As 2009 comes to a close, see if you can see the full moon tonight. It should be beautiful. The clouds parted enough last night for a few minutes and the moon was big, but I don't think I will have an opportunity tonight because it has been raining all day. Everything that can collect water as filled to capacity.
This is an opportunity I cannot miss: Happy New Year to my dear children and friends that choose to write on the blog.
JB found another piece of Polish pottery at Ross Dress For Less! It is a big platter and a real steal at the prices they charge!
Jess and Bill are off work today, and are having fun going to Costco and elsewhere.
Noah starts back at Niketown on Thursday. He said his presence yesterday, when he went back to sign documents for his rehire, got a few laughs. People teased him - accusing him of quitting just so that he could avoid the Christmas rush!
All is well here, I am thinking about resolutions I want to make for the New Year.
My goodness, but it is hard to believe 2009 is winding up! The year just flew by in many respects.
Noah got his Nike job back - it will help pay expenses until he finds a career job. I'm so proud that he asked them to take him back without prompting from us.
We have thought lots about all of you during this holiday season and we hope everyone is having a wonderful time. We, here in Philadelphia, are mostly just celebrating the holiday by eating a lot. It started yesterday with Christmas Eve dinner. This is where we eat lots of different things, including the fish that is like a piece of wood when you buy it. It's salted cod fish. Once you cook it and season it with lots of olive oil and peppers it is delicious. We also make lots of fried cauliflower and zucchini, not to mention the spaghetti with seafood. After so many years, we've all learned to just take small portions of everything. But that is just something we think about in theory, it usually doesn't work out as planned.
When it comes to the cooking tradition of Christmas Eve dinner, my grandmother has always been at the core of the dinner preparation freparing all these various dishes and even though she can't really move around freely or walk, she insisted and was determined to make much of the food. I don't think that I will be cooking up a storm at the age of 90. But who knows. I actually rushed to make some cookies before we went off to Christmas Eve dinner. I was extremely rushed but I had this weighing sense of obligation to make/bake something. My grandmother has a way of letting us know that "we should learn how to cook and make things." Each year she quizzes my sister and I about what we've made (as far as holiday cookies etc...) For the past few years, I mostly have just been responding by saying that I used to make things, she did not seem satisfied with that. So this year I thought I better "earn my keep" and I baked cookies. So glad I did. They actually turned out okay. Sid claims he really liked them. Nina says she loves them - she is so kind.
Anyway, I've enjoyed keeping up with all the blog stories. Kay most of all I hope everything will settle with your health issues. The best non-medical advice I can give is try not to get stressed or angry about anything; I know easier said than done. I was also amazed and proud that Noah stepped out of his work situation. That took guts and a great sense of priority. I am sure he won't regret it.
See Diana and Bill, you taught him very well. Oh Kay by the way, those bag holders that you got for us were amazing. You must have imagined very precisely that we are often carrying into the building a bunch of shopping bags from a very inconvenient parking space. So most of the days we are walking a block or so with bags pulling us down, bags ripping as we try to carry them into the building and the elevator. Thank you so much for understanding what the "urban" dweller must go through to get items, groceries to the desire
Well I am really tired and I think I should go to bed for now so that I can wake up and perhaps explain more stories of Christmas>
Will fill you in on snow stories once I rest up and feel more coherant. Now I am just trying to fight falling asleep.
I am the only person here at work today. It is nice and quiet. I think the mail comes today, but I'm not sure. Guess I'll find out eventually.
We plan on eating out and going to a movie Christmas Day. We will go to Christmas Eve service at church tonight. Lots of carols and candles - it is always a nice way to calm down before the chaos of opening gifts Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas to everyone! I love you, one and all.
Gosh - it's been awhile since I've done anything but process pictures. There were 8,000 plus and folks started calling and emailing me about 1 week after the AKC championships in early Dec--all wanting to see. With Tom's help on the last two breeds, we managed to get them posted by Sunday night. I did nothing for the last two weeks but work at work and work at KC's Snaps when I was home from work. That means we didn't get our custom Christmas cards done and Christmas presents barely got mailed in time for a Christmas delivery. So there. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Of course, I did have a wonderful break from the photo processing. Dear sweet Tory visited us on the weekend of 11 Dec. Besides the warm glow she left in our hearts, she left us some really delicious leftover chili that I managed to polish off all by myself (great lunches for about four days), I tie my pink scarf prettily now, I have Tom's presents purchased and hidden, and I didn't have to mail Murray and Nikole's presents.
