Hi!

My ILs are coming this morning. Got my house cleaned yesterday, and didn't go to the movies.

Nikki, we want to see Christmas With the Kranks. It's a movie based on John Grisham's book, Skipping Christmas. I had totally forgotten how it is driving on slick roads. If the roads were in that condition either on a weekend or holiday, you can be sure the trucks would've been out there sanding or plowing the roads. That happened in NH many times. One time our mail carrier in NH lost a whole day's worth of our mail. DH & I were away for a week and they were holding our mail at the PO, he sorted our mail and somehow a few bills and a check from one of our vendors (we were still working for ourselves) was in that pile of mail. When we discovered what happened, I had to call the company that sent us the check, have them stop payment, and issue us a new one. DH went to the PO to have them ask our mail carrier what happened. They asked, and all our mail carrier did was, That happened many years ago, and those things never re-surfaced. It makes you wonder.....

Anne, how are things going for you at work?

Lynn, I bet you're really busy getting all your errands done.

Have a great day.
Aleka

Good morning,
I see Blair is calling for an international Mideast conference. I hope they can get some thing resolved and get us out of there.

I plan on exercising today, but like to have a little breakfast before I do. I found if I try to exercise on an empty stomach, I just poop out. I generally have toast with P&J, but this morning, I'm having cereal.

Aleka, our roads are maintained by the counties. Our county doesn't do a very good job. When I use to drive from 3 counties away to here to work, I could tell the difference as soon as I crossed the line. When I lived in Wisconsin, I couldn't believe how much better the roads were kept up there. Even though they get a lot more snow, their roads were kept clear most of the time. Down, here, it's a completely different story. Plus, Wisconsins country roads were paved, ours are still gravel. I just couldn't get over that when I first moved up there, paved country roads. It was so nice when you wanted to take a drive in the country. Taking a drive in the country down here, means your going to get covered in dust and everything you see is covered in dust too.
I hope you have a good time with your IL's. It's an early Christmas for you, right?

DH just called and has to work OT til 1pm today and again tomorrow. He's not too happy about that, he's tired and he's getting sick too. At least he's off Christmas Day, as far as we know anyway.

Have lots to do today and better get to it. Have a good day ladies, Nikki

JUST POPPED IN TO WISH ALL OF YOU A

Alice, you mean it's not quite the same celebrating Christmas out by the pool?

Hi Guys
Work has been nuts. Nikki you are right, I don't like the parties especially
when I have co-workers like the dirt devil :snf: Remember
that Nikki!!!!
Aleka, I must not have expressed myself well. I didn't go to the Christmas
party. I am the office party pooper

I got into another argument today with . I am going to run it by you
guys. If you think I am wrong, you can tell me and I'll trust your opinions.
Here goes, On New years eve our office is getting out at 2 pm. I start at
7 in the morning sooooo I wanted to switch my lunch from 12:00-1:00 so
I would enjoy the benefit of having 2 hours off. Most of my co-workers
start at 8:30 so getting off at 2:00 gives them the two hours off I would also
like to have. said no way!!! Its not fair to which I replyed "Sylvia,
do you really think you are being fair to me?" She replyed "those are your
designated work hours" I asked her if she minded if I asked somebody else,
She answered "like who" I said Sarah Chow (thats boss) she said
go ahead. I was furious but I didn't call Sarah. I figure whats the point.
Anyways......I was really p...off all day.My husband said just wish
her a Merry Christmas and a happy April. (april is the month the managment
will be taken over by the new company)

My poor mother is having a terrible time. She crys and crys. I am helpless
to know how to help here. It is really depressing this year.

Oh yes, we are having a huge snowstorm tonight, life just doesn't get better
than this does it :sball2: I'll be lucky if I can get to work at all Thursday.

Talk to you tomorrow.
Anne.

Hi Barb,

It's going to be in the 50's Christmas Day. Sit by the pool??? I only wish. At least I don't have to break the ice if I want to go swimming! Thanks for popping in to wish us :merry: I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

Alice/Aleka

Good evening,
First, I wanted to tell Anne and Lynn that I got your cards today, so they did make it before Christmas, thank you!

Barb, Merry Christmas to you too and thank you for popping in and thinking of us, your a sweetie

Anne, I see what your saying and you weren't wrong. likes to use what little power she has to make you miserable. Your going to have to let it go, because there isn't much else you can do about it, unless you did go over her head. Some day, when you do get to retire, hopefully very soon, all this will be a distant memory and you will never have to see or deal with (dirt ) again.
Does your mom stay busy? Sometimes doing things helps to pass the time and helps to get the focus off of grief. Not that grief isn't important and necessary, but it's good to take a break from it too. Doing just routine things, like housework, cooking, things that she's use to doing daily is what helps people to carry on. Visiting friends can be a real comfort too.
Good luck with the snow storm. I'm not sure if getting to work is such a lucky thing or not, considering what you have to look forward to when you get there.

