Yup, It's Here

Older and wiser. Contented and eager. Melancholy but well.

Can you say split personality?

I've been raising a lot of glasses but once more I raise a glass to all the world and say a little pray (no, really I will) for inner peace for you all.

Onward and upward!

Holiday Wishes From Me to You

I truly wish for everyone comfort and joy or at the very least, contentment in the coming days.

I wish for you a full bottle of your favorite spirit and not many trials and tribulation, a beautiful Christmas Day and all the energy you need to make it happen for everyone counting on you!

Have a safe holiday. I'll be back soon for I know it's hard to find none of my witty posts for a more than a day.

First Free Friday

I went to Andrea's party and closed it down. I sure kicked back and relaxed except I'm pretty sure I dominated the conversations most of the time. I vied for Gabby Abby's position. Guess I'll ask Andrea how many people left due to my conversational takeover. Hehe.

This ornament was what I constructed with an antique Christmas postcard and my sticks of mock orange bush. We have an ornament exchange and stealing is a fundamental part of the game. And John, I couldn't invite you because it's an all girl's thing. So sorry. We'll schedule something with men as well next time for you, k?

Ah, taking care of my car and Slim's Jeep today. Fingers crossed it will be minor. Got to get the oil changed too. It would be nice to have a car service guy that would do all that crap for me. I pride myself on not backing off handling what I need to in any area of my life but man, taking care of my car isn't one of my favs.

The following is a partial of an email from one of the gals at the party last night - a former teacher of E and J's I love. I thought it was good to hear.
-Did you hear about my phone call yesterday from a clerk at Macy's. Well this morning I went in and she gave me back my package with the simply wool socks I had purchased for my kids and gals stockings($16-18 a pair!). She had remembered my name because it is unusual, and written it down on my package. When I did not return for it, she started calling the (her last name) in the phone book, getting Craig's Mother. So I took her a Christmas card with thanks and put a $20 inside. I gave it to her, thanked her, took my package and left. When I was returning after doing more shopping I met her and her husband. She thanked me so much, I mentioned maybe she could go out to dinner, and she said she was taking her son who is returning home from Iraq for Christmas out to dinner. I said it would not take them all our, but maybe help, she said it would buy her son's dinner. So sometime over Christmas I am buying dinner for a GI that I do not know home from Iraq for the holidays. Now Christmas is really here. (I tear up every time I think about this, I don't know why I am reacting so) Also her husband left his watch in a fitting room yesterday, and it was not returned. So our saga left us both feeling a bit better about the human race. I can't imaging working the holidays and surviving with much faith in the human race at all. I also wrote a letter to the company and told the personnel department about the incident and how much I appreciated her. You know, so many clerks would have taken the socks home and given them out as presents or worn them. There are honest people left, in fact a large number of them, but we so often just hear about the others.-

Hope everyone is trying to relax and have a good time with the many projects and responsibilities they have. I am paring down my list instead of forcing myself to get everything done. I can't see getting in a tizzy. I'm not nice when I'm in a tizzy.

And by the way, yesterday's lock down was lifted by 2nd hour although the police remained in the school and checked everyone out well before they left school as well. The administration is viewing the surveillance tapes and narrowed it down to a certain time span. The folks that did the deed are going to be caught and it will be proven.

Scariness and Wreckage

E's high school and the adjoining middle school where J goes is in lock down today because of death threats made against four boys in high school. Some believe they will be more safe today than any other day of the school year. I still feel very uneasy. We talked about the kids staying home but there are still finals to take and even though the school will most likely have to redo them E didn't want to miss. She was surprisingly okay going.

I had my first fender bender last night. AArrggh. Slim was parked behind me but to the side where he always parks. My brain went into neutral as I backed out of my garage. I totally dented in my bumper (maybe some heat and a rubber mallet will pop it out- fingers crossed.) and broke out his Jeep blinker and parking light covers, not the bulbs though. SSsoooo, I need to call the body places here in town and find out $ amounts to fix his and mine perhaps avoiding the insurance company. Poor guy almost threw up when I told him since last week when we had ice he scraped someone in the mcd's lot and got charged $900. That guy saw an opportunity.

So there is a bit of a pall over today's excitement of getting out early and starting the break. Nothing a good party won't fix. Party at Andrea's!!!!

I think they would have a small window of opportunity....

Sunday. A lovely day spent with my daughter shopping. I didn't really get anything else accomplished. But it was a nice weekend anyway. Much nicer than I imagined it might be.

Our snowstorm was pretty much a washout for our surrounding counties and us. It dusted everything well and slick stuff up nicely on Saturday night but the sun rose on Sunday morning and it turned into a beautiful cold day just right for getting the last of our shopping done (for the most part).

