Category: Uncategorized (Page 11 of 114)

We did a whirlwind trip to the Lake of the Ozarks yesterday, leaving the house shortly after 7 a.m. and returning just after 9 p.m. It would have just been a regular-sort-of Long Day, except for the insane winter storm we drove through on the way home. It could have been much worse, but it was stressful nonetheless, and James had to do all the driving, because I’m sick & he would have been freaked out every time I had a coughing fit, had I been behind the wheel. (and rightfully so – this cough is a doozy!) But we had a fun day with family, and he scored some awesome ties, and I got some cold hard cash, plus the funniest Xmas decoration-soft-sculpture-thingy, ever. I just found a picture online, it’s Hallmark’s “Snow What Fun”, and you press the snowman’s hand and the music plays – the snowman jiggles, the dog kind of moves, and the penguin FREAKS OUT.

One of the other big hits was the enormous, “Jumbo Remote” I scored at the company white elephant on Friday;

James had drawn his grandfather’s name in the gift exchange, and we added it to his presents, knowing it would be pretty damn funny. It was even funnier watching the kids use it. (So, if you’re looking for a last-minute, amusing gift, this might fit the bill!) And, we know it’s being used!

We had awesome food, some great laughs, and now I’m ready to self-medicate with all the OTC cold and cough drugs available to me. With knitting, movies and naps. Sounds like a great day to me!

Christmas came a little early.

Our very own resident Grinch – Suzy – just now started playing with Tripper!

(Instead of attempting to remove his head from his body, which has been her main form of interaction with him since he came in the door.)

Aw. Though I will say, my happiness is tempered by an inordinate fear they will knock the audio pier or tv over. I guess I’m the Grinch now. :)

Tripper’s so excited, he’s jumping around like a bunny. All teeth and snappy, so not completely like a bunny, but the legs are bunny-like.

Last night, a small group of friends got together & exchanged some gifties while dining on sushi. Several of us felt we could eat sushi every single day. If I didn’t have to pay for it, I can guarantee you I’d give it a valiant try! Anyway, I loved all my pressies, and a good time was had by all.

I’m sooooo happy it’s Friday, it’s a half-day at work with the company holiday party lunch knocking off the back half of the day. We’re dining at Bo Ling’s, and the theme is A Christmas Story. (I seriously doubt we’re all getting Red Ryder BB Guns, there’s an open bar.)

I’m also really excited about vacation. We’ve got great movies to watch, I’ve got a ton of knitting and sewing projects to keep me busy, books to read, cocoa to drink, cards to send (yikes…. think I’ll be sending Happy New Year’s greetings this year!!!)

I’m going to end this with one of my favorite ads I’ve seen (online) – I know I just posted the Kia one, but this automotive group takes the cake with their whole “badger” series. Here’s the link for all of the spots on YouTube – I think they’re all absolutely hilarious, but I’ve found I really like to say the line “I’m on my popcorn break!” the most….. Happy Friday, peeps!

I have been a little roller-coaster-ey today. Up, down. Up, down. High-pitched screams, sullen focused silence. In general, though, I’m in a good mood. We got all the presents wrapped and sorted and bagged up last night, and we also figured out our plans for holidays with his grandparents, along with a separate get-together with Momma Linda. Such contentment comes from planning in my world. Me? I do not enjoy the nebulous!

Work’s a bit wonkers. I’m still planning to take the days between Christmas & New Year’s off, but I’m also prepared to check my email regularly and come in if needed. But not the morning of the 26th. That’s the Highest of High Holy Shopping Days in my book, as evidenced by all the presents the Wo wrapped last night, purchased last year & stowed away in a plastic storage lug. It’s such a great (and bargain) way to get our nieces the fun tchotchkes that are the co-ordinated bags of glitter and barrettes and bath stuffs. I love a deal!

James sent me the eBay auction for postcards mailed from a small village in Poland – freakin’ hysterical. I love that sense of humor! And then my husband demonstrated his humor by sending me a link to a local craigslist ad, threatening to exchange my present for the item in the ad, which was a miniature stallion. Sure, because the dogs don’t have enough toys, let’s BUY THEM A MINIATURE PONY.

