Dizzy Randomness

Most of ya know already by Facebook, but just incase you don't know...

We ended up having to get us a newer car/van. It truly wasn't a popular desision in this house. We were both scared out of our minds, still am actually. This was hubby's second time going through a dealership, my first. Hubby's first was back in 77', so in a way he was a newbie at it too.

The loan asspect of it all has me frazzled more than anything ever has. I am sooooo not used to these super high numbers. Hundreds scare me, thousands freak me, tens of thousands...I am losing my mind!!! I just don't know how people do it without panicing. I know lots of folks that turn thier cars in for a newer one all the time and it doesn't seem to phase them all that much. I am a "What if" kinda girl but yet can't afford all those "what if's", which in turn throws me into an even bigger frenzy. It's a vicious cycle with no end.

I have been crunching numbers all morning and still don't feel any better. Cancel this and that, pay off this and that. If I use the money I have now to pay on this, will I be able to find this amount again in just a month. OMG!! I can't stop! I so wish I had some calm right now. Even the sweet birdie at the window ain't getting it.

Okay, hold on...let me try to refocus my thoughts. Back of the brain please, BACK OF THE BRAIN, I SAID!! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...Did yall watch that last night? I did. Hubby was asleep within the first 30 minutes! Musicals are just not his thing.

We had a good time at my brother J and SIL J's for Christmas. Just a food get together for some of the family. Thankfully there wasn't the added pressure of gift giving, but I did get to deliver the blankets that I did for them.

Hubby gave me a new hand mixer, fry daddy, blue jeans and a sweater. I got him a shirt, new longjohns and something from the sports store. AND then there is the van. I give. The brain won't stop thinking about that car and all the stress that comes with it.

*Sigh*

I guess I better sign off now, before I drag yall through the ring around the rosie's going on up there in my mind.

Milestone and Awards

Time sure is flying by. 200th post and I haven't a clue what they were all about. Some were stupid, some were silly and then there were the occasional serious ones. I wish I could write deep, profound and meaningful posts for ya, but hey what ya see is what ya get! I'm brash, hard, silly, goofy and nuts! AND in all of that I am a big procrastinator (or maybe a FREE SPIRIT, yeah I like that better)!

My dear and precious friends have bleed their hearts and have tagged and awarded me. What do I do? I keep the pic in my little awards folder and let it sit there. I'm no good folks! I love the fact that I even cross yall's mind and yet I let you sit there and leave ya hanging. The guilt has been tormenting, but not enough to dig them out. Yes, I do need a kick in the pants! Thanks for asking.

Every time I see that awards folder, I reproached myself for not having done some of them yet. Two days ago I realized I was approaching this 200th post milestone and I had to yell at myself. No more excuse Heather, now is the time! Get'er done!

First up we have this kicking award of friendship given to me by Spot:


The rules are that I have to list 6 things I'm a master at and then pass the prize to six other bloggers. Here goes:
Master at:
1) wishing I could do this or that, go here or there, have this or that.

2) making my sister laugh so hard she gets hiccups, brother laugh so hard he can't breathe and crumbles to the floor. They find my snarky humor funny.

3) hurting myself! I can trip on nothing, fall onto things, swing my hands into things, bump my head on trees....

4) annoying my pets with the flash of my camera. Gezz, you would think they would be used to it by now!

5) Forgetfulness. I forget nearly everything. Like..stopping at the post office for stamps, doing my awards, watering my plants (the poor things) and sometimes even making hubby's lunch! But yet ask me where something is at inside my house and I know.

6) My money. I know where every dime went and if for some unknown reason I don't, dang it I will find it!! I have many accounting methods of keeping track of the money. Checkbook register, (actual real)folders for each household bill, receipt box divided into sections, Monthly bills chart created with Word Document and checking the bank website. Every penny is important in this house.

Now everyone yell "Pick Me" and hopefully I heard you!

1) Tinkerschitzel at Zommbie Mommy. She is an aspiring artist and crafter. She dapples in painting, drawing, ceramics and she even does reupholstering! She loves to go camping! She also shares stories of her little family and the joys and trials of her job in her posts.

2) Eric at Bored Neoclassical Guy. He always manages to make me laugh or learn something. He is an artist with stone, he also intrigues me with history and takes me to other countries.

3) Maureen at Islandroar. Seriously if you don't know her, where the heck have you been hiding?! She is one of the sweetest ladies ever! She will draw you into her life as a mother of grown children. She will also take you to the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard, the beauty of it, the history of it and the daily life of it.

