Premature Celebration

I know I'm a couple days early, but I'm heading out of town, and out of touch.  I wanted to wish everyone a "Happy New Year!"



Here's hoping 2010 is great for all of us, and includes:

Plenty of naps

Puppy dog kisses

Soft comfy pj pants

Good books, good movies and good dreams

Missouri winning the College World Series

Good health and happiness for all our loved ones

I raise my glass to you my blogging friends, and wish us all the VERY best in 2010!!!

xxx

Next?

Christmas was great, people were happy, gifts were good, crab legs were delicious.  Singing Silent Night with candles always makes me teary.

Okay, all done, now it's on to other things!  And by other things, I mean, it's time for our annual trek to my FAVORITE spot in the world.  On Wednesday, we leave for Eagle's Nest Hideaway.

ENH is a house in the Smoky Mountains.  Steven and I have been going there for years now.  Sometimes we go alone, sometimes with friends.  But, on New Years Eve, we always go with Larry/Mary and Mike/Tracy.  It's tradition. 

It used to be fairly easy, as we and M/T lived in the same city.  L/M live about 90 miles from us, so the trek was fairly uncomplicated.

Over two years ago, the Air Force yanked M/T to Altus, Oklahoma.  (middle of nowhere folks!)   So, they drive 22 hours to spend the holidays with their family here, and then make the drive up the mountain to ring in the new year.

There's loads of food to be eaten.  Beer is the unofficial "official" drink.  We play Scrabble.  We play Dominos.  We nap.  We catch up on the past year's events.  Last year we saw Tom Jones sing.  That man is so hot, even at 68!!

We've had many challenges arise, but we always manage to get there.  We've got the distance factor with M/T.

A couple years ago, Mary was diagnosed with cancer, and had just completed treatment in time for the trip.  A little chemo and radiation didn't keep anyone from the hot tub.

Last year, Mary was really pregant.  Again, that didn't keep us from posing for the camera. 

This year, Tracy is prego.  She has graciously volunteered to be the Beer Wench. 

It's nice that in this very busy world in which we live, that we are able to get to this little slice of heaven every year.  It's my "after Christmas" Christmas present.

And, I can promise you this:  I will NOT be the pregnant one next year!!

And to all a good night

Peace on Earth, good will to man.

Merry Christmas to All.

xxx

Christmas Eve Right Now

Daughter is asleep.

Son is too far away.

Man is going to buy leaf bags.

Dog thinks she's going for a walk.  (she's not)

Cat is looking at me, begging for food.

I'm making Chex Party Mix.

Beverly Hills 90210 is on the television.

Sun is shining, back door is open, and I'm hearing sirens, a lot of them.  I say a quick prayer for all those involved.

Must turn on Christmas Tree lights.

Daughter just got out of bed?

Going to see Marlene's children's choir today.

Christmas Eve drop in tonight.

Wind Chimes ringing, that means Mom is talking to me.

Happy Christmas.

Spit, Cakes, Christmas and M&Ms

Why do boys/men spit all the time? 

I do NOT like that M&M's commercial where they are filming the female green M&M and they're all getting hot and bothered.  (melt anyone?)  I don't like her white high heels and to me, she comes off as a big ol' tease.  I don't like that in women.  Or in M&Ms.

We're eating Snow Crab Legs for Christmas dinner.  Yum.

Is Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) hiding a balding spot by wearing a ballcap all the time?  Bald is so "in."  Mike, take off the hat.

My Secret Santa bought me the coziest blankie; pink and brown.  I'm lying under it right now and I'm thinking of never leaving.

Is it humanly possible to get a bathtub completely clean and shiny? 

Favorite Christmas songs/carols/hymns  (in no particular order):  Lullay Thou Little Tiny Child, Mary, did you know? Lo, how a rose ere blooming, Silent Night.

I'm amazed at some of these gorgeous cakes I'm seeing on TV and the internet of late.  I can't ice a cake and not get part of the cake in the icing!