I also did something super-crafty for the work holiday party, and it turned out really well. I’m pleased, and can’t say anything else about it, but I do love to just craft, craft, craft, and when I can combine that with party planning? I just turn into a crazy spawn of Martha Stewart. Minus the supercilious smile, of course. I just grin like a maniac.

Speaking of maniac, have you seen the Kia commercial that’s running right now? I love it. Obviously they’re shoehorning their way into my heart by using the music from Flashdance, and quite adeptly targeting my age group (gasp, near-40), however intentional or unintentional. I love it! I think they changed the music a bit, but it gives you the general idea if you haven’t seen it.

Alrighty, peeps, I have to zig & zag my way home like a maniac (maniac! on the floor!) and then it’s back to work to get as much done as I can – as a previous boss used to enjoy saying, “I’m dancin’ as fast as I can!” and then my co-worker would do the flashdance-running-in-place moves as soon as she left. I’m excited for vacation! I’m up with people! I’m dancin’ like I’ve never danced befo-o-o-re…….

So, today, I was all set on staying inside all day and watching Capote, while making some progress on the gift baskets we’re giving some of our friends & family. This was not to be, as you will see.

I had gotten chocolate & vanilla almond bark, and two bags of pretzel rods – plus mini M&M’s and sprinkles, to make some kick-ass dipped pretzels. All was fine, I set up the double boiler and got the chocolate all melted & underway. But I’m factory-minded, you see – I don’t like to draw things out & if there’s a way to implement a system, especially a time-saving system, then I’m all for it. So I got out another pan, put some water in it, and then another saucepan, and put the white bark in it. That pan had a small lip on it, and balanced quite nicely over the water bath.

Or so I thought. When it was time to move over to the vanilla bark, I went to stir it, and kerploosh! I knocked the delicately balanced pan of almond bark smack into the boiling water, scalding my hand and dumping water INto the almond bark. I quickly poured out the water, but if you’ve ever worked with almond bark or chocolate, incorporating water? It’s a Very. Bad. Thing.

I tried a little unsalted butter to un-seize it, to no avail. I dug the package back out, and it mentions how you’re not supposed to put water into it – along with milk, butter, margarine, blah blah blah, basically the only thing that could possibly rescue this solidifying mass was …. Crisco.

So off to the grocery store I went, getting Crisco, along with more almond bark. It took me a whopping two minutes after I got home to determine, no, actually, I am not going to rescue the first batch, and I just started over.
With a different pan. I do learn.

I made a huge amount of festive, dipped pretzels, and bagged them up. The kitchen and dining room looked like Santa’s Workshop & Kitchen simultaneously exploded, but I knew I had the evening to pull everything together, as James was coming home later from hunting. Then the phone rang, and it was James, stranded on the side of the road, two hours south. So I looked up a tow truck, sent it off to tow him to the closest town, and hustled to drive down & get him. He said two hours, but I was pleased to shave a good thirty minutes off that estimate. Poor dude. Not the best weekend for him. His truck is sitting at a service station in El Dorado, MO & this week, will get a new pulley-something along with an alignment and tires. Christmas for the F-150!

Even without the truck costs, I still don’t think I could justify having two double-boilers. Nice as that may be. ;) Ya just really don’t need to double boil things simultaneously too often. And I may never do these pretzel things again. Collector’s items, baby.

It’s my best game of Bingo, ever.
B-HIND, N-JOY, I-DRINK, G-I’MSCREWED

I am whatcha might call a little not so organized for Christmas. Or anything else. And really, all I’m inclined to do about it is drink a six-pack of cider & eat some Fritos and gaze upon the un-organization and panic and little fingers of terror and go, “DURRRR” like some giant sloth creature. (It IS a bitch to get the bottle caps off when you only have three fingers and the nails are too long…)

But we’re off to a holiday party tonight, and you will never guess where! NEVER! Unless I already told you, and then it’s not fair to play the game. At the DENTIST. Yes. JWo & I go to the same dentist, and they are having an office holiday party. And they invite their patients. And frankly, with all the money I spent on Molar No. 19 this year, I believe I have earned a few free appetizah and somesink to drink. (sorry, weird reference. $4.20. It’s a compulsion!*) I’m only disappointed my endodontist isn’t having a holiday party because I spent even more money with them and I would expect top-shelf liquor there.