4) Jen at Starting Over. This girl just amazes me all the time! She is an outdoorsy kinda girl. She hikes through the state parks, kayaks rapid waters, marathon bicycle rider, marathon runner, camper. Plus she has a daughter and she is doing college courses. Her adventures are amazing!

5) Kathryn at From the Inside...Out. She is just so funny, it seems like she doesn't even have to work at, it's just natural. I love going to her blog, she is sweet, funny (yeah I mentioned that already, but gawd it is soo true), witty and a mom to teen aged boys!

6) Ocean Girl at Live High. She shares her love of the Isles of Malaysia with stories of life and culture. She also shares beautiful photos of the area. I seriously am soo jealous, she lives in paradise!

Now if you are saying "But I didn't say "Pick Me"" Well let me wag my finger at you and tell you "You weren't playing the game right"



Then we have this Panda award for super comments given to me by Jimmy:


The rules for this award are to answer the following questions:

1) Why do you blog?
To have a record of things for when I go senile.

2) What was your favorite age to be and why?
Can't say I ever really had a favorite age, maybe I just haven't reached it yet.

3) What's your favorite sport to play?
Chase the dog. Is that a sport? I also like to walk.

4) What's your favorite sport to watch, and who's your favorite team?
Nascar baby!! Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip, hubby likes E.jr and Mark Martin. At least we have one in common.

5) If you could pick your perfect career (and money doesn't matter/the kids are out of the house) what would it be?
Travel the world and take lots of pics. Well that would make money matter, cause someone would have to pay my expenses for a while. Money don't matter...work at a nursery and be someones apprentice.


6) Do you ever feel guilty for blogging?
Yes and no. I don't feel guilty for blogging, but with blogging comes responsibility to your readers and I feel guilty for not keeping up my part as I should.

7) What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas! Not for the presents, I prefer a present less Christmas. I like the decorating, gathering, feasting and the music.

8) What's your favorite kind of music?
Just about anything, except for rap. I really haven't paid much attention to current music, but I do have some music that is only 8-10 years old.

9) Do you consider yourself a good driver or bad driver?
I am a good driver, never had a ticket or accident. The fence might call me a liar, but never had on with another vehicle. So don't listen to the fence!

10) What's the farthest away place you have visited?
Not really a fair question. I have been to all 48 states, Mexico and Canada.

Now for the hard part I have to pick some of you excellent commenter's to pass this one along to:

1) Mrsbear at Outmunbered Two to One. Has her hands full with the daily life of a house full of kids, but yet she always manages to make me smile or laugh.

2) Peg at Square peg in a round hole. I'm still getting to know her, but so far I have found her to be down to earth and very friendly. Hey she is Suzicate's sister, what more needs to be said!

3) Gerardine at My Walking Path. She will take you into her little family and make you feel at home. She writes about her hubby, her pets and the beautiful nature around her.

4) E.D. at Eternally Distracted. Ohhh what can I say! This girl is hilarious! She writes about her life in a country that she has to remain anonymous. She most common subjects are Mec (her other half) and Max (her cockatoo).

5) Lucy at What is left of a whole new life. She is 80 years old and blogs. To me that is amazing! I hope to be still blogging when I'm that age. Heck I hope to still be around! She writes about daily life with hubby Joe and dog Spunky.

I also did another awards show a month ago, but for some reason nobody got there awards (except for South Dakota Cowgirl). It might have something to do with the fact that I forgot to personally inform them about it. Go here to check if one of those was yours!

MY Processes of Blogging-Undecided

I was going to commit myself to "Spread the Word, Thursday" I had every intention of doing this and I did for three weeks (I think). I write my post the night before, so Wednesday evening I am sitting here and it never crosses my mind that it will post Thursday. Just a little dense that way. About halfway through my Thursday's, I will remember, proceed to feel bad, shoot myself a bad word and quickly think about going in and adding it to my post . Five minutes later, I am struggling to remember "What was it I was going to do?" If it doesn't come to me within a minute (which it doesn't), my brain moves on to something else.

I have stuff floating around in my brain all the time, either from reading other blogs, from something on the tv or happenings around me. At first when I started this blog, I would write down all these random things and most of the time I wouldn't use them anyways. So I eventually stopped doing that.

Your probably wondering "Just what is this post about?"
My answer...ummm..I'm not sure really! Maybe it is just about MY processes of blogging. Boring, I know.

I wanted to start a weekly post of random pics of things around the house, but the camera's batteries are dead and I only have one battery left, it needs three.

I thought about showing yall the wallpaper I look at everyday, I thought it was a neat idea. Till I thought "How legal is that?", Can't you get in trouble for putting someone elses work on your site, without their permission?" So, alas I won't be showing you it, until I get confirmation that it is not breaking some kind of rule/law. Not sure how to get the permission, since I can't even remember where I got it.

