Bragging

Writers Digest - December 2003 Issue - page 25 - right side column - Contributors - Yep my name is in there!!!! Ha, I've been published. I must be a writer. Well, I can write good prompts anyway.

Santa clauses

Ha - made it back here in less than a week for once... just under the wire. Trying to be good. Santa's coming.

Excuses this time... uncle in hospital... out of town visitor... babysitting... working (still trying to catch up)... the dentist again... etc etc... Santa, please give me a break.

Two hours is way too long to spend in the dentist's chair. Oh well, now I am worth the weight of gold in my back molar. Had two more teeth lopped off on the other side so eating very carefully with tender gums. It's a two week break and then I get to be worth even more in gold... and I get two more teeth lopped off. My head still aches. My jaw still hurts. I'm eating soft food... sharing it with Baby J. All I want from Santa is five gold crowns.

Have had the pleasure of Baby J's company for most of the last three days. He's such a delight. Even inspired us to put up a Christmas tree... first one in several years. His eyes glow everytime we plug in the lights. So far the cats have not felled it. Grandma's ceramic Santa is keeping an eye on them.

Tried to see Santa tonight. Arrived at 6:45. There was no line! Looked a little closer and saw sign. Seems Santa needed to take a break for 45 minutes. So we did the logical thing and went to Red Robin for dinner. Came back at 7:30. Line out halfway across the mall. One look at Baby J and we knew it would be impossible to wait it out. So...

We went shopping for shoes for Baby J. He's gonna walk any day. The clerk still insists we need those soft little leather slipper like shoes. Egaad, they cost $22.50 (I got the same thing in Canada a lot cheaper but they are red and have a white maple leave so mama don't like them... too bad, should have bought more of them). They only had three pair left in 12-18 month size so we ended up with blue shoes with fish on them. The others were too girly. Looked at the other shoes, you know the ones we wore when we learned how to walk, the stiff ankle high white leather shoes that end up getting bronzed after two weeks of wear. Those shoes now cost $49.95. Let's see, baby grows out of shoes every few weeks... no money for college fund for a while. Maybe Santa will help out here.

Of course I had to buy something for me too. They had kinky purple shoe laces. Perfect for my red Keds. Could use as tree decorations for now. Or they might dress up Santa's boots.

I found a purple peacock Christmas ornament. For now it rests in that large gaping hole I didn't notice when we first put up the tree. After Christmas, it will take permanent residence upon one of my special red hats or perhaps a new red hat that Santa might bring.

Speaking of Red Hat stuff, I went to a wreath making party Sunday. Everyone was there with their greenery, magnolias, ornaments, cute little snowmen and Santas and such. I was different. I brought my red and purple boas, wound them around a hangar (shaped into a circle of course), decorated with a ChrisMoose wearing a tiny red hat, some beads and snowflake twine. It's cool. Most of it's perfection is due to the expertise of Cat (my friend's granddaughter). I'll have to take a picture... just too lazy to go for the camera right now.

I'm yawning. The snores have started in the other room. Time to go in and start the kicking routine. He'll be out of the bed within the next 10 snorts. Did I tell you I have given him the official early american name of "Snorting Hog"? The craziest thing about it is that he goes around boasting of his new monicker. Sorry Santa, I can't be good all the time.

Another Week

Looks like this is becoming a once a week blog. Guess I'm just a failure. Can't keep up with everything.

The biggest failure this month: I didn't finish my nanowrimo novel. Only managed to write 9000 words of novel. No time for another 41000 words. Oh well. Will have to try again next year.

Thanksgiving was good. Especially good because I didn't have to cook. Just bought the turkey... well had husband buy and deliver the turkey. Stayed in bed until noon on Thanksgiving. Showed up for dinner at 4pm. My son and his girlfriend did a great job. Met girlfriends mother... like her... we got along great ... can you imagine two grown women sitting on sofa shouting "La la la la la" whenever something came up that one of them didn't care to hear - actually both of them didn't care to hear. Like minds. Scary.

