I have a couple questions for y'all.
When do Christmas decorations go up at your house?
And Who usually puts up what?
Paulius and I are trying to compromise on this issue.
I have always started to put up my Christmas decorations the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Sometimes even before then. It takes ME about two or three weeks to set up my house the way I want it- perfect. So I usually start dragging decorations out a couple weeks before Thanksgiving day. I start by putting up the beginnings of my Snow Village. Then T-G day i put up my tree to be decorated that night. Then for the next twoo weeks I finish it all.
Paulius comes from a household that puts the decorations up a week or so before Christmas day.
Our takes are as follows.....
Paul- Put everything up and out the week before Christmas- No sooner than Dec 15th. If you have it up longer than that it makes it LESS special.
Sunny- I have so much to put out and position that if I started a week before Christmas I wouldn't get it set up and finished before Christmas day. Let alone time to enjoy it- I would be frazzled.
Why put so much out and up, you might ask....well, because it's my favorite holiday and I love to decorate for it- I do almost nothing in the way of decorating for the rest of the year.
And besides- I am still a child when it comes to Christmas- the more colorful and glittery, the better. Not to mention BIGGER!! If it were up to me I would have a 15 foot tree every year- and I have enough ornaments to fill it up now.
I have a HUGE oversized chest with most of my christmas ornaments in it. last year I opened it up and Paul thought I was some sort of Pirate with a treasure chest. It really is pretty!!
Anyway, My idea of a compromise is this...
Put up the Artificial tree on Thanksgiving day.
Put up the Wreaths and/or Swags on the outside the following weekend.
Work on the Snow Village the first week in December.
Put out all the other decorations the next weekend.
Put up the Live tree on December 15th.
So, What do you think? Which is your vein of thinking when it comes to decorating?
And can you think of any other compromises?
A Peek Into The Misadventures of My Crazy Upside-Down Life.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
HP Movie review-NOT a SPOILER.
This will be short.
Paulius took me out to dinner and to see the new Harry Potter Movie. I'll give you specific gripes later when it won't be a spoiler for anyone.
My opinion:
Not what I expected
Nothing like the other movies- at ALL
Definately NOT my favorite HP movie- Bottom of the list to be perfectly honest.
Will I add it to the collection when It comes out? Definately.
Will I watch it as much as the others? Definately NOT.
In all honesty- I might have enjoyed it a bit more had the seats in the theatre been a tiny bit bigger and more comfy.
Okay- That's it for today. I'm going to go clean my kitchen from T-G day. No- I haven't done it yet- first no water- then I went out last night. Not like me to leave the dishes like that- but what can I say? Every once in a while I turn into a slacker, but it only lasts a day.
Back to the Grindstone!!
Paulius took me out to dinner and to see the new Harry Potter Movie. I'll give you specific gripes later when it won't be a spoiler for anyone.
My opinion:
Not what I expected
Nothing like the other movies- at ALL
Definately NOT my favorite HP movie- Bottom of the list to be perfectly honest.
Will I add it to the collection when It comes out? Definately.
Will I watch it as much as the others? Definately NOT.
In all honesty- I might have enjoyed it a bit more had the seats in the theatre been a tiny bit bigger and more comfy.
Okay- That's it for today. I'm going to go clean my kitchen from T-G day. No- I haven't done it yet- first no water- then I went out last night. Not like me to leave the dishes like that- but what can I say? Every once in a while I turn into a slacker, but it only lasts a day.
Back to the Grindstone!!
Saturday, November 26, 2005
He Said- She Said.......
Sorry about the delay, folks!! I forgot I had volunteered to work an extra day this week.
As promised- here is the -albeit late- post.
Paulius and I so often post about the same things that I have tried on numerous occasions to talk him into co-writing a separate blog with me in a He said-She said type format. We have very different tastes in lots of things like movies, reading material, fashions, foods.......however, I think we are actually about as compatible as two people can be, mainly because we embrace and accept our differences rather than let them come between us.
Anyway, if you read his Blog, listed in my links, you will see what I mean...........
Thanksgiving week was an experience to remember- one that will go down in the archives of our marital history as a milestone week.
First of all- I had worked all week on night shift and then had been coming home and running on about four or five hours sleep a day.
Sunday night I went to work and came home as usual-I had been sick with a horrible virus all weekend so was still feeling a bit weak from it and didn't much feel up to exerting myself too much.
So I arranged my schedule for the rest of the week around getting rest that day. It was going to be dead simple.
Monday-Usual routine- then relax.
Tuesday-Cash Check-buy dinner supplies-relax.
Wednesday-Blitz-clean the house-10 minutes for the bathroom, 5 minutes for the hallways, 30 minutes for the living room, and an hour and a half for the kitchen because I planned on doing everything from wiping the fridge to mopping to cleaning the oven.
Wednesday evening-Bake everything except the turkey and ham and the dressing which would be done on Thursday morning when I came home from work. Thursday- Set up the buffet while the turkey and ham are baking and then have dinner at noon. Eat, visit with my darling children and my gorgeous husband for a couple three hours. Then after everyone leaves for their other dinners, nap until time to go to work at midnight.
I went to work Monday night- same routine....came in, slept for a couple hours and then got up, checked the mail, went to the bank and cashed my check.
And then the FUN began.
We did the shopping for Thanksgiving Day Dinner AND for the week too. Around two hundred dollars and three stores later, We were almost sure we had everything we needed. (We didn't- we forgot the eggnog to begin with, not to mention cat litter and cat FOOD.-Translation- yet ANOTHER trip to the store later that evening)
We came home and unloaded and put everything away, then realized we had indeed forgot the aforementioned items and went BACK out to get them.
Decided to wait til the next day to wash my uniforms since I had one more to wear for work that night. HUGE MISTAKE.
Went to work- came home thoroughly exhausted and was sooooooooooooooooo looking forward to getting in my nice toasty warm soft bed and cuddling up to my sexy hubby and getting some much needed zzzzzzzzzs.
I undressed and crawled into the bed, scooched down, and was literally pulling the blanket up over my shoulder when the phone rang. I heard my son answer it in a fog as I began that sleep float and then suddenly, thru the foggy mist floats my sons voice outside our bedroom door...."Mom?..............Sorry but it's Nanny- she says she really needs to talk to you-RIGHT NOW- said it couldn't wait." He gave me a look of sympathy as he handed the phone to me.
I listened as my mom told me She had no water and for me to check and see if we did. So I grabbed my robe and trotted off like the good daughter I am(However I was thinking and half-muttering some really un-nice things under my breath the whole time- but we'll ignore that fact for now).....We did but the pressure seemed low and I told her. She said, "Well, SOMEBODY needs to go check the pipes under your house cause somebody has got a leak and it's not me- I've already looked."
This is the moment I decided to start voicing my displeasure.
LOUDLY & in NO-UNCERTAIN TERMS.
Mom voiced her displeasure right back with-
"Well I'm just sorry-Why don't you get Paulius or Frank up and have them go check the pipes?"
I refused to get them up because they stay up all night waiting on me to come home so we are all on the same schedule. They had gone to be an hour or so before I came in(I was running a bit late) and getting them up would be more trouble than it was worth so I told her that too- and then told her I would check the pipes myself and call her back in a couple minutes.
I re-dressed, went out, checked the pipes under the house(which were PERFECTLY FINE) and went back in and called her with that bit of news.
"Well, SOMEBODY needs to come check the lines from your house all the way to the road and find where that leak is."
At this point I'm really starting to detest that SOMEBODY person she keeps referring to- The bastard is really starting to piss me off.
"Fine"
I went out- took 20 minutes to walk the pipeline(I helped dig it- I know exactly where it is) and the after finding nothing, checked all her cut-off points and outside spigots. Of course the last one I checked was the one filled with water.
DAMMITT-DAMMITT-DAMMITT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the one at the corner of the house about a football field and a half from the road- exactly half-way between the road and my house.
I went in her house and told her the "good" news. I broke my wrist a while back and have little strength in my wrist, so I had to call my house and wake my son to come help me turn the water off at the meter at the main road. I knew a ringing phone would never wake Paulius up at that point.
So Frank got dressed, the came out and we got the tool and walked to the main and turned it off.
