My childhood Christmases were spent at my grandparents. They’re both long gone, but I clearly remember traveling through some very scary weather to get their house. Although I loved being surrounded by family, I decided I didn’t want to put my kids or myself through the stress and strain of long distance drives and holiday traffic. As a result, our Christmases have been much more laid back. With only us in the USA, we didn’t have all the gift shopping or the flurry of social activities, and I loved it. I loved it right up until the quiet moments that bring back memories of helping my grandmother find gifts she’d squirreled away while she prepared to make us snow taffy, or chatting with my grandfather about his latest crossword puzzle. Then I hear my Aunt and Uncles throwing teasing barbs at one another – as only siblings can do – followed by hearty laughing. I wish my children had known those Christmases as well. Perhaps, as they begin to have families of their own, I can show them by being as good a grandparent as mine were… not that I’m in a rush!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays! I hope your Day is exactly what you want it to be… whether chaotic or quiet. Either way, may it be filled with love, peace and gratitude.

The following video is Frosty the Snowman from my son’s recent concert performance.

Can’t see the video? Click here.

I found the above picture while looking for my favorite Jack O’ Lanterns on Flickr. This is one of the most adorable pictures I’ve seen. It was taken by KoKo Crispy.

While little Jocelyn is just beginning, my children are past the Trick or Treating age. Although I am somewhat happy to not have the mad rush of Halloween parties and costume creation, I’m also a wee bit sad for the same reasons. Thank goodness I still get to deliver candy to the neighborhood little ones, they’re always so much fun to see.

If you’re interested, I posted my 10 Best Jack-O-Lantern photograph choices over at Real-Estate-Tourist.com.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

For the record, I usually double this recipe and make it in a 9×13 rectangular glass dish. You can substitute margarine for the butter but, in my opinion, it just doesn’t taste as good. My personal food philosophy is that anything with chemicals or unnatural ingredients in it, is far worse for my health than the real thing. I only eat this treat once a year, when apples are in season. When I lived in Canada, I used Northern Spy apples (use less of these because they’re rather large!) but I currently use the McIntosh variety sold at my local apple orchard.

Apple Crisp Recipe

4 cups sliced tart apples (about 4 medium)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup butter, softened (plus extra for greasing and topping)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375, grease the pan (yeah extra butter!), arrange the apples in the pan. Mix the rest of the ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the apples.

Now here’s the secret ingredient. Place pats of butter on the topping. There’s no special configuration, evenly distribute them – maybe 3 or 4 for an 8×8 pan and 5 or 6 for 9×13. It stops the topping from drying out and makes it crunchy.

Bake until the topping is golden brown and apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream!

The original recipe is 295 calories per serving (6 servings in the 8×8 pan, 12 for the 9×13), add the additional butter you used in to get the new calorie count.

In my grandparent’s life, they expected to save and purchase a home they would stay in for years. They’d raise their families, and once the children moved to homes of their own they’d continue to return for holidays and festivities and the parents would stay at the same address as long as they were able. (yes, I am that bundle of joy in the center of that picture, taken on my grandparents porch in Kingston Ontario, August 1965. My grandparents – all 5 in this picture – are gone but my aunt, sitting bottom right, still lives there today.)

My parents initially thought the same but divorce and job transfers necessitated moving a couple of times in their lives. There is no one place for us all to gather as a family for special occasions as we’re spread across countries and multiple provinces.

In my adult life I’ve moved every seven years and expected to “buy up” with each move. As the houses got larger, so did the expenses but the job pool became smaller. We had to search farther and wider for positions that would support the lifestyle we’d become accustomed to.

The current economy has resulted in people being forced to re-evaluate what’s important, I saw it when talking real estate options with owners. I see it in my own life. I love my house but it’s become a burden of never ending bills, maintenance and work. Once my kids graduate and move onto their own lives, it will be too large for me and I’ll say goodbye to it.

Although change is rarely comforting, this re-evaluation phase has been welcomed into my life. I’m becoming hyper-focused on what makes a home special to me and I’ve realized, it has nothing to do with how big it is or how much it’s worth – or not worth these days! Instead, my definition of home has more to do with how I feel about it, what I see when I look out my window, the comfort I find inside, and most importantly, the memories, relationships & experiences that exist within the walls. Home has nothing to do with “belongings” and everything to do with emotion.

Homes should adapt with us, as they have beginning in the womb and ending upon the earth. In between, homes should support who we are rather than compete with other areas of our lives. So many of us worked to support our bigger house habit that other areas of our lives were lacking. How many people did you know who bought a monster home but couldn’t afford to furnish all the rooms? I knew many.

Maybe i’m a rolling stone
Who won’t amount to much
But everything that i hold dear
Is close enough to touch

My next home will likely be small and mobile.

Has this housing market changed what you thought you wanted in a home? What does “home” mean to you?

Video not visible? Watch here.

What were they up to? They’d pulled the old First Alert Fire Safety Ladder out of the upstairs closet and were testing it by traveling in and out of the second story window. It’s good to know it’s still holding up after 12 years of upstairs closet storage.

After professing their surprise that I didn’t immediately demand they put it away, my son exclaims, “this is something dad would let us do!”

On a more serious note: I always felt safer knowing there was a ladder in the second floor closet should it ever be needed during a fire. Up until today my kids ignored it. It sits over the top of the clothes bar in the closet and the stairs fold neatly into each other so they don’t take up much space. Having it has provided peace of mind but we’d never actually tested it until today. It works well!

Made the Jump from Blackberry to iPhone4, originally uploaded by cletch.

Finally made the decision. I’ve been struggling for months because I love everything about my blackberry except web browsing. Dare I hope the set up and adoption is easy?
Pat Williams 248-842-5527
CyberCletch LLC
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

With girls you seem to get pretty pictures and breakfast in bed. You never quite know what you’re going to get with boys. Earlier today I wrote about wonderful past presents from my sons but thought I should share this year’s surprises.

My eldest appeared with some yummy dark chocolate and a heartfelt card. My youngest appeared with a snake.

Both made me smile.

ahhhh Mother’s Day.

Lone Bald Overlook, originally uploaded by cletch.

Blue Ridge Parkway driving today with beautiful views like this. Still appreciating where I am in the rain and wind.
Pat Williams 248-842-5527
CyberCletch LLC
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Looking Glass Falls, originally uploaded by cletch.

Pisgah National Forest NC
Pat Williams 248-842-5527
CyberCletch LLC
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

1. There’s always another battle to be fought.
2. You need to regenerate your mana.
3. No matter how many times you heal certain people, they’re going to blame their squishiness on you.
4. If you don’t cooperate, you’ll never get the epic gear.
5. Sometimes it’s good to slow down and just celebrate.
6. Persevere through your mistakes and you will be rewarded.
7. Exploration and achievements are critical to maintain long term engagement.
8. Be strong about your priorities because other people will insist theirs are best for you.
9. If people drop out of your world and then come back, you perpetuate positive feelings by letting them pick up where they left off.
10. The strongest friendships are forged in two realms: crisis and imagination.