Seems we actually took the Dys out of dysfunctional family for about 90% of Thanksgiving. Must be a record for us. And then the very next day.... oh never mind.

Found out today that I have a couple more blog readers. Forgot about passing out all those cards with my website address on them. Better be careful what I say in here. So far it seems I have not stepped on anyone's toes. I'm sure I'll hear about it if I do. But then again maybe not; the old cards had an old email address on them. I didn't do that on purpose, really.

One last tidbit, I heard on the radio this morning. There is scientific evidence that Santa's reindeer are all female. It is proven by the fact that male reindeer lose their antlers in early winter. Females lose theirs in the springtime. All Santa's reindeer have antlers. Also proof that females are hornier than males in winter???

Reasonable Doubt

Jury duty ate up two days of this Thanksgiving week. One day sitting around waiting for the selection of the perfect twelve. 57 people showed up for service. By the end of the first day there were 12 people in the jury box, six people in the waiting seats and a handful of people left in the chairs. So, the judge and attorneys released over twenty prospective jurors after grilling them with personal questions. This morning more were eliminated. I got the alternate juror seat. So, there I was, all day, observing the trial. By 4:45 the trial was over, and the jury sent off to the jury room. I was released with instructions to stay within 30 minutes of the courthouse and wait for a call. 30 minutes later I got the call. The jury had come to the conclusion. Guilty. I did not have to return.

My thoughts: It was 5pm on the eve before Thanksgiving. 12 jurors wanted to cook their turkeys. They wanted to go home, no delays. They took the easy way out. Someone must have said guilty and they all agreed because it was Thanksgiving. Personally I think there was reasonable doubt in this case. I would have sat in there and insisted that the "evidence" was not conclusive. So much for justice - 12 people got to go home and cook turkeys. One person will suffer the consequences of quick decisions. That's just my own personal opinion.

Enjoy your turkeys.

Sleeping in Seattle

Just found out this didn't publish while I was on vacation:

Now this is the way to go. Seattle hotel waterfront accommodation, Edgewater Hotel in Seattle Washington

Okay, we needed a vacation. We opted not to fly to the east coast and visit Big Brother with Baby J. It was just too long to be in the air. So we took the train to Seattle instead.

But the train time is longer than flying, right? Yes, but in the train we had a deluxe sleeper room. I got to share the lower berth with Baby J. Poor Eric had the claustrophobic upper berth. It was amusing to watch a 206 pound man climb the ladder up there. It was even more amusing watching him get out of there. Well, I guess you can use your imagination on that. I'll spare you the details of taking a shower in the toilet room that is half the size of a phone booth.

We did have a great 24 hours on the train. Good food, although not as good as the old railroad day dining, even linen on the table. Of course the train was late getting into Seattle. But that is to be expected when you take the rails. It's just another way of life.

So here we are at the Edgewater. A great room on the Puget Sound complete with fireplace and wireless internet. What could be better.

Yesterday we braved the "unusual" snow storm and visited my friend in Vancouver. Took almost three hours to drive there due to slippery streets and a stop at Maxwell's in Marysville for breakfast. Note: be sure to have a meal at Maxwells if you are in that area - it was the best.

We had sunshine and mild weather in Vancouver. Another unusual phenomena for this time of the year. We were blessed. We visited Kathy, took the water taxi to Granville Island, ate chocolate decadence cake to die for, shopped and got lost on the way back to Seattle. Let's see, we left Vancouver shortly after six. We arrived in Seattle near midnight. Our only stop was for gas and a quick MacDonald's hamburger. How lost were we????....

It was great to return to our luxurious room at the Edgewater. Today, we are hanging out in the room, watching the ferries go by and the side swept rain storm. Tomorrow morning we board Amtrak for a nearly 24 hour return trip, in deluxe bedroom car of course.

Baby J is having a great time but has the sniffles. We think his mommy and daddy will be very happy to see him again. While it has been a great adventure, Grandma and Grandma may take a little vacation on their own next time.

