some final preparation for Christmas morning. Jeff and I put the presents under the tree, filled the stockings, set up the table, and finished gluing some of the chairs. I did some light cleaning and last-minute food prep.
Despite the unexpected lead-up to Christmas Day, it still came and was still a special day.
For the past five years, I’ve used Trader Joe’s premade pie crust for my pies, but we don’t live near one now, so I wanted to make my own crust. I’ve tried other frozen/refrigerated crusts and didn’t like them as much. I tried Martha Stewart’s Pate Brisee recipe and it turned out great. I followed some tips from Instagram readers like grating frozen butter but otherwise followed the recipe faithfully. I used a very deep dish pie and there wasn’t quite enough dough, so I’ll make a double recipe next time. I didn’t crimp the crust well enough, so the top popped off, but it was still so yummy.
Marshall (not dad) left this note, which confirmed the pie was, indeed, delicious. You can find my apple pie recipe HERE.
We had a great platter of snacks (including my favorite Nuts & Bolts and Rosa’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies) and our usual Christmas brunch menu of steak, cheese grits, hashbrowns, asparagus, Rosa’s fruit salad, and rolls.
I got some wonderful presents including a ring made from the same pattern of silver that I use. I inherited pieces from two great-grandmothers, my Oma, and my mom, so it’s been used by four generations. The spoon ring I’ve worn since I was a teenager finally broke and this was a wonderful replacement.
I also got a copy of from my dear friend, Jeanne Oliver. I had actually asked for it for Christmas, so I received it twice!
Jeanne said she would read this book when she ate lunch every day. No electronics, no phone, just her, her lunch, and the book. I am looking forward to doing the same.
I also received a box from Julia of and decided not to open it but leave it for Christmas day. Her boxes are always such a treat and I knew that would make the morning even more special. It’s hard to be truly surprised by gifts in this day and age. With electronic baking, budget software, and online ordering history, it’s hard to do any kind of elfing in secret. Orders in this box were going back to May, so I knew I would be surprised even if I had bought them! Julia always includes a few extras as well. I tried to explain the plan to Jeff, but he still wrote “From Julia” on all of the tags. So, Julia gave me a banner Christmas with an antique portion divider, drawing leads, a bone envelope opener, a wax seal scraper, a pencil/charcoal sanding block, a watercolor palette, and more. I had to explain what most things were as I opened and cooed over them.
After a start that wasn’t relaxing or filled with pockets of time to sneak away to paint, draw, read, and take art classes, I finally got that time after Christmas. The day after Christmas, I actually uncharacteristically stayed in bed much of the day. I would make breakfast for the boys and then get back in bed. I’d put in a load of laundry and then get back in bed. I was just so tired and I loved being warm and comfortable. It was my break, so I could do it.
I did end up doing some painting, though…
I finally finished a Bouguereau study I had been too intimidated to finish.
I took a class on Contemporary Portraits, which was so fun. I always use these classes as a jumping-off point and then end up doing my own thing.
And that got me drawing some of the antique portrait pictures a sweet reader sent me.
And I took another class on Making Art Sing, which covers a lot of gestural drawing and quick sketches, and, from there, I started doing some Van Gogh studies and reading excerpts of his letters in .
I did some oil studies and sketched studies in pen & ink…
I also had some fun playing in my studio – gessoing panels to have them ready for paint and covering some sketchbooks that were just black, boring, and not to my taste. I covered in them in blue and white papers and fabrics and added new woven ribbon markers and ties. They turned out so well that I will share a tutorial for how I did it. It’s a nice way to take a cheap sketchbook and make it personal.
And, since my sketchbooks were so pretty, I felt more inspired to work in them. I’ve been making sketches in the evening while we’re watching TV – mostly of the animals and things in the room.
I can see how far I’ve come with sketching from life. Sebastian and the kitties are starting to look like themselves and I’m capturing the essence of them much better.
Since it was so cold here (it has since warmed up), the sludgy water that’s been hanging out at the bottom of our pool was frozen solid. I’ve been trying to convince Jeff and the boys to go out and shuffle around the ice, just to make a fun memory, but they have not obliged my request. When my nephew was visiting (he was in the area for a hockey tournament), he got out his skates and made my night. The boys knocked around a roll of tape with hockey sticks and great memories were made, just as I hoped.
