Christmas, Comin At Ya!

Tonight on the news one of the items was about the fact that Christmas tree sales are down. Hey folks, it's still November.I can feel it coming at me like a runaway train. One week it's too early to put up decorations and before ya know it you are cutting it too close.
So, we are having a dilemma here. We NEVER EVER put up a fake tree. I was raised by a Christmas fanatic. My Dad had his problems but he did Christmas right. Back in the 50's when I was a little girl, he took me along to pick out the tree. It was more than that. It was training. He always got 2 trees. One big one and one little not so good tree. The little tree was stripped of its branches and some were used to decorate the mantle and the others were drilled into the big tree to make it fuller and fill in any blank spots. My first husband came from a very poor family and they didn't always have a tree. My husband Joe came from a JW family and never even had Christmas. Neither one of them was qualified to choose a tree so it has always been my job. Not that they just let me have that job. No, they both at one time tried to impose a sub standard tree on our kids but luckly it's never bothered me to fight in front of the tree guys. I don't care if Joe picks the tree as long as it meets the requirements. I think he sorta picked the tree last year. This year after putting the new roof on our house we haven't much money. Joes boss gave him a very nice "fake" tree and he was thinking that we could save money by using it instead of forking out major bucks for the real thing. Now on this we agree. I want to save that money. It's a nice tree,a big tree. But it aint real! I mentioned it to the kids,the grown ones who have their own homes, they will have their own trees(real ones)and even so they all had a fit. You know what they say,"there's no place like home for the holidays". Home is Moms house. Maybe I just figured out what I need to do. Christmas isn't about presents(okay,a little) it's about well, first it's about Jesus. It's about traditions and all the things that we do with our family in the weeks leading up to the big day.(Seems I missed alot of "what it's about". I re-read this and I am ashamed of me.) I hang cards up that my Grandma sent to me and the kids. She's been gone for many yrs now. In fact lots of the cards I hang are from family and dear friends that have passed on. I love to see the cards each year and think of them. So, I guess I will be spending a little less on gifts this year and get out there for our annual tree fight. Ahh yes, tis the season!

And Then We Ate More

A holiday that revolves around food is naturally a big favorite in my family. I finally got all my food cooked and ready to load and only an hour late this time. I am always late. I have been married twice,both times with semi-wet hair. Just as we were going out the door Heather called(daughter at whose home we were going for dinner) baby Natalie had a temp of 102 and Heather was going to the emergency room. Natalie had pneumonia last month and an ear infection 2 weeks ago. Seems the ear was infected again. In our little town your average wait at the ER is not very long. That was not the case today. Heather was gone for 4 hours. Everyone ate and we did the dishes and just Joe and Cady and I were still there when she got home.Heather would normally be irked at waiting so long with a baby. Today she came in and told us what she was grateful for. She was grateful that all she needed was a perscription for an antibiotic. There was a baby Natalies age that had swallowed a large bit of rat poison,an old woman who had fallen and was covered in blood,a woman whose mastectomy incision had become badly infected and the list goes on. I am thankful that we are all pretty healthy and we had way too much food. The baby that ate the poison is going to be fine by the way.
After Heather got back we watched "The Breakup". I didn't like the ending at all. I want the happy ending dammit!
Anyway the day went okay and I am back on the computer hunting down more "CHEESY LOVE SONGS". I asked everyone there what songs they would choose. The girls all said "EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN". The guys just gave me the blank duh look. I am going to start on my list in the morning. Hope everyone had a great day.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's been a while since I posted. I am not too thrilled about my lame posts and have been trying to think of how to improve them. As you can see, I have not come up with any good ideas yet. I just read Silly Hily and she is signing off and out. I do not know this gal but love to read her. Even though she didn't say exactly why she was quiting, some of what she had to say hit home. I feel oddly attached to some of you. I feel like I know you. But I don't. If you left I would miss you. I will miss Silly Hily. I have friends I made here in computerland. We write on a regular basis. It is a strange thing to make friends in this way. "Mikeythearc" was the first person I ever met online.We met 6 years ago on Napster. He was my friend when my marriage was falling apart,he became my husbands friend when we got back together. He and my husband hooked up video cams so we could talk and see. It was fun. When his longtime love and him split up he spent a year or more very sad and lonely and only communicated with me through short stories of "The Traveler". I wrote him back in story form. In the end he came out of the dark and last Dec he married a fantastic artist and is living a happy life. We were able to be there for one another in an odd way and it was only because we where friends who have never met. I don't know the sound of Mikeys voice but he is my friend after a fashion.
I hope all of you have a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. I will be up early tomorrow with my hand inside a cold turkey. I never enjoy that part. It's too early to touch dead stuff. Too early to feel my eyes burning while I saute onions and celery. Thats what you do when you are the mom. It's all so worth it when you gather round the table with your family and give thanks.
May God bless all of you and yours this day.

Finally

I know Tom is kind of strange but I still hope he will be happy. No, actually I hope Katie will be happy. I think she is so cute. Besides,I have reached maximum overload with news about them. And yet I post news about them. See how I am?

My Sister!!

Today I wrote to and got a reply from my sister Claudia. We were never allowed to be real sisters. But even so it seems that we have much the same story about our Dad. We may help each other heal and answer a million questions. We all have different pieces of the same puzzle. Claudia was from one of my Dads secret families. My Dad married Claudias' Mom before he divorced my Mom. He married 3 different women while married to my Mom. Maybe he needed the extreem stress that would come with juggling 2 families at once. He always seemed to keep it to 2 families at a time. The others had to wait their turn. Like waiting in line at 31 Flavors,take a # please. Claudia and I both agree,we love our Dad. That aside, who was he? We shall see,we shall see.