Then there was the fleeting idea of writing about the weather, but seriously it's pretty much cold everywhere. If not, please don't tell me! I already have huge envy for those with central heat, right now! I don't need to add to the envy, people with natural heat.

I also thought about Stephanie's post about "Getting More Blog Readers" (if you haven't had the luxury of reading her blog, treat yourself on my dime, I'll still be here when you get back).

I thought it was an interesting assignment, but I don't think my dial-up would be able to handle a huge readership like hers. So, I shot that idea down. It's a miracle I manage as many blogs as I do. BTW..did ya notice I'm up to 20 followers. That just happened today, thank you Suzicate! She's another one you should take the time to visit.

Well, since I have put you through the post about indecision of what to post, I will leave you with this:


One of the presents I got from MIL, at Christmas. Check out those eyes! Yup, that's me!

A Long Journey with MIL

First things first, I want to apologize to my readers for yesterdays post! My goodness that was a horrible day! Glad I slept on it and woke up in a better mood, still ain't got no money, but still in a better mood. I want to thank you all for being supportive and trying to cheer me up.

Now...lets talk about my MIL.

The year is 1991 and I am meeting new boyfriends mother for the first time. I was scared out of my mind. Biting my lip and fidgeting with my hair. I pause my man at the door to his childhood home and ask "Do we really have to do this?"

My previous MIL and I took about four years to get to like each other. I just knew this was a bad idea.

We walk in the door, I am holding strongly to his arm. Mostly for fear I would fall from my legs giving out on me. They were knocking!

Apparently she didn't know we was coming, cause we found her sitting in her room reading a book. I know I had to have looked like a deer caught in the headlights, cause she looked at me so intensely. It was as is I could read minds suddenly, cause hers was saying "Are you good enough for my only son? Are you a fling or are you going to let him fall for you and then break his heart?"

As this was all sinking into my brain and I was trying to muster up the courage to speak, in an instant I was suddenly forgotten and invisible to her. As if she had made the conclusion that I was just a fling and not worth the effort to get to know.
I'm sure her decision was based on the fact that I was 11 years younger than her son.

For the first three years of our relationship, his mother started to open up some doors of communication, very slowly. We even stayed at her house for three weeks (while having plumbing done on our house), this time with her didn't soften anything between us.

When hubby burnt his hands and arms in that third year, I had to call her. I guess her hearing the panic in my voice, made her realize that I truly loved her son. We then started getting a little closer. More civil and actually having short conversations! She has never been a big talker and I have accepted that, I felt blessed to even have her attention.

Eleven years into our relationship, hubby was in a accident at work and again I had to call her. Hubby had to have a couple of surgeries and stays in the hospital. His mother insisted I stay at her house and use her car to go back and forth to see him. This was huge turning point in our relationship. Even after hubby got out of the hospital she would come over nearly every two weeks to check on not just him, but both of us. I even started receiving Christmas presents from her.

Hubby and I got married in our fifteenth year (that was three years ago). His mother came up to me and said "Welcome to the family". I was standing there in shock and a little bit of hurt, like "What about the past fifteen years? Was I not part of the family all this time?" Thankfully I didn't get mad, or we would never have the relationship we have now.

The past three years have been wonderful. We talk and laugh and have WHOLE conversations. Who knew that piece of paper was so important to her!

This Christmas she presents me with a huge bag of presents. She had been shopping for me for months! That bag had over twenty presents in it and only three of those were for her son, I was amazed she had given me that much thought.

Thank goodness we made it through the first fifteen, cause I wouldn't trade these last three for nothing!

Capitol Wedding

About three weeks ago, I received a call from my brother to inform me that he and my bf are finally going to get married!

He tells me this fabulous news, but I am under strict orders to not tell anyone or to blog about it. Totally mean!!

Finally, they tell my parents and the word spreads quickly from there. Now I can share my excitement, at least with the family.

Not being able to blog about it has been extremely difficult and has consumed my brain. It is really hard to put up a post, when it has nothing to do with what I want to say!

After much whining, begging and pleading, I get permission to blog! I would share pics, but I still don't have permission. YET! Kinda NOT funny that these twenty-somethings can tell me what I can and cannot do. Grrrr...but because I love them, I bite my tongue and nails and behaved. I even tried to do write a post, something without any specific details. I never could get it right, so you never saw it.

Anyway, last Sunday was the big day!

The plan was to have a simple, come as you are, casual wedding in front of the state capitol. As soon as I heard the state capitol, I wasn't too sure which I was more exited about: the wedding or being in the presence of such grand history.
It was both! So you can get an idea of just how excited I was.