That meter was spinning so fast it put the old movies where the plane is going down and the altimeter is spinning to shame!!! We will be luck if we don't have a three hundred dollar water bill next month.
My mom had called my brothers to come fix it- but they were both at work and wouldn't be in until about 8 that evening. DAMMITT-DAMMITT-DAMMITT!!!!!!!
My son graciously offered to repair it. So I graciously offered Paulius' assistance and mine to help, since I realized I could do NONE of what I had to do to get everything ready for Thanksgiving dinner if I had no water.
So I trudge back down to the house, muttering and even making up some choice words to vent a bit. I walked into the house and tried to wake Paulius with the news of the water situation.
He was as thrilled as I was, but nothing could be done but to get up and get on with it. I have to give him credit- He came up with a suggestion that we just delay the dinner for the Friday, instead- but it wouldn't work because everyone had to work on Friday but was off Thanksgiving day.
(He's allowed to have a suggestion like that WITHOUT CRITICISM because he's a Brit and doesn't realize the implications of delaying Thanksgiving Day for a day.)
It would be like cancelling Christmas.
Anyway, to shorten this up a bit(If I don't it will turn into a post that would put Paulius' 2000 word posts to shame)
We made four trips to Lowes for plumbing supplies.
I had to keep my mom occupied most of that time because she likes to"help" and I use that word LOOSELY.
The guys were working in 30 degree weather, digging down 4 feet to reach the busted pipe which was encased in a brick and cement casing buried in red clay mud at the corner of the house and surrounded by a pyracantha bush with 3 inch thorns, a holly bush the size of a VW Beetle, and next to a nasty mound of fire-ants. And all this on the side of a hill with a 50degree incline working with a spade, a pick/mattock and a shovel.
Let me, at this point, say how much I admire these guys for even beginning this project- let alone spending all day on it. It was 9AM when I woke them- It was after 7PM when they finally finished and came in.
Read Paulius' account of the copperhead snake. That would have been MY personal quitting point- I detest snakes........EEWWWWW *shudder*
But they kept going til they were finished.
We came home and fell into a dead sleep for about two hours until I had to go back to work.
My brother came over after he got off work and tested the plumbing- it leaked a bit, so he had to leave the water off.
I got up, dressed, went to work and the officer I was relieving for shift told me there was a couple of gallon containers in the back storage room if I needed to gather some water for the next day. I thanked him- and found 6 back there. I filled them and took them home and had JUST enough to do my dinner and the bit of cleaning I had to do before my company got there. Meanwhile, my baby brother, Charlie, was working on the plumbing while I was having dinner with my family- His wasn't until later in the evening.
The water STILL leaked and he had to come back the day after T-giving to finish the job and it STILL has a tiny drip. But It's something that can be fixed with about two minutes time-in the DAYLIGHT!!!!
I went back to work again last night-even tho I REALLY, REALLY didn't want to after this weeks events.
I think it was one of life's little tests.
And I think we passed.
There's a lot of other little things that happened but to be perfectly honest- I am completely exhausted and I just can't bear the thought of doing anymore here today.
I'm going to sleep now for about 8 hours- at LEAST 6!
I have a HOT date tonight.
Paulius is taking me out to dinner and to see the new Harry Potter movie!!
I can't wait!!
G'Night all!!!
As promised- here is the -albeit late- post.
Paulius and I so often post about the same things that I have tried on numerous occasions to talk him into co-writing a separate blog with me in a He said-She said type format. We have very different tastes in lots of things like movies, reading material, fashions, foods.......however, I think we are actually about as compatible as two people can be, mainly because we embrace and accept our differences rather than let them come between us.
Anyway, if you read his Blog, listed in my links, you will see what I mean...........
Thanksgiving week was an experience to remember- one that will go down in the archives of our marital history as a milestone week.
First of all- I had worked all week on night shift and then had been coming home and running on about four or five hours sleep a day.
Sunday night I went to work and came home as usual-I had been sick with a horrible virus all weekend so was still feeling a bit weak from it and didn't much feel up to exerting myself too much.
So I arranged my schedule for the rest of the week around getting rest that day. It was going to be dead simple.
Monday-Usual routine- then relax.
Tuesday-Cash Check-buy dinner supplies-relax.
Wednesday-Blitz-clean the house-10 minutes for the bathroom, 5 minutes for the hallways, 30 minutes for the living room, and an hour and a half for the kitchen because I planned on doing everything from wiping the fridge to mopping to cleaning the oven.
Wednesday evening-Bake everything except the turkey and ham and the dressing which would be done on Thursday morning when I came home from work. Thursday- Set up the buffet while the turkey and ham are baking and then have dinner at noon. Eat, visit with my darling children and my gorgeous husband for a couple three hours. Then after everyone leaves for their other dinners, nap until time to go to work at midnight.
I went to work Monday night- same routine....came in, slept for a couple hours and then got up, checked the mail, went to the bank and cashed my check.
And then the FUN began.
We did the shopping for Thanksgiving Day Dinner AND for the week too. Around two hundred dollars and three stores later, We were almost sure we had everything we needed. (We didn't- we forgot the eggnog to begin with, not to mention cat litter and cat FOOD.-Translation- yet ANOTHER trip to the store later that evening)
We came home and unloaded and put everything away, then realized we had indeed forgot the aforementioned items and went BACK out to get them.
Decided to wait til the next day to wash my uniforms since I had one more to wear for work that night. HUGE MISTAKE.
Went to work- came home thoroughly exhausted and was sooooooooooooooooo looking forward to getting in my nice toasty warm soft bed and cuddling up to my sexy hubby and getting some much needed zzzzzzzzzs.
I undressed and crawled into the bed, scooched down, and was literally pulling the blanket up over my shoulder when the phone rang. I heard my son answer it in a fog as I began that sleep float and then suddenly, thru the foggy mist floats my sons voice outside our bedroom door...."Mom?..............Sorry but it's Nanny- she says she really needs to talk to you-RIGHT NOW- said it couldn't wait." He gave me a look of sympathy as he handed the phone to me.
I listened as my mom told me She had no water and for me to check and see if we did. So I grabbed my robe and trotted off like the good daughter I am(However I was thinking and half-muttering some really un-nice things under my breath the whole time- but we'll ignore that fact for now).....We did but the pressure seemed low and I told her. She said, "Well, SOMEBODY needs to go check the pipes under your house cause somebody has got a leak and it's not me- I've already looked."
This is the moment I decided to start voicing my displeasure.
LOUDLY & in NO-UNCERTAIN TERMS.
Mom voiced her displeasure right back with-
"Well I'm just sorry-Why don't you get Paulius or Frank up and have them go check the pipes?"
I refused to get them up because they stay up all night waiting on me to come home so we are all on the same schedule. They had gone to be an hour or so before I came in(I was running a bit late) and getting them up would be more trouble than it was worth so I told her that too- and then told her I would check the pipes myself and call her back in a couple minutes.
I re-dressed, went out, checked the pipes under the house(which were PERFECTLY FINE) and went back in and called her with that bit of news.
"Well, SOMEBODY needs to come check the lines from your house all the way to the road and find where that leak is."
At this point I'm really starting to detest that SOMEBODY person she keeps referring to- The bastard is really starting to piss me off.
"Fine"
I went out- took 20 minutes to walk the pipeline(I helped dig it- I know exactly where it is) and the after finding nothing, checked all her cut-off points and outside spigots. Of course the last one I checked was the one filled with water.
DAMMITT-DAMMITT-DAMMITT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the one at the corner of the house about a football field and a half from the road- exactly half-way between the road and my house.
I went in her house and told her the "good" news. I broke my wrist a while back and have little strength in my wrist, so I had to call my house and wake my son to come help me turn the water off at the meter at the main road. I knew a ringing phone would never wake Paulius up at that point.
So Frank got dressed, the came out and we got the tool and walked to the main and turned it off.
That meter was spinning so fast it put the old movies where the plane is going down and the altimeter is spinning to shame!!! We will be luck if we don't have a three hundred dollar water bill next month.
My mom had called my brothers to come fix it- but they were both at work and wouldn't be in until about 8 that evening. DAMMITT-DAMMITT-DAMMITT!!!!!!!