The ornaments have come down, but the tree is still up. We do enjoy the lights and find them hard to take down each year.
And I even took time for a bit of self-care on New Year’s Day…
I am ready to get back to work, but I also wouldn’t mind another day or two without a schedule or things to do. But, I’m sure most of you are feeling that, too, as you’re getting back into your daily routines.
I hope you were able to find an abundance of gifts to be thankful for in the midst of a busy season and whatever may have been unexpected, unplanned, or unwanted.
44 Responses
What a Christmas to remember! I too cozied up and was watching an older video on a needle keeper someone had sent you which rabbit-holed me onto your Embroidery Workbook tutorial video. Let’s just say, I got a bee in my bonnet and began creating one for myself out of things I already had. I thought you might like to see my beginnings. I blogged about it at apprenticeartstudio.com it is entitled Practicing the Art of Hygge and Embroidery.
Thanks so much for the inspiration and tutorials! I love them and look forward to more of your videos in the new year! Have a very blessed winter cozying in! Heather
I’m so glad you were able to get a generator. That would be a gift in itself. Warmth and all of the necessities of our day are used by so much electricity. I’ve often wondered how people way back when survived the winters without electricity. But I don’t think they had pipes to worry about freezing over. Their worries were different than our worries. Well I’m glad to hear that you still had a Merry Christmas. Have a Happy New Year.
I love, love love your posts!
Thank you for such detailed sharing.
Oh yes. I agree Ann. Your posts Marian are like reading a lovely newsy letter from a dear friend.
Happy New Year, and bless y’all as you tackle projects in 2023.
Your attitude of gratitude is always so encouraging! Our creature comforts are something I thank God for whenever I remember to? I’m glad your story ended warm and well!
. A week before Christmas I tripped on a big bump in the sidewalk and pitched forward with great momentum. My kids tease me about how I walk so fast. I landed hard and broke my left shoulder, hand, glasses, fat lip, etc. I’m left handed- but kind of ambidextrous so my writing is legible .
I am so thankful I didn’t lose teeth or anymore breaks. I can still trot! I usually am more careful to watch where I’m going.
So, I’m reminding readers to pay attention and slow down. Just before I face planted, I’d heard a small voice say “ Debbie, you need to slow down.” Now I’m forced to because I can’t do much and I’m used to exercise classes and being active.
Reading your blog is a good distraction from my woes! Thanks!
Oh, my…how eventful! Of course, you handled each disaster with grace and dignity. Here’s hoping the new year will bring good things to all…we can only wait and see. Our Marian will show us the way.
Love everything you do but can’t stomach the cat on the table. ??
Well, we had just turned the table right side up (it was turned over for gluing the legs) and I put the table cloth on. Cats just have to sit on new things. 🙂 Fortunately, we don’t eat directly off the table. If they were sitting on our plates, then I would be bothered.
They do make meds for obsessive -compulsive disorder, you know. A house w/outs pets, is just that ! Just a house and not a home! Sorry about that, just had to say it ! I ♥️ her home just the way it is ! Beautiful……
Oh no, Debbie! That sounds painful and definitely disruptive. Having gone through shoulder surgery just a couple of years ago, I know now having a properly working shoulder makes everything harder. I hope you heal quickly and completely and can have sweet time while you’re healing. As a side note, to work my hand when I was in a sling, I learned to crochet. It was good therapy (although I mostly used my left hand and still have funny crocheting mechanics because of it) and I learned a new craft that led me into knitting. I hope you can find things like that to keep you entertained and to be therapeutic for your body and mind.
Happy New Year, Marian!
It seems that every other year, my Christmas seems to be a ‘miss’ in that I am given gifts that I am not quite sure where my husband and my adult daughters got in to their heads the idea that it was something I would just LOVE. I do appreciate that I am thought of, however, and it makes the ‘other’ years that much sweeter and it does help me to be even more appreciative and grateful for the years when they give me gifts that are things I would pick out myself! Sometimes we need things to not be perfect to help us remember God has abundantly blessed us and we must be thankful for everything in our lives.
Blessings to you and your Family in 2023,
Yes, I agree. This was a great reminder to be thankful for the simple things.
