2010 is Melting Away

Poor Bob! He had a good run. Maybe since he was made with Christmas snow, he will be back again next year. I hope so!


Susie II is still hanging in there but she will be gone by the end of today.


And like my snowpeeps, 2010 is melting away. Well, the good news is that all 38 of the windows are in. The bad news: the house is a wreck. Construction guys plus melting snow plus power saws equals mud and muck in the house. So, the process of cleaning and putting it all back together begins.

Sunday was a fun trip to my home away from home: Lowes. Cletus finds it a challenge to drive in the snow. It was not bad. Just a little slippery in parking lots. We get snow so seldom, that it was cool to be in your own little snowglobe.

Anyway, the curtain rods they had up before for the double and triple windows were awful. Every time you tried to open up the curtain the rod would fall out and the curtain would end up on the floor. Cletus has had enough of that! Fortunately, before becoming completely overwhelmed with choices, we found several rods and curtains, on clearance! The single windows rods and curtains are ok (with a little Rit dye help).

It is such a big job...but one room at a time, right after I have a cup of coffee and think it over...

The Promise of Spring

My favorite thing to do...

...as Sherry is so fond of saying: "it is hard to be random". Too true!

Best Christmas Ever

What a wonderful sight...a truly white Christmas. It was good snow too...good for snowmen and snowball fights...and almost all of the new windows were in.


Tdawg started to build his first snowman, Bob. He even used stick for abs! HaHa!!


So I decided to come outside and help. We made Susie I. Named in honor of my sister. We were wishing for an epic snowball fight with her. She looks pretty good. Thanks to Velda for the hat, scarf and mittens. Who knew I would be using them so soon!!


Tdawg called it the best Christmas ever...


Ah, so happy!


Tdawg rolled the remnants of Susie I to the front yard and we made Susie II.

2011 'Round the Corner

Oh my...Christmas is days away and 2011 is just 'round the corner. I seriously need about another month in 2010 to stuff done and feel good about it. Well, as we know it does not work that way.

It is now looking like most of the 38 windows, we are having to replace in the house, are going in tomorrow and finishing up on Friday (Christmas Eve)...MAYBE. Since we were told they were installing Monday and Tuesday, all of the curtain rods and curtains in the house are down and all of the furniture is pushed two feet or more away from the windows. Last night, sitting on the couch, I felt like I was in a fish bowl! I am starting to think that boxing everything up and moving would be easier than this. I'm an orderly person and I am not liking the current chaos in the house.

I have not really felt all that joyful this season. I have greatly enjoyed parts of it. But I wanted that mountain-top experience that lasts throughout the month. That is not very realistic. So, I become regularly disappointed by my own expectations. I understand very well why this season is so difficult for so many. I know I dearly miss loved ones that have passed. I still long for one more family get together.

In my head, I realize that I am blessed beyond measure. And I have more than I could ever really need (to be honest, I have too much). My joy does not come from my circumstances. My joy does not come from my feelings (which regularly lie to me). But sometimes I still can't seem to help feeling like Charlie Brown in the Christmas Special.

Living Christmas Tree

Last night, we thoroughly enjoyed First Baptist's "The Living Christmas Tree". There are more than 150 talented singers and a full orchestra. It was beautiful!

I told Cletus that I wish I sing that well. He said he wished that I could sing that well too!

Buddy really liked that the Christmas tree lights were programmed to twinkle and change colors to match the music. Most of the time, the choir members were not lit, so all you could see was the tree.

It is one of my favorite holiday traditions!

Thoughts for Today

It has been quite cold here lately. Some days it has been colder here in Colorado! So I got to thinking about those who are cold and less fortunate. Those without homes. So when my Sunday School teacher asked each of us for a suggestion for a winter mission project. I told them that it would be so easy to donate to the homeless. The ladies' responded in abundance and filled up my trunk.

So today at lunch, I dropped off blankets, coats and gloves for the homeless. I had a nice visit with Lineise, the Homeless Coalition Director. She told me that the donations are going to a local church. The church's congregation is 95% homeless! Wow! That just stunned me. How awesome to have a church that is meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of this mostly-ignored segment of society. What a blessing these workers are!

Most of us have more than we need. We can't even fit it all in a house, and a garage, and a detached garage and a storage building. Not just now, but all throughout the year, consider donating time, talents and material possessions to those less fortunate than yourself. He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree!

For a Crowd

We are having a wedding shower at work. I never know what to bring...then I remembered. My friend’s husband made these…Yummo! Now it is my favorite!

2 small bags of little cocktail smokies
1 large jar (about 32 oz) Grape Jelly
1 small jar (about 10oz) Mustard

Place the smokies in the crock pot.

In a sauce pan slowly warm up the grape jelly until it is liquefied.
Stir in the mustard
Pour over the smokies.

Cook on medium until heated and bubbly
then turn down to warm

Never a Dull Moment

Some old same old here, which is to say: life is never a dull moment.