My son graciously offered to repair it. So I graciously offered Paulius' assistance and mine to help, since I realized I could do NONE of what I had to do to get everything ready for Thanksgiving dinner if I had no water.
So I trudge back down to the house, muttering and even making up some choice words to vent a bit. I walked into the house and tried to wake Paulius with the news of the water situation.
He was as thrilled as I was, but nothing could be done but to get up and get on with it. I have to give him credit- He came up with a suggestion that we just delay the dinner for the Friday, instead- but it wouldn't work because everyone had to work on Friday but was off Thanksgiving day.
(He's allowed to have a suggestion like that WITHOUT CRITICISM because he's a Brit and doesn't realize the implications of delaying Thanksgiving Day for a day.)
It would be like cancelling Christmas.
Anyway, to shorten this up a bit(If I don't it will turn into a post that would put Paulius' 2000 word posts to shame)
We made four trips to Lowes for plumbing supplies.
I had to keep my mom occupied most of that time because she likes to"help" and I use that word LOOSELY.
The guys were working in 30 degree weather, digging down 4 feet to reach the busted pipe which was encased in a brick and cement casing buried in red clay mud at the corner of the house and surrounded by a pyracantha bush with 3 inch thorns, a holly bush the size of a VW Beetle, and next to a nasty mound of fire-ants. And all this on the side of a hill with a 50degree incline working with a spade, a pick/mattock and a shovel.
Let me, at this point, say how much I admire these guys for even beginning this project- let alone spending all day on it. It was 9AM when I woke them- It was after 7PM when they finally finished and came in.
Read Paulius' account of the copperhead snake. That would have been MY personal quitting point- I detest snakes........EEWWWWW *shudder*
But they kept going til they were finished.
We came home and fell into a dead sleep for about two hours until I had to go back to work.
My brother came over after he got off work and tested the plumbing- it leaked a bit, so he had to leave the water off.
I got up, dressed, went to work and the officer I was relieving for shift told me there was a couple of gallon containers in the back storage room if I needed to gather some water for the next day. I thanked him- and found 6 back there. I filled them and took them home and had JUST enough to do my dinner and the bit of cleaning I had to do before my company got there. Meanwhile, my baby brother, Charlie, was working on the plumbing while I was having dinner with my family- His wasn't until later in the evening.
The water STILL leaked and he had to come back the day after T-giving to finish the job and it STILL has a tiny drip. But It's something that can be fixed with about two minutes time-in the DAYLIGHT!!!!
I went back to work again last night-even tho I REALLY, REALLY didn't want to after this weeks events.
I think it was one of life's little tests.
And I think we passed.
There's a lot of other little things that happened but to be perfectly honest- I am completely exhausted and I just can't bear the thought of doing anymore here today.
I'm going to sleep now for about 8 hours- at LEAST 6!
I have a HOT date tonight.
Paulius is taking me out to dinner and to see the new Harry Potter movie!!
I can't wait!!
G'Night all!!!
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Okay- It's been a very interesting two days and I promise I'll tell y'all all about them tommorrow.
Suffice it to say I am running on about 5 hours sleep for the past THREE days and I have to go to work now so a longer post will have to wait til then.
I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.
Suffice it to say I am running on about 5 hours sleep for the past THREE days and I have to go to work now so a longer post will have to wait til then.
I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Quickie.......
Okay-
I know we're all REALLY busy this week so I'll make this short and sweet.........
Turkey; Do you prefer:
Roasted
Fried
Or Smoked?
Smoked is my favorite- but i usually end up roasting it because I dont have a smoker.
I know we're all REALLY busy this week so I'll make this short and sweet.........
Turkey; Do you prefer:
Roasted
Fried
Or Smoked?
Smoked is my favorite- but i usually end up roasting it because I dont have a smoker.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
I Make Plans............
It always happens.
I volunteer for an extra day at work, plan on my ONE day off to clean the house spotless and get some have to things done planning for the upcoming holiday dinner at my house, and then I get sick. Not just "I don't feel well" sick, but "full blown-headache-fever- throwing up- can't stand to hear myself breath let alone moan- stay in bed" sick.
Now today I feel MUCH better- but I am still weak as a kitten. So these things still won't get done. And I go back to work at my regular job tonight, too.
Oops- I forgot rule 1 in life.
I make plans- and God LAUGHS.
Much like Murphy's Law- but worse.
I would rant more- but I don't have the strength right now.
Maybe later. After a bowl of chicken soup or something..........
:-P
I volunteer for an extra day at work, plan on my ONE day off to clean the house spotless and get some have to things done planning for the upcoming holiday dinner at my house, and then I get sick. Not just "I don't feel well" sick, but "full blown-headache-fever- throwing up- can't stand to hear myself breath let alone moan- stay in bed" sick.
Now today I feel MUCH better- but I am still weak as a kitten. So these things still won't get done. And I go back to work at my regular job tonight, too.
Oops- I forgot rule 1 in life.
I make plans- and God LAUGHS.
Much like Murphy's Law- but worse.
I would rant more- but I don't have the strength right now.
Maybe later. After a bowl of chicken soup or something..........
:-P
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Will Work For Food
So what is your opinion of the mom who made her 14 year old daughter stand on the corner of the intersection holding a sign saying
"I won't do my homework
I smart-mouth the teachers and I'm always late.
My mom says I have to do this to prepare me for my future.
Will work for Food." ?
The mom says in the couple of weeks since she stood out there WITH her daughter on that corner there has been a dramatic turn-around in her daughters attitude towards life and school.
The daughter says it was absolutley humiliating- but it taught her a lesson...it's definatley somewhere she doesn't EVER want to be again.
The child welfare was called on the mom. But nothing on that yet.
I say the mom is to be commended!!
Good for her for taking a stand.
And good for the daughter for realizing that her mom isn't an ogre and for putting her nose to the grindstone and doing the right thing now.
"I won't do my homework
I smart-mouth the teachers and I'm always late.
My mom says I have to do this to prepare me for my future.
Will work for Food." ?
The mom says in the couple of weeks since she stood out there WITH her daughter on that corner there has been a dramatic turn-around in her daughters attitude towards life and school.
The daughter says it was absolutley humiliating- but it taught her a lesson...it's definatley somewhere she doesn't EVER want to be again.
The child welfare was called on the mom. But nothing on that yet.
I say the mom is to be commended!!
Good for her for taking a stand.
And good for the daughter for realizing that her mom isn't an ogre and for putting her nose to the grindstone and doing the right thing now.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
My Thoughts.......in My 30 Minute Drive Home.
I listen to talk radio on the way home from work every morning. This is what I heard discussed on there this morning as Idrove home- along with what I thought about that is going on in my life at this time.
Radio-Clemson VS Carolina- last year it was tagged "FootBrawl" this year a ban was placed on the players shaking hands before or after the game It will not be permitted, however, in a show of solidarity the players and coaches have insisted on continuing the tradition, despite the ban.
ME- Owwwwww I hope Clemson wins again.......It was the Cocks fault last year the brawl started anyway. If they go against the ban they are gonna be in trouble........I wish it was gonna be broadcast on TV like it usually is. Pay-per-view has it.....for 84.99.....I DON'T think so.........who in their right mind would pay that to watch a game.
Radio- Just in- ESPN2 has just announced that they will broadcast the Clemson-Carolina game. After 45 minutes the rest of the country will be switched to another game but in the upstate, it will remain on the C/C game.
Me- Dammitt!!! I just went back to basic cable last week and now I don't have ESPN2. Why didn't I wait????!!!!! Oh well, there's always the SuperBowl.
Radio-In Britain, a woman has written a book claiming Teacher-Student relationships can have benefits since the charge and excitement of the affair can up the students scores in the class.
Me- What freaking morons.- Those kids are under age 18- still minors. Let them grow up to at least be able to drink, for Gods sake. Oh for crying out loud- move you ass lady. Get OFF the cellphone and turn. Pay attention!!Do not ride your brakes......the gas pedal is on the RIGHT!!!!! Don't make me jerk you out of that car. ..................Finally- all that makeup for going to the drive thru at the bank. Sheesh......