Well, the plan of clothes quickly changed when my brother called and asked if I could PLEASE dress up a little. Since he will be wearing a suit and my bf is getting new clothes just for the occasion. Grrr...I don't own many dressy clothes, like maybe three dresses and one of those was my own casual wedding dress! I dug out the dress I bought at the thrift store two years ago and had never worn. Funny how, now all my dresses have somebodies wedding attached to them.

Hubby and I head out for the two hour drive, both in clothes we are not comfortable in. Thankfully hubbies humor kept me laughing or we would have been a lot more miserable than we already were. I hate to wear pantyhose..so my big turkey thighs were stuck together the whole time, what I wouldn't have given for some britches!! Hubbies big santa belly was being dug into by his belt buckle, he would have rather had his rainbow suspenders! We are horrible creatures all dressed up, but we looked nice! Almost as good as we looked at our own wedding, three years ago! I felt weird cause my Mom liked the dress, even asked if I didn't like it maybe I could give it to her. I officially hate the dress NOW! Naw, just kidding! Love you mommy!

We were using this family gathering, as a chance to exchange Christmas presents as well. Hubby gave me the choice of going to the wedding or going to the Christmas get together, since they were only 2 weeks apart. I'll take the wedding! After giving gifts, we head to the capitol.

I'm telling hubby how to get there from the directions I printed out. I see it! I see it! I swear hubby nearly ran off the road from my excitement! I felt like a school kid on a field trip! Way more giddy than the sheets at the thrift store!

Everybody piles out of their cars, hubby and I pass all the slow pokes..a.k.a older peeps and infants. We was in a hurry to get to the plaques and statues, before the wedding. Mom is yelling that we are going the wrong way, dah mom we know that! You can't take two history buffs to the state capitol and expect us NOT to educate ourselves! I don't know how they could just bypass all that historical information without a second thought. We could have stayed there for days, taking it all in.

The wedding is performed on a star on the ground, on the south side of the architecturally gorgeous capitol.
Brother was all smiles and bf (I need to learn to call her sister now) looked like she was on the verge of tears, probably not, maybe that was me! Us sister's all hug her and yell SHE'S A ___! (insert maiden name).

Now "One stop hubby" is ready to go! No, we have to go to the reception! He reluctantly went, only cause he was super hungry and there was CAKE!

I'll do the reception on another post.

Past, Present and Future

A little something about

Christmas's past...

When I was a kid, I remember that we did have a real tree for a few years. I don't know when we quit doing that. I remember hating to have to clean up after the darn thing, it shed worse than our cat did.
Dad had those very large multi colored Christmas lights. I loved those!
Mom's tradition for stockings (when we had stockings, if we didn't she would use a box)...
one Apple
one Orange
one Banana
one box of Cracker Jacks
and a book/box of Lifesavers

We didn't ever have a fireplace, so my mom would slide these under our beds in the middle of the night. How do I know this? I would peek! Naughty child that I was!

We made our tree's decorations. Mom would get colored glass balls, gave us glitter and glue and we always did one with our name on it. One year we even made our own stockings with felt and glitter.

The good old times when we did things together, before I caught wind of all the things other families were buying instead of making.


Christmas's present...

Lets just go back five years. For my side of the family, we have always gotten presents for my parents and the four kids and my niece. Well since the family has grown so much (with spouses and nieces and nephews), we finally decided to draw adult names three years ago. Which really didn't change things much for my parents with having to still buy for seven grand kids, each other and two adults. For me and hubby, even with the new system were having to buy for over 20 people (kids and adults combined).

So finally after many talks on the matter and to ease every one's financial burdens, we have agreed to only do our own households and to get together only for a Christmas dinner. Lets hope everyone got the memo!

Mom usually is the one to tell everybody where and when Christmas is going to happen. We haven't had Christmas on Christmas day in a long time. It is always based on when everyone is available. Last year's Christmas wasn't celebrated till January of this year.
I actually liked that, cause it gave me more time to get stuff at the after Christmas sales.


Christmas's future...

My grand kids are going to be thrilled next year. Most of the money I spent on my family will now be able to go to them and their parents. Something I haven't been able to do for sometime. I always felt like a bad Nana, cause our money was being stretched too many ways. I will be able to focus more on them and regain my great Nana status!

Hopefully, my hubby will return to me, that happy HO-HO guy that has recently been replaced with the Grinch!

I am soo DONE!!

Yesterday, I managed to get all of the Christmas Cards done! I only had to use one book of stamps, I have one pile for mailing and three piles of hand delivery cards. After this coming Sunday, I will be down to one pile.