One of the best things about Christmas time is the music. Last Monday night, we went to the Heritage Bell Ringers concert. It was wonderful! I was thinking that maybe I could be a bell ringer, but those people have to be able to read music and keep up with the different bells and not drop them. That leaves me out! Oh well, I guess I’ll stick to playing the triangle and the air guitar (LOL!).


Despite my best efforts to keep this year stress free…Wednesday, I got a call from Cletus early in the morning. He woke up at 4a not feeling well. So, of course, he got up and went to work. By the time he called me the pain behind his left shoulder blade was really bad and the pain was radiating down his arm. Oh my!! With his family history and risk factors, I raced to pick him up and drove him to the emergency room.

Thankfully, he was just inconvenienced; instead of being a tragedy. The old ticker checked out fine. But they kept him trapped for about six hours. At noon, they definitively said that it was not his heart and he could go as soon as they finished the paperwork. Long-suffering is not one of Cletus virtues. At 1:30p, with NO paperwork in hand, Cletus walked out. He was still in significant pain, but the ER folks really did not care and were not going to do anything else for him. Nice.

Cletus is following up with Dr. Eddie. We are pretty sure that it is not his gall bladder, which means it is probably a pinched nerve. He is improving with otc pain reliever, heating pad and laying down flat.

Weekend Recap

Another weekend of not getting enough done… - well, I might get most of my projects done by Christmas. Otherwise, my friends will just have to overlook my shortcomings and be happy with January fool presents.

I was so hoping for a relaxing weekend. Saturday, I got some extra sleep but woke up with a splitting headache that would not go away. I think due to the change in weather, my sinuses went crazy. I have talked to several people who also had a headache all day on Saturday. After the Auburn game (War Eagle Baby) I took some meds and a hot shower and started to shake it.

I was headed upstairs to bed when Cletus said “do you hear that?” Ugh!! NO! I’m tired, I don’t want to hear anything! But yes, I heard it: another water leak. This time it was the hot water supply to the washing machine. So, between 10:30p and almost midnight, the plumber cut through the drywall and soldered copper pipes. Ugh! Thankfully, it had not been leaking for long. Could have been a whole lot worst!!

Sunday was much better. Our church had their Christmas Choir program. It was beautiful. I’m quite envious of the singing talent. Sure wish I could sing like that...well, some of us just have to make a joyful noise!

I spent the rest of the afternoon with my buddy, Mitzi. She said that if you don’t feel well on your birthday, that it shouldn’t count. So, we decided that she could “red shirted” this year. And thus be eligible for a younger birthday next year. Don’t ya just love creative math?!? She gave me a card that says: ”Good friends make each other laugh; Really good friends go for the snort!“ …and we did plenty of snorting! :-D

Friday Night with the Grills

I was so glad that last week was over! Just having to work 40 hours was bad enough. Then I had goof ups, miscues and crap to deal with. Ugh! So it was good to unwind on Friday night and craft. Mrs. Goofy fed and led us to create

Maybe one of these days it will say…1 Day Until I find my sanity! I enjoyed the fellowship as much as I enjoyed the crafting. Sometimes I just need an extra dose of estrogen. Living with three boys puts me in the 24/7 testosterone zone!

Santa's Village

We have a neat thing called Santa's Village. You can go see Santa's reindeers. Decorate cookies with Mrs. Clause. Make an ornament with the elves. See a snow storm (of bubbles). Get lost in the icicle maze. Sit in a real sleigh. There are lots of photo opportunities. And of course, the all important visit with Santa.

This year we took my nephew J.J. He loved the snow storm. And was really excited to see The Big Guy in the red suit...until his mean aunt asked him if he had been good. He said "Yes Ma'am". Hmm, I said...ALL year long. Poor kid. I nearly made him cry. "Noooooo (sniff sniff)"

Well, maybe Santa grades on a curve. He told me that I'm off the naughty list. Whoo hoo! Several of my co-workers later said that he either didn't have his glasses on or he must have been looking at the wrong list! Oh well, on the "naughty" list and proud of it!

J.J. and the Reindeer


J.J.the Snowman


Buddy the Snowman


J.J. and the fake snow


J.J. the elf


J.J. and Santa (hoping to be on the "nice" list)


Buddy and Santa (too big to sit on Santa's knee)


Buddy as one of the Santa's helpers

Overnight Party

SF, PG and I spent every Thursday night decorating the fieldhouse before football games. We decided after the season was over to treat ourselves to a girls night in. We had the best time at PG's house. She lives out in the country. Her husband hunts, so I spent Friday night sleeping underneath a mounted deer head. She told me that she loves animals and has animals. Well, I was thinking dogs and cats. So imagine my surprise when I woke up Saturday morning, look out the window and there is a sheep in her backyard! Animals: horses, sheep, pigs, goats and more!




SF told of how she used to ride goats and pigs as a little kid. And thought since I grew up out west that I did too. Um, Not so much! Horses: yes. Goats and pigs: no. I'm a city girl!