Happy ~ Oh okay well thanks for telling about me about just having a 20 min. power nap but to save my daytime naps for when I'm very sick or when I have a bad night of sleep. Yes I was Clyde's owner for a long time

Dee ~ Thanks, I will be able to share my memories of Clyde here. Thanks for also saying my new pet will be blessed to have me as his new mommy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found my bus passes last night, They were on my bedroom floor. I'm just so glad I found them. Anyway I woke up at 1:30 a.m. this morning when Scott got into bed. Its now almost 3 a.m. My alarm was set for 5 a.m. anyway so its not a big deal that I'm up at this time. I cant believe there is just 3 days until Christmas, I cant wait, I love Christmas, Its my favorite holiday.

Hi Everyone. It is a busy Sunday at home for us. We went to church this morning, it was a lovely service with a lot of singing and the preaching was good too.

DH is baking cookies to take to his co-workers tomorrow for Christmas presents. My DH loves to bake and his treats are always tasty and his co-workers are always requesting his cookies.

I'm paying bills, getting caught up on my personal email and trolling Facebook.

I don't know if I told you that my fitbit flex and broke a few weeks back. So, today I decided I was going to look into the manufactures warranty to see if it covered that. I could chat with an agent on line and so I asked and they are sending me a free replacement! I was very happy with that.

If anyone wants to friend me on Facebook and you are friends with Annie, Laura or Michelle, I'm sure you can find me on their friends list. I'm under Susie McCoy Chaney.

Dee: So glad to see you here! How does your DH feel about turning 50? I will do that in 2015 and it doesn't bother me, it's just that I can't figure out where the years went!

I'm sorry to hear that you re-fractured your foot. I did that last spring and having "the boot" to wear was a big help.

I will be working this week on Monday and Tuesday and then from home on Friday for 4 hours (that is how much time I had left for the year) and then I will work Monday and Tuesday the following week but I might do one or both days from home.

My bosses are out so it would be nice to catch up on getting some files cleaned out and my desk organized.

Thanks for being concerned with my knee. Where I get in trouble with it is if I pound on it to much and that happens by walking to fast (and wearing high heels kill me! but wearing wedge shoes do not--yeah! ) The doctor told me that when use a tread mill not to go above 3 miles an hour. The tread-desks only go up to 2.8 so I will be ok. I also ice my knee after I use a treadmill or a walking dvd or take a walk.

I think Dee MiniDoodles is a great name for your facebook. I talked to Tory a couple weeks back. I did hear from Carrie from time to time and I was going to send her a message but her page is gone. I asked Tory if she heard anything from her and she was surprised that her page was gone too.

What a lovely gift that you gave to your employees! What colors did they pick?

Happy: New furniture from Santa!!! how nice! It all sounds so lovely.
I will be happy to send the bag to you whenever you send me your address.

Ceejay: I like to have my house in good shape before the New Year too. It makes me feel better! It won't be that way until after Christmas when I get the decorations put away and do a through cleaning instead of sweeping the paths in the room and dusting with the Swiffer. The weekend after Christmas we will put things away and then move the furniture and mop the floors with Murphy's oil soap and dust the base boards and move things off the top of furniture and dust that.

I hope you have gotten the sodium issue under control and that they tummy issues will be under control soon.

Shad: I found you on Annie's FB page and sent you a friend request.
From your post it seems that you are home until after the holiday?

Did I miss the info about the gutters? Did they get done?

Annie: I saw your photo with your son....he looks so handsome in his uniform. How did the night with the band go? Next time that happens, if you have a few days notice, let me know DH and I might make the trip to Indy. (if you would want us too) I love to listen to live music and we will be looking to get away on a mini trip sometime soon.

Laura: It seems that you are getting the shopping finished by picking it up here and there at local places..those are always the best gifts!

About the gas tank on empty....I wouldn't have been to pleased with that and I can tell you that my DH did that only a few times....I can be quite a handful to handle if I am upset!

Terra: I am happy to hear that you found your bus passes. I love Christmas too! Did you ask for anything special this year?

I am going to end now and balance the checkbook and pay bills. I think that in December we shouldn't have to pay bills! Wouldn't that be a nice gift?!