Radio-Should 14 year olds be allowed to date 18 year olds?
Me-I gotta figure out what I still need to buy for Thanksgiving Dinner. I need to call Clay and Kathy and find out if they are going to have to work- they should know by now.....wait- they spend Thanksgiving with her grandparents in Georgia if they aren't working. But they usually have a whole weekend and with his new job he may just have just that one day and they may not go to Georgia this year.........................................................................Better call and let them know when we are having dinner so if they don't go to Georgia and they want to they can come to the house. I wonder how many misplaced ones we'll have at dinner this year. It's been 10 years and so far every year we've had at least one or two extra. It's gonna be sad this year without Dad with us.................................I wonder if mom is serious about not doing anything for the holidays. Christmas i can understand since it was their anniversary day........50 years............I can't imagine how it would be to lose my husband after that long. It would be like I had died and only my ghost was here.......just going thru the motions..........Man................
Radio-Price gouging- do you think it was happening here in the upstate after the hurricane?
Me-I feel sorry for those people who lost everything during that storm.....but we have people here that are just as bad off- if not worse off. Why can't we take care of our own?They can spend millions helping Iraq rebuild but our own has to wait eons for relief. I wonder how many people are going to be able to have a decent meal on Thanksgiving................Speaking of- there is that regular guy who stands on the corner of this intersection every day with a "HOMELESS. PLEASE HELP" sign. Humph- hell, he's dressed nicer than me. If he put half as much effort into looking for an actual job as he does standing on that corner, he might be better off in the long run. But if he hasn't got a place to live, looking for a job wouldn't help him- no one will hire without a place of residence and a phone. Not even as a go-fer who just has to show up and isn't master carpenter.......... Why is life so damn complicated sometimes?
Radio- next hours topic-...........................................
(I don't know what it was- I turned it off. I sometimes think I actually Do have adult ADD.
Or maybe i just have a lot happening in my life right now.)
ME-I've got to decide what of my decorations I am going to put up for Christmas too..... I can do that this weekend tho. It shouldn't take THAT long.. Of course I am going to have to separate all the styles of village houses from each other and see where they would look best. I need to get a new power strip too. Power strip..............hmmmmmm.........I wonder if Walmart is open this time of morning.... I know the Superstore is- but that's way over on the other side of town. I wonder if the one here on the way home is... It's not holiday hours yet. I don't think they are and it's just far enough out of my way that it would just not be worth it to go by and see on the way home. Hmmmmmmm......... I wonder if Santa is at the Mall yet? He usually is here this time of year- but I'll bet it will be after Thanksgiving before he's there. I think that's right. I hope they have that cute house with all the elves and reindeer and snow this year. I wanna see if I can get all three of the grand-babies and take them up there and have their pictures taken with Santa. Hehehehehehe I'll bet Baby Scoob won't like Santa. That will be a great gift for the parents- a pic of all three of them together. the Three Musketeers. Ummmmmmmmmm....Three Musketeers..It's been awhile since I had chocolate. Longer than I can remember it ever being. Unless I count that cup of Swiss miss with Mini-marshmallows I had last weekend. I don't count that tho- it was milk chocolate cocoa-made with water and there is hardly any taste of chocolate to that stuff....more like a vanilla with a hint of Chocolate. How can I get them all together and keep it a secret from the parents? Not with those two five year olds. they have the biggest mouths to be boys. If I had to go by how much they tell secrets and whine about things I would swear they were girls. Marie and Frank find out what the baby is in early January. I would really like a grand-daughter, but I will be happy either way. It was sweet of them to say I can name it if it's another boy. I think they liked the name I chose too. Nicholas. After St. Nicholas. LOL- They both just smiled and said it figures when I told them. And I know I said I would give the Daughter(DILs are considered my daughters too- I love them that much) that had the first granddaughter my emerald earrings, but if Marie has a GD for me- the baby is due in May and emeralds are Mays birthstones and Marie's ears aren't pierced, so I am thinking I will give the emerald earrings to the Granddaughter and get Marie either an opal ring or opal necklace instead. She absolutely adores opals but doesn't have any yet,so I think she would enjoy that more than the emerald earrings.
Shoot- I'm home now. I should have taken off this blazer and hung it up. There's the stupid cat in the window.....he better not have torn anything up while I was at work. He will be okay once he gets out of this destructive adolescent stage. Do they make kitty Valiums, I wonder? I may have to call the vet and see if they do. maybe that would help him...okay- help ME!!!
Dang, Gotta go all the way back out to the car cause I forgot to turn off the headlamps. I probably shouldn't drive with them on as often as I forget to turn them off, but if some idiot pulls out in front of me they can't claim to have not seen me- not if my headlamps are on. I hate bad drivers. Okay the lights are off now. Maybe I can get in and get this uniform off now. Especially these boots. I'm gonna check the e-mail before I go to bed too. May post a short-short on my blog too...I haven't done that in a while.........wonder if I can think of something to post about..........hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, let me see.................. I'm hungry too....wonder if there's any eggs and bacon..... Or cereal and milk.............or chocolate syrup for pancakes or waffles.......
Radio-Clemson VS Carolina- last year it was tagged "FootBrawl" this year a ban was placed on the players shaking hands before or after the game It will not be permitted, however, in a show of solidarity the players and coaches have insisted on continuing the tradition, despite the ban.
ME- Owwwwww I hope Clemson wins again.......It was the Cocks fault last year the brawl started anyway. If they go against the ban they are gonna be in trouble........I wish it was gonna be broadcast on TV like it usually is. Pay-per-view has it.....for 84.99.....I DON'T think so.........who in their right mind would pay that to watch a game.
Radio- Just in- ESPN2 has just announced that they will broadcast the Clemson-Carolina game. After 45 minutes the rest of the country will be switched to another game but in the upstate, it will remain on the C/C game.
Me- Dammitt!!! I just went back to basic cable last week and now I don't have ESPN2. Why didn't I wait????!!!!! Oh well, there's always the SuperBowl.
Radio-In Britain, a woman has written a book claiming Teacher-Student relationships can have benefits since the charge and excitement of the affair can up the students scores in the class.
Me- What freaking morons.- Those kids are under age 18- still minors. Let them grow up to at least be able to drink, for Gods sake. Oh for crying out loud- move you ass lady. Get OFF the cellphone and turn. Pay attention!!Do not ride your brakes......the gas pedal is on the RIGHT!!!!! Don't make me jerk you out of that car. ..................Finally- all that makeup for going to the drive thru at the bank. Sheesh......
Radio-Should 14 year olds be allowed to date 18 year olds?
Me-I gotta figure out what I still need to buy for Thanksgiving Dinner. I need to call Clay and Kathy and find out if they are going to have to work- they should know by now.....wait- they spend Thanksgiving with her grandparents in Georgia if they aren't working. But they usually have a whole weekend and with his new job he may just have just that one day and they may not go to Georgia this year.........................................................................Better call and let them know when we are having dinner so if they don't go to Georgia and they want to they can come to the house. I wonder how many misplaced ones we'll have at dinner this year. It's been 10 years and so far every year we've had at least one or two extra. It's gonna be sad this year without Dad with us.................................I wonder if mom is serious about not doing anything for the holidays. Christmas i can understand since it was their anniversary day........50 years............I can't imagine how it would be to lose my husband after that long. It would be like I had died and only my ghost was here.......just going thru the motions..........Man................
Radio-Price gouging- do you think it was happening here in the upstate after the hurricane?
Me-I feel sorry for those people who lost everything during that storm.....but we have people here that are just as bad off- if not worse off. Why can't we take care of our own?They can spend millions helping Iraq rebuild but our own has to wait eons for relief. I wonder how many people are going to be able to have a decent meal on Thanksgiving................Speaking of- there is that regular guy who stands on the corner of this intersection every day with a "HOMELESS. PLEASE HELP" sign. Humph- hell, he's dressed nicer than me. If he put half as much effort into looking for an actual job as he does standing on that corner, he might be better off in the long run. But if he hasn't got a place to live, looking for a job wouldn't help him- no one will hire without a place of residence and a phone. Not even as a go-fer who just has to show up and isn't master carpenter.......... Why is life so damn complicated sometimes?