Checking out for one last sleep in Seattle at the Edgewater Hotel (not that I'm bragging or anything). But wait, I see sunshine out the window... perhaps we will be Sleepless in Seattle this afternoon!

Monday Monday

Just another Monday but...

still exhausted from Seattle trip
Still recovering from cold I caught from Baby J (aren't you glad we didn't bring germs to VA Big Brother?)

Called the dentist this morning first thing to tell them I have a cold and perhaps I shouldn't show up for the first crown preparation. Found out it is a germ friendly office and everyone there is sick anyway so that was not an excuse. Think about that next time you visit your dentist...

One crown down and four to go. Looks like it will be soft food until after the new year. On the bright side, at least it will all be done this year and paid for so we get the tax write off - yes we have enough to itemize medical expenses - yikes.

Drat I have jury duty tomorrow. Or at least I must show up. Just called, can't get out of that. Oh well another place to leave my germs.

Boss won't be happy, first I take a weeks vacation, then I take a jury duty break, then it's Thanksgiving. Actually I won't be happy - the work will still be there waiting and waiting and waiting and piling and piling and piling up. Will I be able to see my desk when I return? I'll be sure to tell the boss how grateful he should be that I didn't bring in my germs.

Off to bed with my achoo achoo achoo

The Circulating Journal is Moving Again

The Circulating Journal is on it's way to Germany!!!! I'm so excited.

Sonic toothbrush

What I learned about sonic toothbrushes in five days:

1. If you put more than a small pea sized bit of toothpaste on the brush, you will froth like a skunk with rabies.

2. If removed from mouth before it stops, husband will taunt you for the rest of your days about the time you left spatters on the mirror.

3. Laughing when gums are tickled can lead to severe choking sensations.

4. Looking in mirror while brush manipulates your gum can cause horrified gagging complex.

5. Using brush in front of cats causes their radar ears to twitch - do not get in way as they head for shelter.

6. Not to put on work or party clothes before brushing.

7. Two minutes is a long time.

And on top of all that, I must still floss?

Vacation in Wirtz?

Why would anyone want to visit Wirtz, Virginia?

There is no bad breath there

To clean up one's act (However there are no AA meetings there so must be those people have no act to clean up

To see this crazy corkscrew guy

Might see a ghost or two

Just for openers

Sludge

Or maybe you go there just To get your A$$ kicked

What I didn't find in Wirtz, Virginia is a local chapter of The Red Hat Society. Guess no one is over 50 there.

It was a long week

Something kind of bad happened everyday. BUT something kind of good must have happened every day too. Let's see.

Sunday - no pilot light, no heat - BUT I got to cuddle with Baby J most of the day because he was cold and wanted lots of lap time.
Monday - I need 5 crowns - BUT I joined the Ladies Workout Express
Tuesday - Still no heat and my portable heater blew the circuits so many times that my refrigerator broke BUT I had an excuse to pig out on Ben & Jerrys
Wednesday - Started to have reservations about that contract I sighed at LWE and now they weren't returning my phone calls - BUT my heater is back on and I have new circuit breakers (it's so nice to be a renter : )
Thursday - Had a slightly unpleasant meeting with the new owner of LWE BUT I did get the contract cancelled AND I got my new refrigerator
Friday - Could not get through the piles of work on my desk so have to work Monday BUT I did have an enjoyable dinner with my old friend/new neighbor

Good things and bad things led to one of the most stressful weeks I've had in a long time. I could continue, there was more bad, BUT none of it was anything bad enough to be life threatening or even life altering. Most of it all went away. At least I have a few good BUTs.

Thinking about the vacation I have planned for the week after next... I made no reservations. Couldn't decide what to do with the week. Gonna have to take Baby J wherever I end up going. The good thing is, that eliminates Las Vegas, Reno or any other gambing place. Won't big brother be surprised if we all knock on his door???? hmmmmmmmmmm

Meanwhile got this link at The Other Side

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