Morning all,
Seems I have come down with a summer cold. Bah. Huge headache, sore throat, runny nose. Oh bliss. Still panadol, lozenges, and lemsip seem to be doing the trick so far.

Last night went out with the family to dinner at the local pub. Not a bad meal but my fish was slightly overdone. It was good to see so many of the clan there.

Today I have had a load of stones delivered, now I just have to find the energy to wheelbarrow them around the back. Since the next door neighbour does not seem to be able to keep her lawn and weeds in check, I decided to put down bidim - sort of weed mat made of some sort of felt stuff and then put gravel down there. I will put some pots on the gravel later. Meantime I have to barrow in the stuff. I should have been more organised and got the watering system organised first but I didn't, so when that happens, I will have to move some of the gravel again.

Susie - I accepted your invitation to Facebook. It was interesting to see that your surname is Chaney. My Mums family are Chaneys as well from a huge family that comes from Kent in England. They seem to have travelled across the world in large numbers. Your DH and I may be related. I will have to dig into the family papers to see what is what.
Yes the gutters are done. Now I have to paint the house since the nice new shiny gutters are showing up the old paintwork. Nothing like something new in or on the house to show up the old.

Terra - glad you found the bus passes. Its a pain when we lose important things like that.

Dee - sorry to hear that you have re fractured that foot. Are you taking calcium? Hard to work with a limb out of action. No it is not possible to have any appliances in the motel. They have a dining room, but I get a bit cross at the prices. I can eat stuff in the room if I bring it in, and there is room service, but I am one of those who likes to make their own.

Ceejay - good on you for doing all the cleaning in the house. I will get much of mine out of the way this week so it is all go for the new year. Of course having the cat shedding fur everywhere doesn't exactly help.

Happy - we can and I do store stuff in the fridge at work. I go shopping once in a while and pick up some pre-cooked meals. There is one brand that is not frozen and they have some good meals so I get some of those for the nights I am there. We usually go out for a meal once a week or so. There is some good Lebanese, Italian pizza, and kebab places around the area. But although they are reasonably priced they are not always diet friendly. DH deserves praise for his photography he has such patience to get his subject just right and he knows what looks good through the lens.

Okay, so I had better go look like I want to shift this gravel. I'd like to get it all in today, but that might be a long shot. It'll be even longer if I don't get started.

Found this flowering in the garden this morning. Have no idea what it's name is and obviously neither did the original grower since the tag has got a name of one of the parents on it, but the actual plant is called unknown.

Shad
Sorry to hear that you have a cold. Take care of yourself. Hope you feel like moving around all those rocks. The flower is pretty but I have no idea what it is.

Susie
I'm impressed that your DH is baking cookies for his co-workers. I will look you up on FB. Always nice to have another friend.

Dee
So sorry to hear about the fracture on your foot. Try to take it easy.

--------
I want to rearrange some of our files at work but need to get an okay from the boss. Of all things, L wants a file cabinet to lock up her purse in. We have two that she could use and tomorrow I'm going to see if B has those key's. I could use an extra filing cabinet.
I'm getting better. I just have to remember to take the "purple pill".

Shad ~ Thanks for the advice on not sleeping during the day. Yeah it was a pain losing my bus passes especially because they are not cheap.

Susie ~ Yeah I'm glad I found my bus passes too. Thats great that you love Christmas too. I made another Christmas list this year so we'll see. My brother got me one of the items on my Christmas list, He got me the Ultimate Garth Brooks 3 disc Set for Christmas. We opened presents with my younger brother and his family on the 20th cause they wont be here for Christmas this year, They are going to AZ for Christmas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up at 12:30 a.m. after going to sleep at almost 7:00 p.m. I'm up for the day. My plans for today are to do my 40 min. chair exercise later this morning and again at 7:00 p.m. tonight and those are all of my plans for now.

Good Monday Morning....

This should be an easy week....M, T full days, Wed about 6 hours off Thurs, Friday. YEAH!!! And I mean off Thurs & Friday. I am not having Christmas with the family until Saturday the 27th, that way no one has to rush off to someone else's or other family Christmas time. They are allllll mine! LOL

Don't know if I told you all or not but I made amends with my brother in Illinois at Thanksgiving time. I feel better about that. Anyway, he and his wife made it over (still don't care for her at all and we did not speak or even say hi to each other), Chuck and I chatted a bit, then when he was leaving, he made sure to search me out and tell me bye. They will not be coming for Christmas due to some work issues or something that is why they came over this past weekend.