Our tree went up in Saturday and the house smells delightful. I enlisted the help of my son to help decorate it while his sister went to the local grocery store to play with an ensemble of Shriners and other high school band members while the Salvation Army bell was rung. He griped at first but I threatened him with mental harm so he settled in and had a silly time with me.

I rented "Full Metal Jacket", "We are Marshall", and "Gangs of New York".

My daughter caught most of "Full Metal Jacket" and loved it. "We are Marshall" was sappy and boring since it was predictable. Matthew McConaughey was good actually.
I had seen "Gangs" back in 2003. I thought it would be interesting for E to watch but thank god she was gone when I watched it because it had some naughty bits I'd forgotten. Other wise it was fantastic again. I watched the interview with Scorsese on how the movie came about and was glad I did.

Three and a half days before our break. I think I can make it.

Quote of the Moment-
Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
~Howard Thurman

found at Pocket Farm http://www.pocketfarm.com/ This blog offers a cool recipe and directions for homemade yogurt plus some other useful items.

This whacked me in the head as things have a way of doing on occasion.
I have been working slowly and methodically on what I can do with this farm situation staring me in the face. I keep coming at it from the "What does the world want? " and I'm not coming up with any hard answers. Andrea is in the same boat.
Now I don't live my life by quotes but this was a simple reinforcement of a direction not considered thoroughly.

A Titillating List of Sorts

Can my posts GET any more boring?!

No politics, no religion, no world catastrophe, no brilliant deductions about man, space or time.

Just my dribbling of inner dialogue. It's a lonely place in my head. Hel-LOOOOO in therrrre!
Nothing.

Things to do this freakin weekend

1. set tree up

2. force snotty children to help decorate it (better thought is to drink heavily while forcing children to decorate it alone while undermining their self esteem with derogatory comments on their decorating abilities)

3. buy eggnog

4. drink eggnog

5. try eggnog with rum

51/2. make rum balls

53/4. buy more rum

6. purchase rest of Christmas gifts on list

7. wrap purchased Christmas gifts for lovely people I love

8. wrap items found in dumpster behind school as Christmas gifts (for Sister-in-law, hateful co-worker, 2nd ex- husband (note to self- don't include a "from" on tag)

9. build blue bird boxes with help from surly children (make them do the sawing- I don't have disability insurance and I plan on drinking heavily)

10. stock up on more eggnog

11. work out (yeah, right)

12. buy brass pole

13. do striptease to Eartha Kitt's version of "Santa Baby" as workout ( note to self- make sure bratty kids are asleep to avoid extra cost of psychiatrist)

14. rest 'cause the snow storm they say is coming is a figment of their imagination and our butts WILL be in school on Monday...

Cheers to all and to all a fab weekend!

Project Snowman

Ok these aren't as cool as -

the pocket zombies of
Erin's (http://outofcharacter.blogspot.com/

but I'm pretty happy with them.

Funny- the snowman on the left looks more like a chefman.
I need to add the arms but since I couldn't find the stems of silk branches I had in mind, I'll use some actual small branches. Then they'll be finished.
I still need to make the two sets of mittens for my nieces. I don't know if there is going to be enough sweater left to get them both done.


Yup Sandi, I am disgustingly sick. Coughing, sneezing and a head full of ..you know. Luckily I found some of E's codeine -laced cough syrup from the spring and it worked actually better than the Wild Turkey shots I did. I likes me some codeine.
The funny thing is I started to take my vitamins this week and low and behold, I get a cold. EVERY TIME I take vitamins in the fall, I get a cold. I'm not delusional.
Last year I didn't take them and no cold. I chalked that up to keeping up my walking regimen in cold weather and thereby upping my resistance.

Ice is hovering just north of us like 30 miles. Plenty of rain that could take down our lines if it turns icy here. I did a SNOW dance, not an ice dance, dammit.

Saturday Morning

The kids left with their dad last night for his weekend. I was afraid (and feeling guilty about it) they were going to get iced in here but as it turned out the weather cooperated with this needy mom.
I have my coffee, my breakfast, some tunes on the device and my list completed.
Sometime this weekend I must do some purchasing in the crazy city. Not today. I am all about the ...solitude. "aaahhhh" she said softly and peacefully pleased....

If I get somewhat lonely for hub-bub, I can skip over to AB's http://anonymousboxer.blogspot.com/ for the crazy party she is throwing. That's enough excitement for anyone.

I have several things to mail (Anne, I need your address again 'cause I am silly enough to clear out my inbox on email without ever writing it down) and a few projects I can complete today. See? It's ready besides the address and a nice wrapping of brown paper.