Well it certainly wasn’t a dull, quiet Christmas. Although I think there’s something to be said for those as well. At least everything is mostly back to normal and you didn’t end up with broken pipes. So much to be thankful for indeed. If that picture of your son playing chess is at your mom’s, I love her gallery wall with the old pictures. That’s given me some inspiration. Hope you have a wonderful new year whatever it may hold.
Yes, that is my mom’s house. I have always loved her gallery walls with old photos and usually have one in my house, too. I am planning on hanging it in the hall in this house.
Sounds like an exciting (although slightly stressful) holiday – I’m surprised Lowe’s had any generators! God is good 🙂 Take your broken spoon ring to Scott & Co. Jewelers in New Oxford – they fixed an heirloom silver spoon ring of mine and did a fantastic job for a great price. Happy new year – can’t wait for the return of your podcast!
Oh, thanks for the referral! Yes, I kept it because I know it can be repaired. It just wore through because I’ve worn it for decades and rarely take it off. I have a couple of spoons that have been garbled in the disposal that also need repair, so I’ll plan a trip out there (and hit a few antique shops while I’m there!)
I’m glad your Christmas turned out all right. Mine, not so much. I am from Buffalo & we had a 2 1/2 day blizzard. Both of my kids & family could not visit on Christmas because of a travel ban. I missed them very much. Just a thought from one of your last blogs, you were deciding on whether or not to have a wood burning fireplace or gas logs. We have gas logs & love them! They are much cleaner than a burning wood fireplace & they have helped us out in a pinch when the power went out. Thanks for your book suggestion. The pictures/paintings are beautiful! Now to take the tree down.
Oh, I know you got it so rough! Those poor people who were trapped in their cars and weren’t able to get to help. Just such a devastating storm. Glad to hear you came through it okay even if you weren’t able to be with family.
With all the strange shenanigans and weather causing power outages across the country
All of us “preppers” that have alternative heat source, alternative electric , a stored water supply and don’t can go weeks without a grocery store if need be are getting a little more respect. ?
I totally agree. I was texting with a friend who is very good at all of that and she was so encouraging. This showed me we were just completely unprepared, so I am planning to be much more prepared in the future! We have the generator, and someone is giving us a window AC if the power goes out when it’s really hot, we had our fireplace inspected and it’s ready to use, and we’ll start stocking up on water, firewood, and other things that would be handy to have just in case. I’m also looking forward to having our propane range installed so I’ll still be able to cook.
I think your body is still recovering and having a pajama day was a good idea.
Let’s see, you broke your foot, got a house ready to sell and sold it. Moved and stored things, and got rid of things. Was a gypsy for a couple of months. Your husband had to find a new job, you had to find a new house and then moved again. You did all of this with a badly broken foot. I think you can give yourself a very large break!
Happy New Year.
Yes, that is so true! I was also sick twice (once with Covid and once with the flu) and was pretty ill both times. It hasn’t been a bad year, but one that’s just been a bit more challenging than others! I have tried to give myself grace while also trying to get back into a routine that feels good.
I LOVE your blog posts! Always so enjoyable and the links you add are very much appreciated.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
Thank you, Shannon!
Thanks for sharing. Even during challenging times we work through it and look for the good and stay in the gratitude. I too was so grateful for the Christmas morning church service, so filled with inspiration and love. We’ve always had a woodstove with a cook top for more than 42 years and really could not get along without it. Storms, snow, and power outages for more than a week at a time makes it essential. We also got a whole-house generator 3 years ago.
Now you are prepared in case you have another extended power outage.
We all are going through challenges in our life and you always have an uplifting message to share with everyone. Happy New Year!
I look forward to all your new projects this year. It is always inspiring and helps with our own projects.
Yes, I was thinking that a whole-house generator would be a good idea if we lose power often. We do have above ground lines and mature trees, so I imagine it is an issue. For now, we’ll have enough with the portable generator to get by!
Marian, we have under ground lines in my neighborhood and still lose power. If a tree down the road hits the main transformer, it will cause our power to go out. We have thought several times about a whole house generator too but for now we have a portable generator and gas fire logs if the heat goes out.