The band rocked the house down. We filled up our tables and then some. It was more classic, jamming rock not really dancing music. All fun and I drank water the entire night, so did C. Good thing cause my son and DIL road with us and they got their drunk on. LOL

Yesterday was spent wrapping presents. Got them all done, praise the Lord. I had sissy stop by while she was out to pick up a couple of gifts for Jacob and her as I didn't realize how many I had gotten them and didn't want the others to feel cheated. Jacob was thrilled to get a couple of early presents. OH THANK YOU NANNA....I about choked with laughter.

Colts tried to play yesterday, OMGoodness they sucked. They didn't even show up to the game. Dallas Cowboys beat them by about 40 points. It was good that Dallas won, now they get to be in their playoffs and so will the Colts.

LAURA...you and BF go to more parties in a months than I go in a year. I, too take separate cars or not go at all when my xdh and I would go places. He always got his drunk on and never wanted to leave. One night he actually through hisself down on the ground and through a fit cause I was "making" him leave. He was drunk and it was 2 am, plus the kids were with us. Don't miss that at all. Hope the half bath turns out the way you want it to and BF gets it done in time. I would hate to have to come up there and whip him. lol Funny, I have had the best luck at the post office myself. I walked right in there on Thursday around 4:30 and no one was in line. The post office by my house stays open till 6:30pm during the week. Ah the Christmas Story movie, is a huge laugh at our house. When xdh, the kids and I used to go to his sister's house for Christmas, they alway had it playing on the 24 hour marathon channel. Meaning that channel play it 24 hours straight on CHristmas day. We all began to not like the movie after several years of watching it for hours. lol..

SHADDIE, what a crappy time of year to get a cold, well I guess anytime is a crappy time to get a cold. Probably the change in the weather and the air that circulates or does not circulate in the plane that has given you the cold germ. Bleh. Casualty of flying! Hope you get all your gravel spread, I must say you are more energetic than I. I would probably try to pay someone to mess with that. The older I get the less I want to do. Hmmm, kind of scary for me to go dormant.

HAPPY....love love love the description of your new furniture. It sounds lovely and right up your alley. A place to read and be comfy. Don't get too comfy and become inactive like me. lol I really love the pictures that DH takes and you post. I especially love the owl photo. Could you send that to my email. I will PM you my email addy. Think I will get it framed and hang it. It is so awesome. I have a monster plant from dad's funeral that I cannot rummage up the heart to get rid of it or give it away. You know the sentimental, emotional person that I am. Sheesh.

CEEG...glad you got the house all clean and can enjoy the holiday and relax. mmmmm crockpot food is the best, everything is so tender. I believe you could put a rug in there and it would come out tender enough to eat. lol You and Curtis are two of a kind, just when he gets all straightened out, his issue arise again. Right now he is having awful stomach, instestine problems. Poor guy.

DEE...all the sewing and machines you have my DIL would love to spend time at your house. She is just getting into all of that. My son got her a sewing machine for her birthday. She wants to start her own business doing bowties and bows for babies. She seems very excited about doing it. Hope it goes well, didn't have the heart to tell her there are a zillion of those businesses out there like that. WOW DH sure got a lot of food for two people. Must of cost him a fortune unless he bought from the dollar menu everywhere. hahahah. I bet that was fun.

SUSIE...I sure will let you know when my brother's band plays again. They are not doing a lot at the moment and this was a fluke that they even played Saturday. Mostly they just get together and jam. Life seems to get in the way for everyone to schedule a venue. All of them have "real" jobs so it is quite tough. However, we would love to have you and gives us a reason to move our spare bedroom into the other spare bedroom, to make it more comfortable for our company.

TERRA...why don't you go to bed a bit later in the evening then you won't be up so early in the night. Hope you get all your exercises in. Are you ready for Christmas?