The Cup Tower in my room currently stands at 7.

One of the few Christmas commercials that doesn't annoy me is the Hershey's Kiss commercial with bells playing, "We wish you a Merry Christmas."  Simple.  Effective.  Short.   Like me.

And to quote my Mary:  "I wish you GOOD DAY!"

Rosie-Susie

It's happened folks.  The day has come, and I have turned into my mother.  Lordy Be.

I can't complete a full sentence anymore.  I get...................oh, my thoughts go off in a different direction.  She used to do this. 

I am obsessed with my dog in an unhealthy manner.  She loved loved loved our dog, "PJ" to the point of loving her more than anyone else in our house.  (I'm ahead of her, I love myself best!)

She used the wrong words.  She always wanted to see a football game at the "mausoleum"  (Coliseum) and she loved the dogs that were Malibus and Muskies.  (a car and a fish)  And yes, I'm doing that. 

Rosie tended to exaggerate.  A LOT.  I mean, a million gajillion times a day! 

The woman loved red.  (note:  red belt below)  I am currently in my RED phase. 

The woman was culinarily (is that a word??) challenged.  She was a whiz at appetizers, but Lord the woman struggled with day to day meals.  Tonight, I had runny sauce with my Chicken Scallopine.  I am channeling my mother.

She loved to sleep.  That is now my favorite thing on the planet.

My nose will run water.  When I sneeze, I say, "God Bless America."  The skin on my hands looks weird.  I'm always listening to "oldies."  We do have our differences, for example, she was petite, and I am not.  She sported false eyelashes, I can barely manage mascara.  My mother was an unhappy alcoholic.  I am a happy person.

I dreaded this day for most of my years. I didn't want to be like her. I didn't want to be anything like her. She had so many shortcomings. She did so many things wrong. She made so many mistakes. You know, she was human.  But, she loved all of us, in her own way.  I understand that now.  We all love to the best of our abilities.  And, in her life, I don't think she ever called another woman a bitch, or any other name.  It took me way too long to discover that she was a lady and had grace and class; or as she would say, "clace and grass."

On Tuesday, she will have been gone for 14 years.  She's missed so many changes in my life, missed my kid's youth, and missed her golden years.  And, we've missed her presence in our lives.  So, I guess if I have to be Rosie Redux, it aint so bad after all. 

More Vintage Oddities

Well, at least now I know why my Christmas presents always had something wrong with them.... 

Santa, were you drinking a little too much egg nog before you started your deliveries?  Or, did you take a giant misstep and just spill down the side of the mountain in Tommy Brown's sled?  Either way, I'm not impressed with your lack of planning.

Oh, how I love these vintage cards.  Please indulge me (again!!), as we review some from the Christmas section.

Again with the sled!  Is it just me, or do the kids in front all look drugged/constipated or a combination of the two?  And, why in the world would little boy blue be blowing his horn?  Do you think that when they got to the bottom of the hill that the three drugged ones beat the crap out of the horn blower?

I'm not sure I like thinking of Santa with binoculars.  Santa is a perv??

Well, first of all, the birds in my 'hood don't wear clothes; nice or tatty.  And, if I ever see a bird with an eyepatch, I will probably have nightmares for quite awhile.  Little rich bird looks like a bit of a snob.  He probably only eats "imported" bird seed.

Here we have a German Christmas card.  I certainly hope I don't offend any Germans, but is it standard operating procedure to have the devil on greeting cards?  He looks a bit vampire-ish as well, like he's going to devour this fine lady.  And, those chains are a bit disturbing, if not titillating!

Creepy.  Just Creepy.

And finally, there's this little gem.  I have never fully understood the animal on animal race.  (can you see the words?  "a dead heat for the plate")  I see a turkey and two pigs, but for the life of me, I have no idea what that thing with the lemonhead is.  Do you?

Cards these days are SO boring in comparison.  I was definitely born in the wrong era.