Much Needed Rest Days

These last 2 days have had plenty of rest. 

I woke up yesterday feeling like I was getting a cold.

Sure seemed like it.

I fought it with all I knew.

Lots of rest, watched Christmas Cheesy movies, had

Canned Campbell's Chicken Soup 

and ordered groceries for today, which included a whole chicken

that I thought of making into soup.

This morning I woke up feeling so much better.

No need for Kleenex, feeling more clear and rested.

I still rested a lot today but also made the chicken soup,

which was so delicious. and the whole house smelled so good.

I put half of the chicken soup away for freezing

and the other half I made into a chicken vegetable soup.

We had it tonight with biscuits.

I added at the end about 1/4 cup of sour cream.

I just like the depth the sour cream gives; this soup was really good; 

we added salt and pepper to taste in our individual bowls.

I had 3 bowls of it with my biscuit; 2 full bowls one about a third full.

So nourishing.

I wish I could share it with you!
***
Note about the soup, so I remember how I made it.
Boiled it whole 90 minutes. Used my candy/meat thermometer and
put in both water and chicken and both registered to above 165F which is
the safe cooked temperature for chicken.
I cooked the carrots and celery, this time around, in the non-vegan
margarine that I need to use up (thinking it was vegan originally, called
I can't believe it's not butter) for about 4 minutes until not too hard.
Then I added the soup right away and simmered.
At the end I added the sour cream.
I read this recipe as well as looking at my 1953 Joy of Cooking
for guidance.
I took the boiled chicken out of the water by itself in another pot
and used grilling tongs to slowly de-bone the chicken,
putting all the the chicken meat back in the soup pot with the
very golden broth.
I did not keep the skin but did boil the chicken with the skin.
Simple and it worked wonderfully.
It does take time but was a welcome break to make this
as part of my rest today....

***

My Husband and I both had another one of the 12 Caramels 

that I got us for Christmas... we are trying to guess them... we had

caramel number 10: Husband and I both guessed correctly and remain tied

***

We also finished our read-aloud of Tolkien's Father Christmas Letters;

we have the latest boxed edition and it ends in 1943 when WWII is still going on

and it is so tender and full of hope amidst the devastation of war.

***

Because I was not feeling well 

(I think my body finally just said 

'stop already, listen to me, I need REST)

yesterday I did not take down any Christmas decorations 

that I was planning to do.

To be honest I don't think I was ready.

Christmas is 40 days, I just need all 40 (ends this weekend).

***

I hope that I can have a good sleep tonight and

that tomorrow's day will go as planned.

God bless each of you and may He have mercy and help us

in our times of need and distress!