CHELLE...are you feeling better and better physically as you lose weight. That was one of my greatest feelings. Especially tying shoes, putting on socks, etc. haha...Stick with what you know about your eating plan, it all works out. Drink your water first, the rest is not as important. Take some biotin tabs, it helps to keep the hair from falling out. Hugs.

That is about it for me, boss is on his way to Chicago for a meeting today. I am happy about that so I can get some work and files ready for next year without interruptions.

Make it a great day/night.

Hugs

Morning all. As usual I was MIA all weekend. All is quiet here right now, so I’ll see how much of a post I can get done.

Friday I came home from work to learn that the revolving tree stand was not the right size to accommodate the trunk of our new Christmas tree. So much for us asking if the stand worked with the tree at the time we were shopping. (The salesperson responded that the tree stand was good for up to 1,000 lights, but trunk size vs stand size wasn’t mentioned.) Our tree is designed such that the lights get plugged into the trunk, and the power goes through the trunk, and then there’s one plug at the bottom that goes into a power outlet. The trunk size must be non-standard.) BF was on the phone with the store trying to determine if the other (more expensive, naturally) revolving stand would work. So I dug out the receipt for bf. A trip back to this store, which is not close to the house, would be necessary over the weekend. Bleh.

So I did stay home from the party on Friday night while bf went to it alone. I made two batches of cookie dough. One was peanut butter dough for the dog cookies. The other was for thumbprints (butter cookies with indentations filled with jam). I stayed up later than I should have, bad Laura. I woke up around 5 am, had a bit of trouble falling back asleep, so I read for a short bit and eventually went back to sleep until 8-ish.

Saturday morning I made another two batches of cookie dough – one for almond crescents and one for the crust of mini cranberry tarts. Now if I actually get a chance to roll/cut/shape and bake all these cookies – before Christmas Eve – that would be a miracle. Other than that I spent time cleaning house.

I really wasn’t feeling up to par either day, which puzzled me. But now I know I was fighting off a cold –and I wasn’t successful. I dozed restlessly before the alarm this morning, with a slight sore throat and was hoping it was just sore from being dry. Nope. I’ve got watery eyes and a runny nose. I hope this will be a mild cold.

Back to Saturday – after a late lunch, I went off to walk the dog and bf was supposed to be returning the stand to the store. Except he couldn’t find the receipt. When I got back from the dogwalk, he was ranting that he’d looked everywhere and it was gone, just disappeared, yada yada yada. After more looking and a lot of bickering, I finally decided to look in the box for the stand and ‘lo and behold, there it was. Bf said it was the first place he’d checked, but apparently not very well. Sigh.

So bf exchanges the stand for the more expensive one, which has adapters for three different trunk sizes. Guess what? None work with our tree! Grrr. By this time, I don’t care about a revolving tree stand anymore. We end up using the stand that came with the tree. That night we assembled the tree and spent some time fluffing up the branches and shaping the tree, but still have no ornaments on it. Trip #3 to the store to return stand #2 will have to happen. Hopefully bf can make the trip double duty and also meet a friend of his who lives out that way for lunch.

Yesterday morning I had a quick spot of tea before heading off to the mall for the 9 am opening to buy the other gift for my secret Santa recipient. I got the last one, and based on the wish list posting, I’m not even positive what color she even wanted, but having checked three other stores without success, I ended up back at the original store to buy that one. At least it’s a nice neutral color. I felt tired and out of sorts and I was only in the mall for an hour! (Now I know I can chalk it up to this cold coming on.) At least I got some exercise walking from one end of the mall and back to check those other stores. BTW, “she” is my SIL and “it” is a scarf. Shhh, don’t tell anyone!

Yesterday afternoon was the Christmas gathering for bf’s side of the family. It was at his sister’s house, which thankfully isn’t too far from home. But like Thanksgiving, there was a good-sized crowd which included a couple young kids, so it was a noisy, chaotic time. I enjoy seeing everyone, but I just can’t tolerate too much of that atmosphere for very long. And I’ve come to appreciate good lighting. At bf’s sister’s, there’s a dining room fixture with 3 bulbs, very high wattage and NO dimmer. It was unbelievably bright and warm there! I could have used sunglasses, hahaha. And other areas had very little lighting.