Radio- next hours topic-...........................................
(I don't know what it was- I turned it off. I sometimes think I actually Do have adult ADD.
Or maybe i just have a lot happening in my life right now.)
ME-I've got to decide what of my decorations I am going to put up for Christmas too..... I can do that this weekend tho. It shouldn't take THAT long.. Of course I am going to have to separate all the styles of village houses from each other and see where they would look best. I need to get a new power strip too. Power strip..............hmmmmmm.........I wonder if Walmart is open this time of morning.... I know the Superstore is- but that's way over on the other side of town. I wonder if the one here on the way home is... It's not holiday hours yet. I don't think they are and it's just far enough out of my way that it would just not be worth it to go by and see on the way home. Hmmmmmmm......... I wonder if Santa is at the Mall yet? He usually is here this time of year- but I'll bet it will be after Thanksgiving before he's there. I think that's right. I hope they have that cute house with all the elves and reindeer and snow this year. I wanna see if I can get all three of the grand-babies and take them up there and have their pictures taken with Santa. Hehehehehehe I'll bet Baby Scoob won't like Santa. That will be a great gift for the parents- a pic of all three of them together. the Three Musketeers. Ummmmmmmmmm....Three Musketeers..It's been awhile since I had chocolate. Longer than I can remember it ever being. Unless I count that cup of Swiss miss with Mini-marshmallows I had last weekend. I don't count that tho- it was milk chocolate cocoa-made with water and there is hardly any taste of chocolate to that stuff....more like a vanilla with a hint of Chocolate. How can I get them all together and keep it a secret from the parents? Not with those two five year olds. they have the biggest mouths to be boys. If I had to go by how much they tell secrets and whine about things I would swear they were girls. Marie and Frank find out what the baby is in early January. I would really like a grand-daughter, but I will be happy either way. It was sweet of them to say I can name it if it's another boy. I think they liked the name I chose too. Nicholas. After St. Nicholas. LOL- They both just smiled and said it figures when I told them. And I know I said I would give the Daughter(DILs are considered my daughters too- I love them that much) that had the first granddaughter my emerald earrings, but if Marie has a GD for me- the baby is due in May and emeralds are Mays birthstones and Marie's ears aren't pierced, so I am thinking I will give the emerald earrings to the Granddaughter and get Marie either an opal ring or opal necklace instead. She absolutely adores opals but doesn't have any yet,so I think she would enjoy that more than the emerald earrings.
Shoot- I'm home now. I should have taken off this blazer and hung it up. There's the stupid cat in the window.....he better not have torn anything up while I was at work. He will be okay once he gets out of this destructive adolescent stage. Do they make kitty Valiums, I wonder? I may have to call the vet and see if they do. maybe that would help him...okay- help ME!!!
Dang, Gotta go all the way back out to the car cause I forgot to turn off the headlamps. I probably shouldn't drive with them on as often as I forget to turn them off, but if some idiot pulls out in front of me they can't claim to have not seen me- not if my headlamps are on. I hate bad drivers. Okay the lights are off now. Maybe I can get in and get this uniform off now. Especially these boots. I'm gonna check the e-mail before I go to bed too. May post a short-short on my blog too...I haven't done that in a while.........wonder if I can think of something to post about..........hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, let me see.................. I'm hungry too....wonder if there's any eggs and bacon..... Or cereal and milk.............or chocolate syrup for pancakes or waffles.......
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Well, It has been a busy busy week here at our house.
We have been doing some decorating- both home decorating AND getting a start on the holiday decorating.
Plus I have landed a job re-designing a whole house. I will be working on THAT project for the next few months.
Yay!!
Paulius and my eldest son,Frank, has been helping my mom "repair"(and I use that term loosely) her driveway.
Long story- you would be amused to say the least- but no time for that now.
My mom had surgery on Friday morning and I have been be-bop-ing up to her house every couple of hours to check on her all weekend too.
My mom is a strange little lady. She wants us there and is a bit clingy- but if we try and suggest things to her or advise her on anything- she will buck up and refuse to do whatever it is.
basicly we just let her have her way unless it's something we feel will endanger her health or well being.
I hope to goodness that when I grow old i won't be as damn contrary as her.
But I love her anyway.
And ,Yes- my siblings read my blog too- and they will be sitting there nodding their heads and laughing in agreement with me about that paragraph about Mom. Dad spoiled her rotten when he was alive. She has never had to pay a bill in her life. They married when she was 18 and he was24. This Christmas Day they would have been married 50 years- he tried hard to hold on for that- but his Lord had other plans for him. We are trying to get her thry these first holidays without him, but it is proving to be quite the mission. Mission Impossible on some days.
Anyway- back to what I started.
Next weekend is the weekend that we set up our Snow Village. I have the spot all picked out for it. I usually have all them set up- but this Christmas I am only going to set up 5 or 6 of them in my kitchen. I have a corner cabinate in one corner all by itself and that's where they will be set up. I may also put two or three in the livingroom on top of our small bookshelf so we can enjoy them with the tree.
For Thanksgiving this year, I'm not really sure who of my kids will be here to celebrate with us. My youngest son, Clay, is working 7 days a week now and i am not sure if they will be working that day or not. My Eldest son's wife, Marie, has been offered a job in Atlanta and so they may be there by then. My daughter, Julie, might be there- but her fiancee's mom may want them there too. So I have no idea. I have my menu all planned out- so if they all come it will be great- so will it be if only one or two make it- or if none come at all.
I am not one of those mamas who have a fit of vapors if their grown kids have other plans. One day is as good as the next for me. The only day I specificly ask for them to see me on is their Birthdays. It would be extremely hard for me if I didn't see my babies on their Birthdays.
Anyway- On Thanksgiving Day for dinner we are having....
Herbed Roast Turkey Breast
Cranberry Sauce
Rice and Dressing with Gravy
Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli Casserole
Holiday Squash Casserole
Macaroni-Cheese Pie
Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Pie
Mince Pie
Pecan Pie
Coffee Iced Tea Pepsi
Unlike other days when everything is rush-rush hurry up -and -get it done- everything that day will be slow cooked and made from scratch!!
If the kids show up- they usually bring one of their specialty dishes with them.
I am so looking forward to it.
What are you doing for the holidays? Are you being adventurous and having everyone over to your place? Or are you going to someone elses house? Or are you going out to eat dinner?
I remember one Thanksgiving my then-MIL took the whole family out to dinner for thanksgiving. It was the most dissapointing holiday dinner I ever remember. No favorite holiday dishes were there- no chance of the family milling aroundtalking or cutting up with the usual shennanigans- just Proper Country-Club Manners and Deportment.
BLAH!!
YUKK!!!
I want my FAMILY HOLIDAY with all the Chaos that goes with it!!
Of course this year it won't be perfect- i have to work the night before AND the night of- But i can come in and put the Turkey breasts in the oven and sleep while they are cooking. Then get up and finish the dinner. I will probally do the desserts the day before too so that will be a big help.
We have been doing some decorating- both home decorating AND getting a start on the holiday decorating.
Plus I have landed a job re-designing a whole house. I will be working on THAT project for the next few months.
Yay!!
Paulius and my eldest son,Frank, has been helping my mom "repair"(and I use that term loosely) her driveway.
Long story- you would be amused to say the least- but no time for that now.
My mom had surgery on Friday morning and I have been be-bop-ing up to her house every couple of hours to check on her all weekend too.
My mom is a strange little lady. She wants us there and is a bit clingy- but if we try and suggest things to her or advise her on anything- she will buck up and refuse to do whatever it is.
basicly we just let her have her way unless it's something we feel will endanger her health or well being.
I hope to goodness that when I grow old i won't be as damn contrary as her.
But I love her anyway.
And ,Yes- my siblings read my blog too- and they will be sitting there nodding their heads and laughing in agreement with me about that paragraph about Mom. Dad spoiled her rotten when he was alive. She has never had to pay a bill in her life. They married when she was 18 and he was24. This Christmas Day they would have been married 50 years- he tried hard to hold on for that- but his Lord had other plans for him. We are trying to get her thry these first holidays without him, but it is proving to be quite the mission. Mission Impossible on some days.