We were blessed with a wonderful wet Christmas. What more could a drought stricken Californian ask for. But then came an atmospheric river for New Years. Been out of power since New Years eve with no hint of light in the near future. Oh well, at least it’s not super cold. LOVE your blog. Leave your tree lights burning I usually do once the tree is naked (when we have power lol).
Oh no! I hope your electricity returns. Having just gone through that, I know it makes the days difficult.
I’m in Kansas and my son is a foreman on a tree crew… they got called to the east coast just as that storm was rolling through to do line clearance so the electrical linemen could restore power. Very interesting to hear a first person perspective! We missed him terribly on Christmas but he was where he needed to be. Thanks for sharing!
We got to speak to the tree crew as they were leaving and we thanked them profusely for working on Christmas Even in such cold weather. We knew it was a sacrifice for them and I felt so thankful. I wish I had thought to bring them some coffee and Christmas cookies, but I had that thought just as they were leaving!
Hi Marian , I was tickled to see the putz church on one of your photos. I had sent it to you when you moved to Minnesota as a reminder of your German background.
I continue to make these little Putz houses with new designs each year. Blessings to you and your family this Christmas season
Well, thank you so much for that lovely gift. I used it on our tree each year. 🙂
I had an exciting…not…Christmas Eve. Got in the shower and lukewarm water ending in freezing cold. Eventually found the problem…insulation pulled away from parts of the warm water pipes probably by some animal working its way through a small hole. Nothing burst, thank goodness. Hot water back! Then on the same day, power outage…luckily lasting only 10 minutes. Whew!
Oh yeah, losing hot water is tough! I’m glad it was a simple issue that resolved itself quickly.
Me, too! God was good to me!
Hi Marian,
Happy New Year!!!! Glad everything worked out for you. We live in Rockville and we went to family on Christmas Eve. It was 20 degrees and going down. The hostess was worried that the power would go out again, but everything turned out alright.
All’s well that ends well!!
Marian, I felt the same way as you,
I was just so tired and stayed in bed late just to relax, after all the festivities.
I love your new furniture!
Thank you for your informative blogs!!
You’re an awesome CAT mom!!!
So many people and places were walloped by the Christmas Day storm, so glad you were able to get that generator and get through it relatively unscathed! Also so glad that you were able to see the true blessings of it all and praise God for all of His provisions and encouragements.
You certainly had a first memorable Christmas in your new home! We live in central VA and experienced the same high winds. Our power went out for about a minute and thankfully came right back on. Others in our area weren’t as lucky.
However, the electronic control board in our KitchenAid gas oven went out a week before Christmas. Since our oven was 16 years old finding a new control board was almost impossible. My husband managed to find only one and for the price, it made more sense to purchase a new gas oven which was delivered several days before Christmas. Nothing like having to buy a new oven right before Christmas!
After seeing all the news coverage in the Buffalo, NY area during the blizzard, I knew we had so much to be thankful for. We sometimes take for granted the linesman and power company workers who have to work through these storms especially in the freezing cold and missing holidays with their families. I hope you and your family have a blessed and joyful New Year!
Happy New Year 2023…. Although you and your family had an unexpected winter episode, it did turn out to be a memorable event! Now you have a generator for inclement weather and I’m sure you now have a plan to be more prepared for the months ahead. I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog posts. Your pictures are beautiful and your painting are really store ready! Enjoy your days of leisure and decorating your home. Don’t forget to show us the results of your $40 table and chairs find!!
Happy New Year! Marian, I love your blog. I bought your book “Feels Like Home” last Christmas and am looking forward to doing some decorating projects this year. I just moved to Berkeley Springs, WV from Northern Virginia last year, so this year was more relaxed than last year. It is difficult having the power go out your first Christmas in a new home. I am glad you got it back in time for your family celebrations. May 2023 be a blessed year for you and your family.
Your ring is loverly, Marian! I remember your sharing before how you inherited yours from both sides of family. I too have a ring in the pattern I inherited from my mom – silverplate that she bought a piece at a time in a weekly plan that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She told how she, her sister and her housemate all got their sets at the same time using the same process. So when I saw the ring at a Vintage Market Days, I had to have it!
Well this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’m sorry for you that you had to endure so much but it seems you’ve come out stronger. Thank you for sharing your time with me.