Goodluck to all seeing Tiffancy get her commission. What a wonderful thing (although I still think she should have picked the USAF, but oh well!) The saga of Bop's plumbing was fun to hear realtime--and to read about. Sid and Sandra's cat is really cute--and so is Sandra in her running costume. I'm hoping to hear snow stories about the big storm from Sid/Sandra as well.
Sending love to one and all--and of course, Merry Christmas. It looks as though we'll be getting a dusting of snow just in time for Christmas Eve. What fun.
Sid and Sandra, I am anxious to hear some snow stories.
The trip to Corvallis was short but lots of fun, as usual. Picked up some Oregon wine and hazelnuts for gifts, saw Bopcha, Kay and Judi and did nothing particularly useful.
We did go to see Invictus, which was pretty good and uplifting. Rugby appears to be a pretty brutal sport, however. I want to see all the movies nominated for the Golden Globes, but a couple of them are hard sells. Such as the one with blue aliens in it!
I am going to Napavine tomorrow to meet with some clients. Then I have to hustle back in order to be on my couch by 5 p.m. for the kick off in the Oregon State/BYU game!
I think Bill and Dee are now headed back to MI. They looked good.
Was coming back from Bopcha's yesterday and as I turned a corner, my car made a horrid sound and the engine light came on. So, of course, that means I need to take it in ASAP. Don't want to deprive the car repair place of their Christmas thousands of dollars bonus.
This will be my chance to find out how the Corvallis buses run and what they charge.
Love the cat. Beautiful face and the snow. Looks like fun if you don't have to drive. Sandra, how did you place in the November race? If that picure was taken after the race, I would say you did very well because you don't even look tired.
Just got a call from Stephanie and Theresa was supposed to fly out of Boston yesterday and that flight was cancelled but she made it out today and her plane just landed in Houston - she will arrive in CA this evening. I didn't give her a chance of getting out at all.
It's always something when you have a house - glad that the dishwasher was an easy fix.
Went to the doctor and asked that they check my thyroid. So, they drew blood and checked for several things. I am now on beta blockers for a runaway heart, and a low dose of thyroid meds for my sluggish thyroid. The nurse said he hadn't read the rest of the bloodwork but would notify me if anything else was off. So I went from no meds to a couple. It will be wonderful to have my heart under control and hopefully the thyroid stuff will boost my energy level. I was afreiad for awhile that my heart was actually going to leave my chest and walk out the door.
Sid I heard that Philly is expected to get hit hard by the storm. Is that true and, if so, are you two set for things like a power outage. Just think if we have a power outage here we can at least go to the farm and stay warm and have warm food (trust me, I would be at the farm because my little place is like living in an icebox when the heat goes out.)
Tiffany will be down on Monday for the holidays. I think she wants to split her time between my place and the farm (the farm is her favorite by far).
Theresa is due in California this weekend for the holidays. I think she is ready to see family. Tiffany and Tina are both over the top excited about going back to Rhode Island for the graduation because they haven't been off the West Coast. Also, Tiffany hasn't see her mother in 3 years, so that plus the thrill of seeing Theresa in uniform has everyone excited.
Put my little fake tree in the window and it is pretty sad looking. Would like to get a slightly larger tree and if the prices come down enough, I just might get one. I want one with the lights already on. No more stringing lights for me.
Red Hat was over this morning and found I had merely disconnected the cord that carries the electricity to the dishwasher and garbage disposal. Everything works now. The electrician found open hot wires that need to be covered and recommended the switch box be moved from the shower. The electrical improvement sounded reasonable so I agreed.
Lcve,
Bopcha (Wow, Noah, What an introduction to the work world.)
Poor Noah, the day he started his new job, the service he was assigned to sell got sued by the Washington State Attorney General for fraudulent sales practices! So, with our support and encouragement, Noah gracefully resigned (as I am sure others did also).
Anyway, he was pretty sad, but he is now able to laugh about it and we are encouraging him to talk to some of the connections he has and we have. People generally love to help, and they probably have some good suggestions for the poor boy.
Anyway, he has a nice work wardrobe now, so he looks handsome and clean cut as he trys to find his way in the world.
For some strange reason, things always seem to get frantic this time of year. I am trying to not get infected with anything other than the good cheer that also comes with the season.
So, here's to being centered around the wonderful things this life offers!