Anyway- back to what I started.
Next weekend is the weekend that we set up our Snow Village. I have the spot all picked out for it. I usually have all them set up- but this Christmas I am only going to set up 5 or 6 of them in my kitchen. I have a corner cabinate in one corner all by itself and that's where they will be set up. I may also put two or three in the livingroom on top of our small bookshelf so we can enjoy them with the tree.
For Thanksgiving this year, I'm not really sure who of my kids will be here to celebrate with us. My youngest son, Clay, is working 7 days a week now and i am not sure if they will be working that day or not. My Eldest son's wife, Marie, has been offered a job in Atlanta and so they may be there by then. My daughter, Julie, might be there- but her fiancee's mom may want them there too. So I have no idea. I have my menu all planned out- so if they all come it will be great- so will it be if only one or two make it- or if none come at all.
I am not one of those mamas who have a fit of vapors if their grown kids have other plans. One day is as good as the next for me. The only day I specificly ask for them to see me on is their Birthdays. It would be extremely hard for me if I didn't see my babies on their Birthdays.
Anyway- On Thanksgiving Day for dinner we are having....
Herbed Roast Turkey Breast
Cranberry Sauce
Rice and Dressing with Gravy
Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli Casserole
Holiday Squash Casserole
Macaroni-Cheese Pie
Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Pie
Mince Pie
Pecan Pie
Coffee Iced Tea Pepsi
Unlike other days when everything is rush-rush hurry up -and -get it done- everything that day will be slow cooked and made from scratch!!
If the kids show up- they usually bring one of their specialty dishes with them.
I am so looking forward to it.
What are you doing for the holidays? Are you being adventurous and having everyone over to your place? Or are you going to someone elses house? Or are you going out to eat dinner?
I remember one Thanksgiving my then-MIL took the whole family out to dinner for thanksgiving. It was the most dissapointing holiday dinner I ever remember. No favorite holiday dishes were there- no chance of the family milling aroundtalking or cutting up with the usual shennanigans- just Proper Country-Club Manners and Deportment.
BLAH!!
YUKK!!!
I want my FAMILY HOLIDAY with all the Chaos that goes with it!!
Of course this year it won't be perfect- i have to work the night before AND the night of- But i can come in and put the Turkey breasts in the oven and sleep while they are cooking. Then get up and finish the dinner. I will probally do the desserts the day before too so that will be a big help.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Tagged By Serendippity!!
A-Z Sexy Celebrity Men
A-
B-Brad Pitt
C-Sean Connery
D-David Duchovney
E-
F-Oded Fehr
G-John Goodman
H-Tom Hanks
I-
J-
K-Keanau Reeves
L-Liam Neison
M-
N-
O-Oded Fehr
P-Patrick Stewart
Q-
R-Ryan Stiles
S-Ryan Stiles
T-The Rock
U-
V-Vin Diesel
W-
X-
Y-
Z-
As you can see- I don't think THAT many men are sexy.
Paulius is a REALLY TOUGH act to follow!
A-
B-Brad Pitt
C-Sean Connery
D-David Duchovney
E-
F-Oded Fehr
G-John Goodman
H-Tom Hanks
I-
J-
K-Keanau Reeves
L-Liam Neison
M-
N-
O-Oded Fehr
P-Patrick Stewart
Q-
R-Ryan Stiles
S-Ryan Stiles
T-The Rock
U-
V-Vin Diesel
W-
X-
Y-
Z-
As you can see- I don't think THAT many men are sexy.
Paulius is a REALLY TOUGH act to follow!
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Ever have one of those days when you just feel like crap?
Having one today. All this stuff going on in my life is driving me absolutely nuts. Seriously.
I like my new job, but there are days when I just don't wanna go in. I sleep about four hours and then get up and take care of housework and run errands....whatever needs doing. I also worry about what is going to screw up next with all the paperwork that Paulius and I am going thru right now. Then I have to take an hours or so nap before I go back to work at night.
Usually we have company when it's time for me to nap before work. And sometimes, like last night, it really gets to me that while everyone else is in here visiting and having a grand time in each others company- I can't be with them because I have to get sleep so I won't doze off while I'm at work. I can't afford to lose my job. And then I get to get up and go off to work and everyone is still here visiting and still having a good time.
It just doesn't seem fair. And when it really gets to me- I go off the deep end.
I apologize for that. I just wish they would realize that it really hurts my feelings that they don't have a tiny bit more consideration and empathy for me.
I wish I could go to bed late and the get up late and be able to sit with them and have a good time. But I can't.
I made a promise to my husband that he wouldn't want for a thing and I would take care of everything until his paperwork got straightened out and he was able to work. And I meant it. Paulius means more to me than anything in this world and that will never change.
I just wish there were a few more hours in the day so we could spend time doing things we WANT to do instead of things that have to be done.
I just keep telling myself that soon everything will be straightened out with his paperwork- and my family will at some point become somewhat normal again, and everything will be fine again and we won't have to stress so much.
I'lll try not to go off the deep end again.
Having one today. All this stuff going on in my life is driving me absolutely nuts. Seriously.
I like my new job, but there are days when I just don't wanna go in. I sleep about four hours and then get up and take care of housework and run errands....whatever needs doing. I also worry about what is going to screw up next with all the paperwork that Paulius and I am going thru right now. Then I have to take an hours or so nap before I go back to work at night.
Usually we have company when it's time for me to nap before work. And sometimes, like last night, it really gets to me that while everyone else is in here visiting and having a grand time in each others company- I can't be with them because I have to get sleep so I won't doze off while I'm at work. I can't afford to lose my job. And then I get to get up and go off to work and everyone is still here visiting and still having a good time.
It just doesn't seem fair. And when it really gets to me- I go off the deep end.
I apologize for that. I just wish they would realize that it really hurts my feelings that they don't have a tiny bit more consideration and empathy for me.
I wish I could go to bed late and the get up late and be able to sit with them and have a good time. But I can't.
I made a promise to my husband that he wouldn't want for a thing and I would take care of everything until his paperwork got straightened out and he was able to work. And I meant it. Paulius means more to me than anything in this world and that will never change.
I just wish there were a few more hours in the day so we could spend time doing things we WANT to do instead of things that have to be done.
I just keep telling myself that soon everything will be straightened out with his paperwork- and my family will at some point become somewhat normal again, and everything will be fine again and we won't have to stress so much.
I'lll try not to go off the deep end again.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Guilt Trips
It's one of my pet peeves.
Why can't a person just ask for what they want rather than beating around the bush about it?
I need to know exactly what you need from me and I need to know when you need it.
I have so much to do and it drives me crazy to have someone make me feel guilty because I am not giving them the attention that they want when they won't tell me that they want it or need it.
Sometimes I get wrapped up and focused on my agenda and everything else just kind of fades into the background until I'm finished. If you need me before that time you literally have to turn me towards you and say so.
Is it a form of Adult ADD?
Maybe. But don't guilt trip me if you haven't asked for what you need.
And Nope- It's NOT Paulius I am talking about.
End Of Rant
Why can't a person just ask for what they want rather than beating around the bush about it?
I need to know exactly what you need from me and I need to know when you need it.
I have so much to do and it drives me crazy to have someone make me feel guilty because I am not giving them the attention that they want when they won't tell me that they want it or need it.
Sometimes I get wrapped up and focused on my agenda and everything else just kind of fades into the background until I'm finished. If you need me before that time you literally have to turn me towards you and say so.
Is it a form of Adult ADD?
Maybe. But don't guilt trip me if you haven't asked for what you need.
And Nope- It's NOT Paulius I am talking about.
End Of Rant
Sunday, November 06, 2005
We Have Needs
Pete posted this on his Blog and I tried it. It seems Paulius and myself have a lot of needs.
Some of my favorites are...
Sunny Needs-
*A distraction from self pity....(uh- okay. I really wasn't aware of this but if they say so!)
*Volunteers....(For what are they volunteering?)
*To be placed in a home with kids over the age of 12....(Why age 12? I can't be trusted with kids under 12?)
*A new crate for work....(a crate? For law enforcement? Not in my WILDEST DREAMS!)
*A business Manager....(Oh so now I can't be trusted with money OR children under the age of 12??)