However, we had a fun time. I learned only on Saturday that there was to be a while elephant gift exchange but, thankfully, I immediately knew what we’d bring. A couple years ago I’d won a very rustic clock in a raffle being held by a home furnishings shop up in the WI Dells. If we’d had a cabin in the woods, it would have been perfect - but we don’t, and it’s not the right style for our house so it sat in the basement..until Saturday. So that’s what we wrapped and brought for the white elephant yesterday. The person who ended up with it apparently liked it enough to want to keep and made a point of holding it in her lap and doing her best to hide it so it wouldn’t be “stolen” by the other participants in the game. BF and I ended up with a mini Rival crockpot (Li’l Dipper). We already had one that came with our crockpot when we bought it all those years ago, but this new one actually goes better with our décor because it’s stainless steel and matches our other appliances. I don’t have a fancy thermal gravy boat, so maybe we’ll actually use one or both of our mini-crockpots on Christmas Eve to keep the gravy warm, LOL.

By the time we got home it was after 8 pm and I was wiped out. No tree decorating was done. That’ll have to be tonight I guess.

Enough rambling.

Gonna post this now and get to personals later, time permitting. TTFN.

Terra – I think Happy and Shad already answered your question, but yes, sleeping too much during a nap makes it harder to sleep at night. Unless you’re trying to make up for a poor night’s sleep, or you’re sick. Yay for finding the bus passes!! You must be relieved.

Shad – Sorry you’ve been having tummy troubles, but I’m not surprised if you’ve been forced to eat out a lot on the job. I know how it is to be living in a hotel (but the max for me was usually 3 weeks) and not want to have to eat out all the time. I remember on one assignment in a town with slim pickin’s in the restaurant department. We tired of the same place, so we began stopping at the supermarket after leaving the office and picking up bits and pieces to make up a meal – sandwiches, fruit, etc. – to bring back to our rooms. Bummer about the cold. I’m in the same boat, but hoping this runs its course quickly. Once again you’re making me weary just reading your post – wheelbarrowing stones!! Now wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if you’re related to Susie’s DH??!! Pretty flower – that’s not an orchid? Oh, I guess you’d want to know precisely what kind…never mind.


Happy – Ooh, new furniture. Sounds nice. You’ll be able to settle in for some nice reading sessions now. Looking forward to seeing the monster plant. I’d brought my houseplants back into the house from the 3-season room a while back. I feel bad for them because we’ve had no sun for quite a while now. But I still open the blinds for them… And I think at least one of them needs repotting. Your mom will enjoy the goodies you bought her! My mom’s always trying to watch what she eats, but I know she enjoys the treats Heck, she’s 81 – she can enjoy the occasional treat. Re the car running on fumes – I let the car go low occasionally, but not buried on E! Yeh, my work commute once I’m downtown isn’t bad at all (even with crossing the river and Wacker Drive!). My first job out of college, my office was all the way at Michigan Ave. Thankfully, I was usually working offsite either more conveniently located, or I could drive there instead of bus-train-bus. Re Peggy Cappy – my library had 3 of her dvds. I’ve got one on hold for myself.

Ceejay – I’m cleaning up the house for company coming on Christmas Eve, so I will go into the new year with a reasonably clean house. And I intend to get my donations organized for dropping off before Dec. 31 so I can take a tax deduction! I’m so sorry your tummy’s still having problems. Glad it’s getting better – keep up with those purple pills!! The purse storage issue should be no problem if the keys are found!

Dee – Well, I suppose the picnic supper was made up for by the fish dinner the following night, lol. Happy belated 50th to your dh! I turned the big 5-0 this past July and of course sagging jowls have “suddenly” appeared, LOL. Yet there are other friends and acquaintances that don’t seem to age one bit! Oh well, as long as I feel good… You sound really busy with your holiday work. Interesting that nightshirts are becoming more popular with your clients. I’ve never been a fan of nightgowns myself. What a bummer that you re-broke your foot! Wow, that’s a lot of sewing machines, and you aren’t even considering your sergers to be sewing machines! But your business definitely warrants all that equipment. I bet the variety of your work makes it so interesting. Re jeans, yeh, it’ll be nice to be a bit more casual. I do need some booties – I’ve got one ancient pair and that’s it. Otherwise I’ve just got heeled boots and snow boots. Re FB, my first page was using an “alias” because I only opened it to interact with my “internet” friends. At some point I created a “real life” page, and earlier this year I combined friends on the two into the real page and finally eliminated my “alias” FB page, lol. All that fuss and I rarely post anything, lol. But I do keep up with people that way. Dee, I can see in your case why you’d want to have an account without your real name. It stinks you refrain from it when you’d really like to keep up with people you know.