I tell hubby about getting them done and all he has to do is lick them and put them in the mailbox. This stops him in his tracks, he looks at me and says..repeat that.
I got to the licking part and he shakes his head so hard, it looked like it was going to fly off his head. All the while making a face and sticking his tounge out..YUCK,YUCK! I'm NOT licking any envelopes!! I cracked up!



Still laughing..I put the pile on his area, by the door. So he will take them to the mailbox on his way out in the morning.

He states..I told you, I'm not licking those!
Laughing harder now
Hubby..I mean it!

After waving my hands to make him stop, I managed to get some air to say..
They are already licked! I knew you wouldn't. I was just messing with you!


I am also finished with the Christmas shopping!! They are all boxed up and ready to be delivered Sunday!

Done, done, done!

A Tradition Dies.

For nearly twenty years now, my most major tradition was...

Every year I go to Wal-Mart and get us an ornament and have the clerk in the jewelry department engrave the year on the front or the back depending on the style.

Last year I didn't do my shopping till late in the season and there wasn't anymore (so I thought). I was disappointed, but soon forgot about it.

Today I went to get us one for this year and last year.
I looked and looked and found none.
I asked the clerk at the jewelry booth and she looked at me like I was crazy.
I'm trying to explain to the girl..you know the ones that y'all engrave.
She pointed to a wall of display and said that was all the Christmas stuff they had or go to the Christmas decorations department.
I went to the wall she indicated, nope not there.
I go to the far end of the store and search each isle. Nothing!
I'm getting really frustrated!
I was even letting some curse words escape under my breathe.

I stopped a worker, someone who looked like they had been there a while.
Well...Her reply was...We stopped carrying those two years ago!
*
*
OH NO! What am I going to do now?
I come home and hit up the Internet. I tried every word combination I could think of and was getting nowhere. I did find that just a few days ago, someone else just found out the same thing about those ornaments and was asking for help. The help gave a place to get them but I would have to travel four hours round trip for them. That's not going to happen!

Finally, after many hours for searching, I found the right words.
At last, I found a small amount of them! Only downside to this is that they cost twice as much as I would've paid for them. I got the two I needed, anyways.

Now I am going to have to come up with another way to mark the years.
Any suggestions?

Sneeking a Peek

I was eleven and the Christmas tree was set up and some of the presents where already under the tree. My grandmother had just been to our house (the day before) to drop off the presents from her. My parents weren't home and the kids (siblings) were napping.

I kneel on the floor and look through the presents to find the one with my name on it. I find it and am curious as to why it is so small. It feels light as air, like nothing is in it but paper. Curiosity peeked as bad as "What prize is in the Cracker Jacks?!" I run to the door, look out the peep hole, nobody is coming. I go to the kitchen with the big window and scan the whole area, still nobody is coming. I still have this light as air present in my hands. I knew what I was thinking was wrong and if I got caught I was going to get a whipping. I just couldn't resist the curiosity, it was too strong.

I had seen daddy do this many times, I knew I could do it to. I ever so gently pulled on the tape, trying real hard not to tear the paper. My heart is pounding in my ears, the excitement was giving me a adrenaline rush, but the fear was ALMOST enough to make me stop. I didn't of course. I felt like I was moving in slow motion and breathing was too much noise. I get it peeled off and every so quietly unfold the edge.

It is something green and crocheted. My heart sank, I was so disappointed it wasn't something fun or fashionable, but still I just had to know what my grandmother had thought I would want. Maybe it is a dress for my doll, that would be neat. (Yes, I still played with dolls) My mind went all over the place, trying to think what it could be. I wasn't going to pull it out of the wrapping, for fear that I would never get it back in. Before I could stick to my plan, I was pulling it out!


SLIPPERS! The ugliest things I had even seen! Even the color of the green was sickening. They were two rectangular strips sewn together, they pointed at the toes!


Today, I could kick my eleven year old butt. Not knowing then that that was going to be the last present I ever got from my Grandmother. Not because she was gone. No, we were gone, we moved from Maine to Texas eight months later. I only saw her two times after that, at 18 and again at 25. She passed two years ago at the age of 92.

The point of my story is...Love your family, TODAY! Appreciate their efforts, even if you don't really like it. You never know what the future holds.


Ps...In the writing of this memory, the realization of this being her last present swept over me and of course changed my ending. No, I didn't get caught

Soo you DO believe in Santa Clause!!

Phone convo with sister…

Me...What was the most memorable Christmas present?
Sister...One year, I wanted a cabbage patch doll. I was opening all my presents and was disappointed there wasn’t a cabbage patch doll!


There was a knock at the door and I answered the door and there wasn’t anyone there, but there was a present.