*A nice warm spot by the window to watch the sun....(Sure- look directly at the sun and burn the retinas of my eyes.)
Paulius Needs-
*Specs....(meaning eyeglasses or was there supposed to be a manual with his specifications included?- If the latter, I really could use that and how do I get a replacement manual?)
*1000GBP....(I'll go for that! Cash is always a good thing!)
*Advice....(Which I TRY to give him but he usually ignores)
*A haircut....(no- he DOESN'T- why would they think thator more importantly- HOW would they know that?!)
*Space....(I don't THINK so- he has his own closet)
*Education....(He has quite enough, thank you, and if he decides to go for a masters or a doctorate it will be HIS decision, not theirs...whoever "They" are)
I just googled our names and needs after it....it really was funny some things that came up!!
What did we ever do before the net came about???!!!
Some of my favorites are...
Sunny Needs-
*A distraction from self pity....(uh- okay. I really wasn't aware of this but if they say so!)
*Volunteers....(For what are they volunteering?)
*To be placed in a home with kids over the age of 12....(Why age 12? I can't be trusted with kids under 12?)
*A new crate for work....(a crate? For law enforcement? Not in my WILDEST DREAMS!)
*A business Manager....(Oh so now I can't be trusted with money OR children under the age of 12??)
*A nice warm spot by the window to watch the sun....(Sure- look directly at the sun and burn the retinas of my eyes.)
Paulius Needs-
*Specs....(meaning eyeglasses or was there supposed to be a manual with his specifications included?- If the latter, I really could use that and how do I get a replacement manual?)
*1000GBP....(I'll go for that! Cash is always a good thing!)
*Advice....(Which I TRY to give him but he usually ignores)
*A haircut....(no- he DOESN'T- why would they think thator more importantly- HOW would they know that?!)
*Space....(I don't THINK so- he has his own closet)
*Education....(He has quite enough, thank you, and if he decides to go for a masters or a doctorate it will be HIS decision, not theirs...whoever "They" are)
I just googled our names and needs after it....it really was funny some things that came up!!
What did we ever do before the net came about???!!!
Taking the JOY out of Christmas.
Yesterday I had a really great day.
I got up and started to clean the kitchen from the night before- I just hadn't had the energy nor the desire, truth be told, to do it after eating. Some days you just cant be bothered. Right?
Anyway, I was running a sink of water and went over to the radio to see if I could tune in something peppy to help things along, and as I was turning the dial, lo and behold I heard a snatch of Michael Bolton singing what I would have sworn was "I'll Be Bome for Christmas".
I stopped dead in my tracks and returned to it after a nano-seconds hesitation.
It was indeed exactly who and what I thought and I was absolutely delighted! Then another Christmas selection came on after it- and another and another after that one. The two easy listening stations in the area are now playing Christmas tunes all weekend until Thanksgiving Day and then it will be all holiday tunes-all the time.
I got my dishes done quickly and then it got me in gear to go ahead and dig all my Christmas decorations out of the hallway where everything we have packed for our move is stacked up. And that reminded me we didn't have a Christmas wreath because the Grapevine wreath I made about 6 years ago and didn't shelack finally disintergrated this summer in the hundred degree weather, which we have been having all six summers. So then I got out all my decorations and somewhere I had read about someone making a holiday wreath from a small sized hula-hoop and I had one just sitting there, not being used because I bought one last year and swore I was going to learn to hula-hoop again because since I had kids I cant hula hoop for more than one swoop, and decided to try to make one(Wreath) with what I had.
So I did.
I just wrapped the white flower garland from our wedding around it and taped it in place. Then filled in with a green pine garland from leftover Christmas decorations I had and secured it in place. Then I secured some artificial English Ivy along the bottom. A nice bit of it to fill the bottom out nicely and then I finished it off by adding a thin ribbon of red curly foil garland spiraled from where the ivy ends on one side up and over the top and down the other side to where the ivy begins on the other side.
It was very nice for something started from an unused Hoola-Hoop and leftover decorations and it looks perfect on our front door which is painted red.
Anyway- I hung it up for the day to decide if I really liked it or if it was just the novelty- and to get my kids reaction to it.
My daughters fiancee, Mike, looked out the window of their house and asked her to "Please tell me that's not a CHRISTMAS wreath your mom has hung on her front door".
Julie just laughed and said "Yep- probally is. She starts getting things out about this time every year."
She didn't even come look. She KNOWS me.
But this retail holiday thing is getting WAY out of hand.
Retailers are ruining it for us. Even Hardcore Christmasers like me.
I'm sorry, but starting to see Christmas advertising just after the 4th of July is really starting to piss me off. I don't wanna see that stuff that early! Sure I start my Christmas shopping about that time of year- but it stays put away until after just after Thanksgiving when it goes under the tree.
I think there should be a law that says Christmas retailing absolutely, positively CANNOT and or WILL NOT be started until the day after Thanksgiving. AND Christmas decorations cannot be put up in retail stores until the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving.
I have to start getting my things out three weeks before Thanksgiving to get everything sorted in relation to what theme I am planning on doing. (Someday, when we get a proper house of our own- I will have enough space to have it all sorted into seperate boxes and labeled so I wont have to go thru this process. But for now it's how I have to do it.) Then the weekend before Thanksgiving I put up my tree if it's an artificial one and have JUST the lights on it. It's Thanksgiving tradition to decorate the tree on Thanksgiving night- altho for the past couple of Christmases due to schedules with kids having the other side of the family to visit, Paulius and/or I have decorated it except for the kids "Special" ornament, which they always put on themselves.
Yes- I stole that tradition from the Horton Family on Days Of Our Lives but I knew that was how I wanted my holiday party to be with all the family there and happy and having a GRAND time, and if seeing them put their "Special"ornament on the tree makes me happy , so what? DOOL should be thrilled I DID steal the idea from them.
Anyway- that's just how I feel about it.
And it really makes me mad that anything about Christmas- my favorite holiday of the year- is being done this way.
Altho I have to admit that retailers aren't singling out Christmas as being special by early marketing. They are doing it with all the major money-making holidays.
But I don't want them to take the Joy out of MY Christmas.
They can just stop it right now.
I'm writing my Congressman.
***(Sorry about the run-on sentences and the rambling paragraphs and such. I just needed to write the way I was thinking today and that's how it came out. Come think of it- that's how I talk too. Read this non-stop as fast as you can without stopping to take a breath until you absolutely run out of breath and that's exactly how I talk. Have pity on Paulius, it's no wonder I drive him nuts!)***
I got up and started to clean the kitchen from the night before- I just hadn't had the energy nor the desire, truth be told, to do it after eating. Some days you just cant be bothered. Right?
Anyway, I was running a sink of water and went over to the radio to see if I could tune in something peppy to help things along, and as I was turning the dial, lo and behold I heard a snatch of Michael Bolton singing what I would have sworn was "I'll Be Bome for Christmas".
I stopped dead in my tracks and returned to it after a nano-seconds hesitation.
It was indeed exactly who and what I thought and I was absolutely delighted! Then another Christmas selection came on after it- and another and another after that one. The two easy listening stations in the area are now playing Christmas tunes all weekend until Thanksgiving Day and then it will be all holiday tunes-all the time.
I got my dishes done quickly and then it got me in gear to go ahead and dig all my Christmas decorations out of the hallway where everything we have packed for our move is stacked up. And that reminded me we didn't have a Christmas wreath because the Grapevine wreath I made about 6 years ago and didn't shelack finally disintergrated this summer in the hundred degree weather, which we have been having all six summers. So then I got out all my decorations and somewhere I had read about someone making a holiday wreath from a small sized hula-hoop and I had one just sitting there, not being used because I bought one last year and swore I was going to learn to hula-hoop again because since I had kids I cant hula hoop for more than one swoop, and decided to try to make one(Wreath) with what I had.
So I did.
I just wrapped the white flower garland from our wedding around it and taped it in place. Then filled in with a green pine garland from leftover Christmas decorations I had and secured it in place. Then I secured some artificial English Ivy along the bottom. A nice bit of it to fill the bottom out nicely and then I finished it off by adding a thin ribbon of red curly foil garland spiraled from where the ivy ends on one side up and over the top and down the other side to where the ivy begins on the other side.