Susie – How nice DH bakes treats for his co-workers! What kind of cookies does he bake? I’m glad you’re getting your fitbit replaced under warranty. Yes, no bills to pay in December would definitely be a great gift!!

Annie – Glad you enjoyed your brother’s band the other night. Yay for easy workweeks! Nice you made amends with your IL bro. The SIL, well, just co-existing in the same space for short periods will have to do, huh? LOL re the extra presents. Oy, the parties this year! I’m such a homebody, I’d really rather stay home most of the time. I’m happy to say that our gathering on Christmas Eve will be very quiet compared to the Thanksgiving and yesterday’s gatherings. Saturday’s party will be stress free because it isn’t family, haha. Re the movie marathon of just ONE movie – no thanks! For me, it’s more special to see a move I love just every once in a while. And for some reason I enjoy it more when I catch them as they’re being broadcast on tv. But I did make a point of DVR’g “Christmas In Connecticut” and “Holiday Inn” because I’d hate to miss those two.

Michelle – So now you’re off work until after New Year’s? Nice. Any special plans?

Well, I think that’s about it for now. Today is it for me working this week!! And the day is half over!! Looking forward to six days of no work. After work tonight will be decorating the tree and maybe baking a batch of cookies. Tomorrow will be grocery shopping and more cleaning, and hopefully some baking!!

Back to it!

Evening all,
Been a productive day and I am somewhat worn out. Shifted 13 barrow loads of stones yesterday and 10 today. I've clean the majority of the house and for some reason, the family figured that today would be a good day to ring me to wish me happy Christmas and to chat. So I've been fairly busy. And now I am tired enough to sleep. As long as this stupid cough will let me of course. My nose started to run while I was chatting to my sister. Front and back so I was blowing and coughing altogether. Sorry if that is too much information. However I will have a spoonful of honey shortly and then some more Advil and off to bed. Hopefully this stupid cold is on its way out.
Can't think who put a thing on facebook about getting rid of a stuffy nose - was it you Happy? Anyway I tried it out and it works - for about 30 seconds, maybe a bit longer. Still it is nice while it lasts and while it lasts you need to be standing or sitting upright. Doesn't work if you lie down afterwards.

Been warm out there today. So I have mostly worked inside, still can find plenty to do either inside or out - outside - I can lay a block wall, spread stones, garden (always weeds here) fix a gate latch which doesn't seem to want to stay fixed, and paint the house. Inside - I can clean, prepare the laundry for a reno, prepare the bathroom for a reno, sweep and wash and also clear out the spare room. The attic space needs some work as well. Always something in a house.

So I will take myself off to bed and come back for personals tomorrow.

HAPPY TUESDAY...woke in a good mood today and down another pound. Minus 11, finally broke that 10 lb mark. Not bad. It has been 43 days since I start this embargo. I have to say CHELLE has been a huge inspiration. I have the same tools she has to lose this weight, I just need to follow the rules, which I have been, hence the loss. I don't want her looking so good and leaving me behind. lol.

Last night was pretty calm. Stopped by my brother's house for a bit. My nephew was there also. Nice visit. He also paid me for some things I picked up that he requested while I was out and about. Nice to get that extra 50 spot, just in time for Christmas.