Dad‘s yelling who is it?
S...Nobody, just a present!
Dad...Well, who is it for?
S...Looks at the tag and yells… IT”S FOR ME!!
It was the cabbage patch doll she'd been wanting!

M...Who was missing from the room?
S...Nobody, everybody was there.
M...Who was out of breathe?
S...Nobody.
M...Oh! Soo you DO believe in Santa Clause!!! LOL!


Niece and sister convo…

Niece...This year I am going to find out for sure if there really is a Santa Clause!
S...How are you going to do that?
N...I’m going to check Santa’s handwriting on the tags, if it looks like yours or daddies then I will know there is no Santa.


I told my sister to take all the tags to work and have someone else do them!


Niece finds her letters to Santa in her mother’s room.


N...How did you get my letters to Santa?
S...Santa said we could have them for keepsakes.

The Battle of the Lights

Hubby is the worst when it comes to the household lights.

He goes from room to room turning off the lights, whether I am going back and forth in those rooms.

He's a true believe in "Your not in that room, so the light shouldn't be on!"

This drives me crazy!!

I gripe at him, but it falls on deaf ears (literally).

I go back through switching them back on and grumbling under my breathe.



I get up this morning and I notice right off that the Christmas tree has been turned off.

To me the best part of having the tree up, is the lights!

I switch them back on and stomp my foot and yell to an empty house...

"Why does he insist on doing that?" Grumble, grumble...



This evening...

We are enjoying a night of back to back Humphrey Bogart movies.

Every thing is going great, a few chuckles here and there.

UNTIL...

Hubby is getting ready to go to bed.

He walks into the office and turns out that light, then proceeds to turn out the living room light.

I get my beg in and he puts it on low. Fair enough, I can live with that.

BUT THEN...

He walks over to turn off the Christmas tree!!!!!

I lost it!

Why do you keep doing that?

No reply

Can you give me an honest reason why?

Still no reply

I'm getting madder! Voice getting higher!

Every year we argue about this! Give me a reason why!

He stands there with hand hovering over the switch.

With a chuckle in his voice, he speaks...calmly and evenly

"I like having something, to argue with you about and to watch you get all riled up."


That was equal to ripping a hole in my hot air balloon!

I deflated and was amusingly defeated.

BUT, he's asleep and the tree is still lit!

(shhh)I WIN!!!

Christmas Decorations

I decided that I was going to get the tree done today. I dig out all my Christmas boxes and proceeded to pick a color. I chose a Peppermint Christmas, that is what I have the most of.

I get the lights out and for some reason they are all tangled up. I didn't put them away properly 2 years ago. (We didn't do tree and decorating last year.) I usually put them back in the box that they came in, but instead I put them on plastic rollers. I guess in the move the rollers got broken and the string of lights were all tangled up.

I manage to get them untangled and was ABOUT to put them on the tree. I told myself..You better at least check that they are all working. Sure enough, at least half or more of the lights weren't working.

I check through all the boxes, before I realized I didn't have any replacements. I gave those to the Freecycle Girl!

So I hop in my truck and head to my local stores. After going to DG and FD and not finding any, I had to break down and buy new ones. Man, this little town sure does need a Wal-Mart or Home Depot, something other than these China stores. Not the point, sorry for putting a little rant in there!

Anyway, I did pick up other things..it's inevitable, I can't seem to just go in a store and buy ONLY what I went there for. Garland and greenery for the gate and garland for the porch railings. I put those up as soon as I got home. Nothing fancy, just enough to show I do have some Christmas spirit.

The large plastic candy canes, that I used to have lining the walkway. Have some how lost their spikes to go into the frozen ground. So...I hung them in the leafless peach tree..Ha Ha!!

I then went on to do hubbies job. His job every year is to fluff the tree and string the lights. I managed to get the lights on but it looked nothing like when hubby does it. I was secretly hoping that once he saw my attempt, he would shake his head and fix it. NO, he takes one look at it and declares I did a good job. Lazy ass! jk, sorta!

Out of all this...there is one thing that baffles me each year. I can carefully put away the Christmas lights and every year there are always some that don't work. Why is that? Is it tempature related or what?

Well I'm halfway there.

How's your decorating going? Any tangled lights? LOL

The Pressure I put on Myself

The pressure I have put on myself to get this house into shape for all my expected company this Thursday, is really working. We have found our niche, we work better under pressure (well at least I do and I drag his weary old body along with me).

Yesterday hubby and I got a lot done in my bedroom. Mostly moving things around and reorganizing boxes, compacting everything enough to get space for my bed.