It was very nice for something started from an unused Hoola-Hoop and leftover decorations and it looks perfect on our front door which is painted red.
Anyway- I hung it up for the day to decide if I really liked it or if it was just the novelty- and to get my kids reaction to it.
My daughters fiancee, Mike, looked out the window of their house and asked her to "Please tell me that's not a CHRISTMAS wreath your mom has hung on her front door".
Julie just laughed and said "Yep- probally is. She starts getting things out about this time every year."
She didn't even come look. She KNOWS me.
But this retail holiday thing is getting WAY out of hand.
Retailers are ruining it for us. Even Hardcore Christmasers like me.
I'm sorry, but starting to see Christmas advertising just after the 4th of July is really starting to piss me off. I don't wanna see that stuff that early! Sure I start my Christmas shopping about that time of year- but it stays put away until after just after Thanksgiving when it goes under the tree.
I think there should be a law that says Christmas retailing absolutely, positively CANNOT and or WILL NOT be started until the day after Thanksgiving. AND Christmas decorations cannot be put up in retail stores until the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving.
I have to start getting my things out three weeks before Thanksgiving to get everything sorted in relation to what theme I am planning on doing. (Someday, when we get a proper house of our own- I will have enough space to have it all sorted into seperate boxes and labeled so I wont have to go thru this process. But for now it's how I have to do it.) Then the weekend before Thanksgiving I put up my tree if it's an artificial one and have JUST the lights on it. It's Thanksgiving tradition to decorate the tree on Thanksgiving night- altho for the past couple of Christmases due to schedules with kids having the other side of the family to visit, Paulius and/or I have decorated it except for the kids "Special" ornament, which they always put on themselves.
Yes- I stole that tradition from the Horton Family on Days Of Our Lives but I knew that was how I wanted my holiday party to be with all the family there and happy and having a GRAND time, and if seeing them put their "Special"ornament on the tree makes me happy , so what? DOOL should be thrilled I DID steal the idea from them.
Anyway- that's just how I feel about it.
And it really makes me mad that anything about Christmas- my favorite holiday of the year- is being done this way.
Altho I have to admit that retailers aren't singling out Christmas as being special by early marketing. They are doing it with all the major money-making holidays.
But I don't want them to take the Joy out of MY Christmas.
They can just stop it right now.
I'm writing my Congressman.
***(Sorry about the run-on sentences and the rambling paragraphs and such. I just needed to write the way I was thinking today and that's how it came out. Come think of it- that's how I talk too. Read this non-stop as fast as you can without stopping to take a breath until you absolutely run out of breath and that's exactly how I talk. Have pity on Paulius, it's no wonder I drive him nuts!)***
Friday, November 04, 2005
Thursday, November 03, 2005
The End Of The World.....sob.......
as we know it.
I received some terrible news yesterday. It seems that the McRib is on it's Farewell Tour this season.
For some unexplained reason, McDonald's has decided that they will take the McRib off the menu. Forever. This will be the last season they will have them.
Now, Paulius said not to worry- It's just a marketing ploy. They are going to toot it as the Farewell Tour, everyone is going to buy gobs and gobs of them and moan and complain and write nasty letters to the headquarters, and then after a year or so- McDonalds will have a Nostalgia Tour- returning them for a limited time only. Then because they are so popular- they will put them back on the menu as a seasonal thing again.
I hope to goodness he is right.
It is always the cue for us that the holidays are here.
The first McRib I ever ate was in October 1989 at the McDonald's on Woodruff Road. I was working Security at the Greenville Mall and they had the Monster Mansion set up for Halloween. It was chilly weather- almost downright cold- and on my lunch break I saw the McRib ad on the window of McDs and decided to try one.
I got one with a large order of fries and a Chocolate milkshake- and it was love at first bite!!!
Every year since it has become a family thing to go out and get a McRib dinner as soon as they come out in October.
My oldest son, Frank, has the same passion for them as I do. The rest of the family like them- but don't anticipate the return nearly as much as we do.
A McRib stands for something. You can enjoy them all month long and it's the signal to us that as soon as Halloween is over, we can start getting out the Holiday decorations. Only three weeks til we have to have all the windows decorated with swags and/or wreaths, the Snow village set up in the place of honor, the front door wreath set in place, and the Christmas Tree set up for decorating on Thanksgiving Evening.(Artificial trees only- real trees must wait til after the 10th of December.)
We send someone after a bag of McRibs while we are decorating. We send out for a bag of McRibs when we are wrapping gifts. We stop for a McRib meal when we are spending the day shopping for Christmas gifts.
And all too soon, the holidays are over and the McRibs are gone for another year.
Sure, we can go out and buy the stuff and make a similar sandwich at home during the rest of the year- but it's just NOT THE SAME.
Maybe it has to do with the memories we associate with the McRib meal than the actual sandwich itself. All I know is- It just won't be the same without it and if there are ANY McDonalds executives out there in the "blogosphere" who are reading this now, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!!-(I'm down on my knees as I am sure millions of other McRib Lovers are)-
Re-think this HORRIFIC decision you have made! Don't take this icon of the holiday season away from millions of people who are loyal eaters of this truly wonderful memory-making sandwich!
I hope Paulius is right about the marketing strategy- but just in case he isn't- I'm going out to buy a dozen chest freezers now and as soon as they are installed, for the next month if you need me, you can find me at one of the 10 Million Gazillion McDonalds nationwide.
I'll be stocking up.
I received some terrible news yesterday. It seems that the McRib is on it's Farewell Tour this season.
For some unexplained reason, McDonald's has decided that they will take the McRib off the menu. Forever. This will be the last season they will have them.
Now, Paulius said not to worry- It's just a marketing ploy. They are going to toot it as the Farewell Tour, everyone is going to buy gobs and gobs of them and moan and complain and write nasty letters to the headquarters, and then after a year or so- McDonalds will have a Nostalgia Tour- returning them for a limited time only. Then because they are so popular- they will put them back on the menu as a seasonal thing again.
I hope to goodness he is right.
It is always the cue for us that the holidays are here.
The first McRib I ever ate was in October 1989 at the McDonald's on Woodruff Road. I was working Security at the Greenville Mall and they had the Monster Mansion set up for Halloween. It was chilly weather- almost downright cold- and on my lunch break I saw the McRib ad on the window of McDs and decided to try one.
I got one with a large order of fries and a Chocolate milkshake- and it was love at first bite!!!
Every year since it has become a family thing to go out and get a McRib dinner as soon as they come out in October.
My oldest son, Frank, has the same passion for them as I do. The rest of the family like them- but don't anticipate the return nearly as much as we do.
A McRib stands for something. You can enjoy them all month long and it's the signal to us that as soon as Halloween is over, we can start getting out the Holiday decorations. Only three weeks til we have to have all the windows decorated with swags and/or wreaths, the Snow village set up in the place of honor, the front door wreath set in place, and the Christmas Tree set up for decorating on Thanksgiving Evening.(Artificial trees only- real trees must wait til after the 10th of December.)
We send someone after a bag of McRibs while we are decorating. We send out for a bag of McRibs when we are wrapping gifts. We stop for a McRib meal when we are spending the day shopping for Christmas gifts.
And all too soon, the holidays are over and the McRibs are gone for another year.
Sure, we can go out and buy the stuff and make a similar sandwich at home during the rest of the year- but it's just NOT THE SAME.
Maybe it has to do with the memories we associate with the McRib meal than the actual sandwich itself. All I know is- It just won't be the same without it and if there are ANY McDonalds executives out there in the "blogosphere" who are reading this now, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!!-(I'm down on my knees as I am sure millions of other McRib Lovers are)-
Re-think this HORRIFIC decision you have made! Don't take this icon of the holiday season away from millions of people who are loyal eaters of this truly wonderful memory-making sandwich!
I hope Paulius is right about the marketing strategy- but just in case he isn't- I'm going out to buy a dozen chest freezers now and as soon as they are installed, for the next month if you need me, you can find me at one of the 10 Million Gazillion McDonalds nationwide.
I'll be stocking up.
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