I have eaten so many of those WW ice cream bars tonight, I'm just about sick from them. I should know better than to bring them in the house, they taste so good, I can't stop eating them.
Talk to you guys tomorrow, Nikki

Hi All
It's the eve before Christmas Eve as I like to call it. Nikki, mom keeps
pretty busy. She is even painting rooms. I guess its a release from all the
years and times Dad was sick. She told me he would have been mortified
to know he would pass on this close to the holiday season. I tell her Mom
he's happy now. Its so hard for me to keep seeing her like this but there is
nothing we can do. Both my sister and I will be off for 5 days after we put
in today My sister and mom are going to order Pizza tonight and watch
"A Christmas Story" I love that one, its a classic.

As for me I will put in the day and celebrate with a few drinks when I get
home!!!

Better go and put in one more day. Lets hope I don't see today
at work

Talk to you guys later.
Anne.

Good morning,

Anne, everyone expresses grief in their own way. I'm sure the holiday season isn't helping much either. It's good you'll have 5 days to be with her and maybe you and your sister can get her out of the house and have a girls day out on one of your days off. No, I probably read your post wrong, I do that sometimes. About your fight with As long as you have someone to cover for you I don't see the problem. probably enjoys her power trips. Enjoy your drinks when you get home. How much snow did you get?

Nikki, had a nice visit yesterday. Whenever they come they don't stay very long. But, DH & I are the same way, neither one of us are visitors.

Hey Lynn

Have a good day everyone.
Aleka

Good morning,
Anne, I'm glad to hear your mom is so active. I know it's hard for you to see her like this. I'm glad you'll have some time to spend with her and your sister, that will make the holidays special.
I am so glad your off after today. Enjoy your time off and I hope you don't have to see today.

Aleka, I'm not a visitor either. When DH's dad came to visit last month (he only stops by a few times a year), I was ok for an hour or so, then started to find things to do, like wash dishes and such, because it just feels too intense for me to sit and talk for any length of time. He stayed for hours. I was so relieved when he left. Part of it's me, and part of it is that he's kind of difficult to be around too.

I'm still sick and I'm tired of it. I got some echenasea with vitamin c to see if that might help. I did the 3 mile WATP yesterday and plan on doing it again today. There's nothing like getting some good oxygen and blood pumping around your body to make you feel better.
It is bitterly cold out there today, temperature is 1. I have a bunch of sparrows that are roosting under my window ac in the dining room. They scratch and chirp all night. It's driving the cats in the house nuts. I get kind of a kick out of seeing all those little bird tails sticking out from under there, but they sure are making a mess. I have a lot of feeders by the front porch and now it's covered with bird poop too. Next spring, I'm going to have to move the feeders out into the yard. I've told DH I need a pressure washer, and might have to get one, just for this job alone.

Better go take a walk with Leslie, Nikki

Good morning,

DH & I got up really early this morning and were at Walmart at 5:45 am thinking there would be hardly any people there. WRONG!!!! Then we went out for breakfast.

Nikki, sorry that you're still not feeling well. You've had this for quite sometime. Hope you're feeling better soon. I know how intense it feels to sit and talk to someone for any length of time. It really wears me out. I need to find someplace to be by myself for a little bit to rejuvenate.

Anne, Lynn, are you guys getting that snow storm that the US got a day or so ago? If so, I hope you don't get as much as some places got.

We've been having rain for the past couple of days. Today it's foggy and drizzly.

Hope you all have a very :merry:

Talk to you later.
Aleka

Merry Christmas Eve Everybody,
It got pretty cold here, -7 last night. I am not liking this at all. I got an email that I wanted to pass on. I didn't know this and thought it was interesting. If your Catholic, you might know it though. Have a good day, Nikki

About the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas
From 1558 to1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke &
John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of
the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy
Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,
Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy
Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness, and Self-Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven FAITHFUL disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in
the Apostles' Creed.

Nikki, thank you for sharing your e mail. I am a Catholic, but did not know that about the song 12 Days of Christmas

Aleka

Aleka,
I always wondered what that song was about. It was kind of neat melody, but the words were odd and I figured it must have some meaning from a long time ago that doesn't have any meaning now. So, guess it does have more meaning than I realized. Obviously, since it was from so long ago, it's not something alot of people probably would know about now.
Nikki

Hi Guys,
I'll start the new thread
Anne.