You heard me right! My bed is finally no longer in the living room, it has made it into the bedroom! Not exactly how I was hoping it would go. I was hoping to get the new floor in and some paint on the walls before this, but hey, I'll take it for now.

Getting the bed out of the living room, opened up the chance to move some furniture into the living room where it belonged, instead of scattered through out the house. I was thrilled with all of this, I had been waiting so long for it. I spent a good while of the day, repositioning everything trying to make it look decent and functional for hubby. Not an easy task with what old crappy furniture I have to work with. I will probably still move some things today, it just isn't flowing well for me, just yet.

Moving furniture and cleaning, hubby pooped out on me after a few hours, but I got a lot out of him and then there is still today. He is going to be begging to go back to work, just to get away from me!

My dogs were quite confused last night when I said "lets go to bed", they looked at me as if to say "where is the bed?" I busted out laughing!

It was weird sleeping in the bedroom for the first time, but I'm sure we will get used to it.

Hubby and I are debating on whether to put up the Christmas tree now or to wait till after Thanksgiving. He wants it up and I'm just not sure, but I think MAYBE I'll let him have his way, this time!

He sure has been such a good sport about it all and such a big helper!!

Freecycle Girl

Here is the post on Freecycle that I couldn't ignore:
We have just relocated here and are horribly broke. I have two kids. My son is nine and daughter is sixteen months. I don't have anything for the Christmas season.

I'm in DESPERATE need of an artificial tree and decorations. Anything will help.


As I had previously posted, I dug around in my Christmas stuff and came up with 4 full containers and 5 rolls of wrapping paper, to give to this girl.

I commented on her post:
This is my first time actually answering a post, not sure how this works.

So, your post has made me go through all my Christmas boxes and I have come up with at least 4 boxes of stuff...balls, one large strand of lights, garland, 5 rolls wrapping paper, cards, bows, wreath and hanger, gift boxes and Christmas nicknack's, stuffed animals for the kids, ect..ect..

My truck isn't working very good and I live way on the SW side. I could meet you halfway. Let me know.

She replies back with a phone number.

Freecycle girl has now turned into Stephanie.

They are from Washington (the state) and had decided to move here, in search for JOBS. (I know the economy is bad, but to leave your area in search of jobs. My heart was bleeding) Thankfully she has a brother here, so they do have a place to stay. Stephanie's hubby found a job in his line of work, but is having to start out on the bottom of the totem pole. It's a job, at least there's that. She is grateful and now that I am acquainted with, them so am I.

Her brother has nothing in the way of Christmas. He is a bachelor and had never felt the need to do or buy anything. (Very sad)

I asked her if there was a specific color she was hoping for?
Blue and white and silver, she replies.
Perfect, I have a bunch of that.
She was getting excited. (It was like..I could see her mind working with what she could do with all her new stuff.)
This was soo much fun!

We agree to meet at a gas station on Saturday, 4 days later.

Now, my experience with Craigslist is:

1) They will find a better offer and not call and let you know.
2) They will change their minds and again not call.
3) They will just not show up for said meeting.

I was very apprehensive about how this was going to play out.

Thankfully with Freecycle, they really do want the items they post for.

Saturday finally gets here and I realize we didn't exchange our looks or type of vehicles. How are we going to recognize each other?

I call her back. (I secretly wanted to confirm they were actually coming) She had thought of the same thing and yes they are coming. Relief Washington plates..dah, sometimes I wonder about my head

Hubby as I said, was moving really slow due to the show he was watching. We are about halfway there and I look at the clock.

I grumble "were going to be late".
Hubby..You said 4 o'clock, didn't you?
I..Yes, but I didn't mean for us to get there right at 4 or after (I hate to be late and he knows it).

We pull into the gas station and hubby starts getting gas and there they are. They had just gotten there, they had gotten lost. I let hubby off the hook cause it all worked out.

I had all the stuff in clear plastic containers.
She exclaims..The containers too!
My hubby..No point in taking them out, now is there?
We all got a pretty good laugh out of that.

She could see the blue and silver garland in the container. Her eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree! Oh, I am so excited! I'm going to start decorating as soon as I get home!

The meeting was brief, but will last me a lifetime!

I got this from her yesterday:
I just want to thank you again...you've helped sooo much.


I love to give, more than receive!

Christmas in November

Hubby got his Christmas presants already.
I ordered them, but one came to the house: 3 pairs of biballs...


and the other was shipped to the store and was ready to be picked up. A 32" LCD


A step up from this 20" box tv. (not a great pic but really, how many people take a pic of their tv's?)