We’re really going because our hygienist is like, the greatest gal ever, and since I’ve been going to this dentist group since I moved to town, I’ve had two dentists and about 5 hygienists, but in the past 5-6 years, it’s been all Danica, and since JWo and I are about 3 months apart in our cleanings, she stays pretty up-to-date on our lives – and remembers everything! So we really like her and it will be nice to talk to her, and Doctor Morgan, and be able to have complete conversations that don’t go “Uhngh huh, arrrrrrup unk uhoooaiaiai errrre,” on our parts.

I kind of want to show them my crown post-root-canal. I won’t, because I know that’s just a little too nuts. But when you spend more on a tooth than you do on your haircuts in an entire year? It can make you a little crazy. Uhngh huh!

*Chinese restaurant in the skyway of Minneapolis, had service over lunch down to a factory science. They’d shout as you went through the line: Appetizah? Somesink to drink? For here to go? $4.20. And you had a lunch and were out the door in record time.

…Zubaz are back.

Now I KNOW the end is nigh.

In other news, my friend Greg kicked my butt to get on Facebook and now I’m completely and utterly addicted.
Be mah friend! plazajen AT gmail dotcommmmm
But don’t wear zubaz. plez.

Hubster made the multimedia portion of the article on global warming – he’s the one cooking biscuits & gravy while calling in ducks – and I had tears in my eyes hearing his voice in the interview. So proud I could burst.

Sadly, Suzy did not get captured in any of the photos. If you’ll note, the dog that was photographed was wearing a jacket. Here’s a flashback to how much Suzy likes to wear a jacket.

(Polly? Loves it. James put it on Tripper, and he loves it, too.)

I am having a rough week. It’s just rough. I’m tired. If I were Lucy in the chocolate factory, you’d see me staring straight at those pieces of chocolate as they shot by & fell right off the automated belt. (I feel like I’m letting things slide. I beat myself up and I get up and hustle around but still the things? They slide. Right off. Bad chocolate assembly line supervising.)

But this? This is not rough. This is sweet. This is Kara, who is in her 4th week on this earth. She is going to hate me someday, if only because of my camera flash. YOU! You’re the lady that blinded me, every time I saw you! And I say “saw you” loosely, since it was always mere moments before you BLINDED ME.

I’d look indignant, too, if you flashed your brights in my face from 10″ away. And even though the tulip sweater I knit her is going to have to wait, probably many weeks, as in 52 or more, the hat fit her splendidly. So she has some hand knitting for now, and some for later.

The best time to hold babies is when they’re full, woozy and drunk from mom’s milk. She is a snuggler, and curled right up in my arms. If I hadn’t been holding her, I think she might have curled right up into a circle, like a little caterpillar. So as I sit here and feel stress lacing up my muscles like a corset and my mind swirls and eddies and I fight the feeling of a large beer keg crushing my lungs, I just remember that there is peace on earth, found in the smallest of things and the smallest of creatures.

I was catching up with a colleague on the phone today, and we’ve had some good heart-to-hearts over the years…. she’s had a rough year, since her husband has had a debilitating illness that has consumed their lives. He lost his job, she fights with Social Security, they have numerous doctor appointments & she just hopes and prays he’ll get better. They love each other so much, that you know if love alone could heal, he would run a marathon tomorrow.

So I have to admit my jaw dropped when she told me about a third person we both know, who asked her point-blank if she was going to stay with her husband, since he hasn’t gotten any “better”.

Of course, it slammed back up so I could (very tartly) ask if she’d pointed out this person’s physical disability and did her husband threaten to leave HER over it? I’m not a very kind person in the face of that kind of stupidity. Things like that make me crazy. Like, ok, you can think it? You can wonder, wow, how is she hanging in there? Does she ever want to run away to Aruba and change her name? But to question her faith and love and fidelity? Just like that? Questions like that say so much more about the person saying them.

I’m just agog. I would rip someone in half if they dared to question my commitment to James like that. IN. HALF. And then, just for good measure, I’d put them in a wood chipper. Welcome to Fargo, you idiot.