I have my Christmas tree cut and soaking in a bucket in my garage with extra greenery. I need my Christmas cards hunted down.

I am not alowing this tickle in my throat and the raw feeling there to go any further. Or the balloon- squeezing head filling. It WILL STOP NOW! If you happen to call me today don't be alarmed. The cayenne/ goldenseal snuff I concocted will be in use today. I might sound a tad upset.

More later. I'm ready to start.
Cheers!

Yup, I filled the house with the smell of frying latkas last night. They were scrumptious - even the kids agreed. Right after supper, I cranked up the insense and candles. Sigh. Wish I had a decent exhaust fan.

Needing Latkas

Kate was talking up latkas as is the rest of the Jewish community. My mouth is watering.
Gonna try some tonight.

Funny thing- I grew up eating latkas and I wasn't even Jewish.

Beautiful

ellerue.etsy.com.

Check out this jewelry if you like very interesting stuff like these pixie garden lantern earrings. This gal's stuff is gorgeous. I might have to buy myself some for Christmas....

Some Tidbits

My mom and we sibs have been mulling over whether or not to bring Daddy home for a Christmas visit. We wanted to but worried it might be too much for him as far as noise and commotion. We'll have about 20 people home plus a greyhound.

We probably won't after talking it over with the nurse and doctor at the nursing home. He is stable there and feels secure for a daily routine.
However, my dad needed his hair cut better than it was getting cut by the "stylist" on site, so my mom took him to the guy she and Daddy have always used. She asked him is he wanted to go with her to get his hair cut and he answered her "yeah, sure". She took him in the car and he laughed the whole way there. He enjoyed the ride and looked around the town. He behaved well for the haircut and then she took him for a ride around our town which he laughed during as well. He was ready to go back when she took him and he kissed her goodby and said he loved her.
Now THAT makes me happy.

My son went to a middle school lock-in this past weekend. He is quite pleased with himself. Apparently the 8th grade girl who previously asked him to dance at an earlier dance asked him again and he did. SLOW dance.
He was quite proud of the fact he stayed up a full 24 hours,too. I tried to get him to go to sleep when he came Saturday morning at 7 but he couldn't. I let him do his thing and about 2:30 in the afternoon, I went inside to find him sprawled on the couch drooling and asleep on the couch. 30 minutes later I found him sleepwalking around the living room so I led him back to the couch. I had to wake him at 4 to get ready for the parade. It took me 10 minutes just to get him in a sitting position. Then he finally stood up and walked over to the window where he collapsed on my potted palm. FINALLY, I got him to his bedroom and sat him down on the bed and helped him get a pair of socks on, turned around and he was putting another pair of socks on over the first pair.
At this point I was ready to slap him to wake him up- not to rid myself of any pent-up irritation.
I got him dressed finally and we picked up his bells from the band room, I dropped him by the line up and went home to get myself dressed. When I found him later shaking looking like death warmed over. He said he felt like he was about to puke, just from shaking. I guess he recovered after he lined up with the band since in the pictures he looks fine. He didn't go to bed till 10 pm that night and didn't sleep past 9 am Sunday morning.

Toodles...

An Interesting Addition

I love this blog. Thought you might like to check it out. I added it to my blog roll ( or at least I tried) since it deals with some of my favorite topics not to mention Bea is rather a nice person.

Sage Hill Farm
www.beasbeatitudes.blogspot.com/

Christmas Parade Extraodinaire

E and the high school band . She was in heaven as you can see. (Just kidding- she was trying to remember her supposedly memorized selection). And the high school band marched ahead of the middle school band and waited for them to cheer them on. I thought that was cool.












J marched for the first time ever tonight. I was fairly excited. And he was diggin it.
Combined 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands made a nice showing for the middle school. It was a parade.

Saturday Activities

My children are nut jobs. Thank god they are mine.

Goofs to the max.
E was taking weird pics of herself and J to add to her my space page. They really got into it.

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I decided since I was in the garage for the day, I would defrost my freezer. I really should do it more than every other year...

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Showing the world my craft work space. It stays in a perpetual state of chaos or more like perpetual wreckage. But it's all mine and I love it. I have too many things I want to try and I leave them all out so I can just pick them up and start instead of digging for them. Besides, there is never a good place to really "store" what I do.

I see the personal crafting spaces of professionals sometimes in articles and I find myself wanting to be neater but I never stay with that idea.

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Today I am starting on a project that someone very special will get.

I am really more excited than the photo shows. I was momentarily entranced by my timer light on my camera when it flashed.