We already had to go to town to meet the girl from Freecycle. (I will post about that tomorrow.) While waiting for 3pm to come around, I checked my emails. Perfect timing, his presant is ready. I really did want to save it for Christmas, but this would be my only chance into the city for about two more weeks. They would have sent it back by then.

Hubby had been watching the Mad Max trilogy and as we were about to leave, he is even peeking in at the tv through the crack of the closing door. He says, Why am I going? You can do this yourself! Do I really have to go? I had already told him his presant (not what it was) was waiting to get picked up! At the word "Presant", I am soo there! He puzzles me sometimes, Mad Max is more important than a presant. I think to myself, Hmmm...Mel Gibson on a 32" would be so much better!

If I had known that the newer tv's were so light I would have gone by myself. I figured they were just as heavy as the tv we had or even more, since it was bigger. I thought I was going to need his help.

We stop to get gas and I signal to him that I'm going to walk to the store, meet me over there.
He...No that is a long walk and the traffic is getting heavy.
Good point but daggummit I'm so excited!
Me...I'm more excited about your presant, than you are.
He..well if you will tell me what it is, maybe I would be too.
Me..I give in and show him on the reciept what it says
Now that got him, pace picks up and nothing but grins!

I had to reign him in, there for a moment. The very first tv he saw in the store was this gigantic, monster of a tv (I don't even think we have a wall that big). His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head! I had to inform him that that is NOT it. Very sad moment, but it didn't last long. They rolled out HIS tv and he stood there looking at the box in the most loving way...I think I should have been jealous!

His final comment after getting it set up:

The race sunday is going to be AWESOME!!!!

AND he is still grinning!

Digging for Freecycle

I joined my local group for Freecycle, after being told about it by f8hasit. It's an organization that is set up to save things from going into the landfills. If you don't want it or don't need it anymore and was planning to just throw it away, go to Freecycle and post it or see if someone else has already asked for it. No money is exchanged at all, everything marked as "offer" is FREE and everything marked as "wanted" they want for FREE. Why not give out of the generosity of your heart, to someone in need?

I get emails from Freecycle all the time showing me what people are offering or wanting. It's been two weeks now and none of the previous posts was something I could do. Until yesterday.

This girl wrote she and her 2 kids just moved to this area and have nothing for Christmas, like...tree and decorations.

This got me to thinking of the mountain of boxes of decorations I have. Pink and gold, red and white, blue and silver, clear and pale green. The various different color themes of Christmas's past. I am a huge after Christmas sale shopper, so I am very well over stocked and even have a lot of items that still have the tags on them. Surely I can get together some things for this girl!

I spent most of yesterday going through my room (currently my storage area) just to get to those boxes. Hello hubby, still waiting on my storage shed! Ohh my goodness, the junk I have!

I found 16 boxes of Christmas card! WT* is up with that? I only have maybe 30 people to send cards to!

9 boxes of Christmas stuff! 2 containers of wrapping paper, enough to last for five more Christmas's! LOL! I cant believe I had that much, how could I possibly use all that for one Christmas? I don't! I just really like having options...hmm what color Christmas are we going to have this year? Now that I think about it's just kinda silly, considering so many are in need. I feel soo much shame for my Christmas addiction.

I was up till one in the morning, before I finally finished. My back and feet were killing me but I felt great because I knew this stuff was going to someone who really needs it. Instead of sitting in boxes, taking up space, for who knows how many more years, till I decide to have that color again.

I managed to get 3 boxes of decorations for her.

Now, what to do with all those Christmas cards?

I've talked to the girl and we will be meeting this weekend.

My legs are cold!

I spent most yesterday in my house coat or as some would call "Robe", due to the fact that we got our first real taste of Fall yesterday morning.

I bought this big, fluffy, cream colored, mid-calf, front zippered house coat a few (more like 4) years back. Since then the zipper has busted, not the teeth but the thing you hold in your fingers. I have become accustomed to just wrapping it about me and holding it closed.

Silly I know, why not just get a new one or replace the zipper thingy. I keep telling myself that I am going to get a new one before winter kicks in, by time winter gets here I am strapped for funds. For some reason the stores here don't start selling house coats till around October and $30 (at least I think they are still that much) shouldn't be such a big deal, but for the last few years it has been.

Soo..I end up going the whole winter with this broken zipper. I could fix it if I gave it a shot, but I just keep putting it off secretly hoping someone will get me one for Christmas. Hey family are ya reading this!!

I want a house coat that goes all the way down to my feet! I am a huge fan of old movies and in a lot of them you will see women walking around in these house coats that go all the way down to their feet. I can't seem to find any.

Why can't they make those anymore? Or do they? If they do, I bet it's not $30!

Do they think our legs don't need covering? My legs are cold, just as much as the rest of me!