Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.
I’ve decided to give the 6th Annual Secret Santa (Mug) Swap a go. Come back tomorrow to get the details and sign up, if you’d like to participate in some holiday fun this year! Spoiler alert: I am opening it up to participants in Germany and Canada if at least two people per country sign up! So, spread the word!
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This was great news this week: CDC recommends Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11. I know many parents have eagerly waited for this.
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Confession: I did not watch ‘Hocus Pocus’ this year for Halloween and I feel strangely bummed about it. I’ve seen it a gazillion times and I just said in my earlier post that I am not that big of a fan of Halloween to begin with, so what’s the big deal? I think I just enjoy – and look forward to – the ritual of doing certain things for specific times of the year. Oh well, maybe I’ll make up for it by watching a ton of Christmas movies (early! Ha!) and I am definitely looking forward to the Hocus Pocus sequel that is supposed to be released next year. Are you excited?
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I made German Goulash this week, which is very different from American Goulash (which I think is most commonly made with ground beef), and it was so, so good. German Goulash is more like a beef stew that uses stew meat (or chuck roast) that is slow-simmered in broth with onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, and paprika for a couple of hours, so that the meat is buttery-soft at the end and the broth is made into a rich gravy. It’s usually served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut or noodles (Spätzle or egg noodles). Have you had it?
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Don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday in the US. I am always on “alert” for that because Germany usually changes clocks one or two weeks earlier than we do (which temporarily “throws off” the phone FaceTime schedule I have with my family). We’ll gain an hour by setting our clocks back in the early morning hours of Sunday night. Hope that will help a little bit with getting up in the mornings, but I get up so early during the week, I doubt it’ll make a difference. Dark is dark at 6 am.
TGIF.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 5, 2021 at 3:09 pmOhhh the mug swap in Germany. We only have one sort of mugs but I admit I am tempted.
I haven’t had goulash in a long while. Not my favorite dish but it’s the perfect fall food.
Kids being able to get vaccinated is good. I think in Germany it’s still taking a bit.
San
November 6, 2021 at 3:57 pmI am so happy I can have you participate this year. :)
Jenny
November 5, 2021 at 7:27 pmOh yes! I love the day we turn the clocks back- although I don’t love turning them ahead in the spring.
I’ll check back tomorrow for mug sway details! How exciting!
San
November 6, 2021 at 3:58 pmHaha, I love the turning back of the clock much better than the turning forward, too :)
Kim Hatting
November 6, 2021 at 4:34 amHa ha! I was just thinking about the time change yesterday morning… I was returning to my house, after my o’dark thirty run. It was around 6:30, and there was no hint of daylight for a long time later. So, yeah, there will not be a change in that aspect LOL
San
November 6, 2021 at 3:58 pmYou’re an early riser, too, I see :)
ElisabetH
November 6, 2021 at 6:32 amUm, no I haven’t tried German Goulash; please share a recipe ASAP! It was -2 (Celcius) this morning; it made for a crisp – but invigorating – run. I love fall. I love running in the fall. I just wish winter (and snow) didn’t have to follow.
I haven’t watched Hocus Pocus in at least 15 years. I really should hop back on this bandwagon! I do have a soft spot for Christmas movies and made the kids promise not to watch Home Alone during the year (they have been known to watch this in say, July, and then when Christmas rolls around it’s just not quite as special).
Love the idea of the Secret Santa Swap – I’m in Canada and am game to join in if you happen to get someone else from this “neck of the woods!”
San
November 6, 2021 at 4:00 pmOh sure, I’ll share the recipe for the German Goulash. It’s a great fall/winter dish! :)
I love running in the fall, too… it was gloomy here in Northern California today, but just the perfect weather to get outside for a run!
I’d love to have you for the Swap… you can sign up and I’ll let you know in case there are no other sign-ups from Canada.
Heather
November 6, 2021 at 10:40 amI have never watched Hocus Pocus and only just heard about it a few years ago when everyone started to wax nostalgic over it. And now there will be a sequel??
San
November 6, 2021 at 4:00 pmOh, you should watch it. It’s a classic by now :)
Tanja Jordan
November 7, 2021 at 10:13 pmSo happy you are back in “my” timezone. It got a bit confusing this past week with our workout schedule …. lol. I’m such a creature of habits …..
San
November 8, 2021 at 8:38 amHaha, I know, so much to think about…
Stephany
November 8, 2021 at 7:35 amI have such a love/hate relationship with DST! I like springing forward more than falling back, only because I want more daylight! It sucks when it’s dark at 5pm. However, it’s been nice to wake up early these days because my internal clock is still an hour ahead. :)
San
November 8, 2021 at 8:40 amI know – I don’t know what’s better. California voted to get rid off DST, but it hasn’t been implemented.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
November 8, 2021 at 12:21 pmI wish that DST never ended. It’s especially crappy once you have young kids. They do not sleep an extra hour so it’s an extra hour of parenting. Paul was up around 5:15 yesterday. It felt like 6:15 but he still went to bed at his usual time so it ends up being an extra long day! I wish we would get rid of it like some states/provinces have!
I think I have seen Hocus Pocus once and felt kind of meh about it? I think I am in the minority in feeling this way so I just keep my mouth shut when people talk about their love for that movie!
Your goulash definitely sounds like America’s beef stew. We didn’t use the word goulash growing up – instead we used the word ‘hot dish’ and those do tend to be ground beef-based. I rarely make anything resembling a hot dish, though. But I ate a lot of them growing up!
San
November 8, 2021 at 3:47 pmI can see how DST with kids just plain sucks. Californians have voted to get rid of DST but I think it takes an act of Congress to actually put this into action.
I think you’re the first person I know who doesn’t like Hocus Pocus. LOL But you know, you do you! There’s a lot of stuff that people hype about that I am just lukewarm about! ;)
StefanIe
November 10, 2021 at 9:52 amI’m sure The Holiday is on your list of Christmas movies to watch!! ☺️
Eva is getting her shot today!!! So excited!
San
November 10, 2021 at 11:48 amThe Holiday is DEFINITELY on my list ;)
I am so glad Eva is getting her shot. That’s awesome!