I Love You Daddy

I want to have something witty and grand to put here today. Just thinking of my dad. We had a strange relationship but he loved me and I loved him.He did lots of wonderful things for me and I wish he were still here.

Thank You Veterans

We got up early today and went to the courthouse to be part of the Veterans Day service. It was Cadys first ROTC event. I must say there is something about seeing your child in uniform that brings a huge sense of pride. I have never been into that sort of thing, but I felt very American and proud today. While we listened to the speeches, many police cars pulled up with sirens blaring. We thought it was maybe part of the program. Sadly an elderly man, a WWII vet,passed out on the sidewalk.The ambulance took care of him and then loaded him on a gurney and took him away. They said he would be okay. I thought it would have been a great chance to show some respect and for all the people in uniform to salute him as he went by. When I asked one of the ROTC big wigs about it he looked at me like I was crazy and said nothing. I think that's part of my problem with the military. It was still a good ceremony.

I Voted,

Well I have to say I am proud of Joe and I for getting out there. I sorta blew it when I quized him about who he voted for and he didn't vote a straight party ticket.I acted like my Dad. Okay Joe,I'm sorry. I forgot it is a free country. I'm such a bossy bitch sometimes. Now on to the really big news, BRITNEY IS DIVORCING KFED.no, I am not a fan of her music,I just can't stand him. This gives you much insight into my life or lack there of. I am addicted to reading that rag "Perez Hilton". What the hell is wrong with me? Oh hell, whatever it is it's been that way forever so who cares?

What About Bob?

What can I say about this guy? Oh I know,I hate him and his damn smile. LOve to be watching the tube with grandkids and here comes Bob.

When Ducks Attack

Since last Friday there have been a few cool things I would have blogged if there had been pictures to accompany them. Joe called me Fri. morning and wanted me to call around and find a vet that would help him with a baby raccoon. Cady works for a vet. All they said was to call animal control.Hell no. They just kill everything. Poor little guy had been stuck in a cat-trap for 4 or 5 days. Called Fish and Game. Got a big lecture on what a bad idea it is to try to keep a wild animal and also illegal. We didn't want to keep the raccoon for the love of Mike. Joe gave it water and it perked up. He thought he would turn it loose.Raccoon went down hill and fast. Told Joe he was not bringing it home so I could cry over it. He promised he would not. Next phone call is Joe telling me to call vet tech again and ask one more time for help. Sweet girl this time,told me get some gatoraide or honey water down Rocky's(yes,now I have named him) throat. Needs electrolytes.Call Joe back and tell him,he tells me to make a bottle of the honey water and hand it out the back door to him because he is here. I did as he asked but never saw Rocky. Joe wrapped him in a towel and fed him the bottle and walked him around the yard and by the creek. Looked like he was making a comeback and then he died. Even if my batteries were charged up I would not have posted a pic of this.
Yesterday after church Joe had to go back to work and do some painting. Comes a knock on my front door. I open it to the sounds of much quacking. There stands a man holding a wire cage with ducks bulging out between the bars.A very nice man. Seems he offered my husband a flock or a gaggle or a gang (whatever)of ducks, and being Joe, he couldn't pass up that offer. Oh hell no. Who could? We already have 2 ducks that I think are cute but pains in the butt. They refuse to eat duck food. They will only eat catfood. It gets expensive. Thank God these new ducks eat actual duckfeed. This morning I heard alot of quacking and yacking and went out to find a duck gang fight. Had to get the hose out after them. They loved it and stopped trying to kill poor Ravi-(nother name)duck for a moment. Called Joe and told him his ducks were attacking. Shit,they had this poor slob by the throat. Cady was home "sick" today. She made the sacrifice to get into the yuck and mud and separate the mean ducks. All is well in duckville now.
Not long after, my new "wood guy" brought us a cord of wood. Seems as he was driving up the road to my house, he ran into his brother who was on his way up the canyon to ride his horse. So his brother followed him to my house and unloaded his beautiful paint pony. He let him munch all the grass along our fence that Joe had not found time to cut. Seemed like a nice enough man.Regardless, it was best to pass on his offer to come riding with him. Joe would have loved that. NOT. Besides, with the weight I have put on in the last 3 years it seemed a bit cruel.

Heeres Maddie

This is Madison my Granddaughter. She is such a cute and happy little girl. Love you Mad.

Good-bye Mr Eko

I cannot believe they killed off "Mr Eko" last night on LOST. He was one of my 3 favorite characters. I have been wondering since the middle of last season if they had a long range plan when they began this show. The longer it goes on the more it feels like they make it up as they go along. Kind of the way "ALL MY CHILDREN" has become.I started watching that soap when I was 17. I watch 1 day a month now. I will watch again during Christmas as they always do something weird. Not much going on here today. Joe spilled a coke all over my kitchen floor(hmm,an accident like the one poor Cady had in his beloved truck the other night.LOL) Walking in sticky crap makes my day. He thought he had cleaned it all up. I guess he didn't notice the it had sprayed all over the cabinets.It has now been walked all over the house. More work for me,yippy!!
Anyway,all I wanted to say was that I will miss Mr "Eko" and I hope somehow he is not really dead.