C has a slipped hiatal hernia. Meaning his intestine and gut start rumbling then pain shoots up his mid section past his belly button into his sternam area, then has heart palpitations. What a scare that was until we found out what the cause was. So now he is on a very restricted diet, takes prilosec daily and has to wait 3 hours after a meal to lie down. I told him he better not die cause I would kill him if he did. lol

SHADDIE...man looks like you could use my help these days around the homestead. Yikes with all the work you have planned. You must have muscles in your arms and legs like crazy all that hauling you do. I am very impressed with your activities. However, you are on your own on the painting, I HATE painting, all the other stuff, I am game as long as I can do it. SHADDIE, try some Nyquil at night and give yourself plenty of time to sleep it off. Works like magic, no coughing. For the cough, Hauls cough drops lemon/honey are the best. Just sayin'

LAURA, LAURA, LAURA...you always have something going on. Girl you do more than I would ever like to do. I really don't like people enough to be in crowds or at a party. I am very cordial and can babble with the rest of them, you would never know I would rather be home watching Hallmark with MELLIE. Bummer about the rotating tree stand, as much frustration with it that I would of endured, it would have been rotating anyway. lol. Gald you finally got the tree up, like you I don't have enough ornaments and doesn't look like I am going to put the effort into buying any this year. That whole making cookie dough and cutting out cookies is for the birds. It was fun making cookies with the kiddos, however glad it only comes once a year. We did try some of the Pilsbury sugar cookie dough. It worked just fine and tasted great. Add a little flour and roll it out, perfect. Just be sure to leave the rolled dough a little thick, otherwise the cookies get too done and crispy around the edges. Live and learn, I guess. Good snag on the little crockpot gift. I have one and just love it. Perfect for cheese dip, sauces, gravies, taco meat, stuff like that. I think I would rather have more small crockers than the two large ones I have.

Hellos to the rest of ya's.

Make it a great Tuesday/nite.

Hugs.

Annie ~ Yeah going to bed later in the evening will probably help me not to wake up so early in the morning, I'll try it and let you know if it works or not. No Sadly I havent worked out since Sunday but I will be sure to work out today and every day from day on. YES!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so ready for Christmas, Are you ready for Christmas too?

Laura ~ Oh okay yeah when I take a nap I will limit the time to 20 mins. only. Yes I was so relieved when I found my bus passes, Now I dont have to buy one for Jan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up at 7 a.m. this morning, Its now 8:54 a.m. My only plans are to do my 40 min. chair exercises at 11 a.m. since I slept in this morning and I'll do it all over again at 7 p.m. tonight.

Good morning ladies,

I have to run off to my shift at the thrift shop this morning - will be back later to catch up. Snow is falling - we are due for 3 to 5 inches. I guess it's allowed for Christmas. Be back later...

Morning all,
Another perfect morning down here in the great South East. I'm off to do some painting shortly just as soon as I have finished here and got some painting clothes on. I'm hoping to have a second coat on the veranda posts today and also some trim done in the carport and at the front of the house. It will be nice to get rid of that dreaded Bathurst Beige for once and for all. Hate beige. It is such a nothing colour.

Happy - back to 'dreaming of a white Christmas'? Or is it getting a bit old already?

Terra - I am so not ready for Christmas, but then it isn't a holiday I enjoy so maybe I don't want to be.

Annie - good going on the 1lb down and 11lbs overall is awesome. Heck I have a party if I lose 1 kilo.
Poor C. Hope he can get the hernia fixed asap. They can be such painful things.
Don't think we have Nyquil here. However I don't have much problem sleeping although I do wake myself up a couple of times during the night. Then I find myself nodding off in the hottest part of the day and that doesn't help the sleep pattern one little bit - as Terra is finding out. I'm a cold type Strepsil girl myself. They work like a charm. And honey lubricates the throat - if you get the activeX stuff it has natural antibiotic properties as well. I stuff myself full of everything I feel like at the time. Something will work eventually - although I have to say this cold has loosened up a lot in the last day or so. Must be all that fresh air and exercise.

Laura - Yep I know the flower is an orchid. I even know what species/ genus of orchid it is, and I know one of the parents name but apparently two orchids and a couple of bees got up to no good in the breeders yard because the name of the orchid is 'Unknown'. Apparently not what he was expecting the flower to be.
Enjoy your time away from work and the dinner and visit from your family. Your baking sounds like you could be having and interesting after dinner feast.

Guess that is about it - hang on - photos. The neighbour across the road feeds the local birds. They line up in a pecking order, first the parrots, then the lorikeets and then the Jays and the pigeons. Here's yesterdays lot.

Shad
What a beautiful picture! I'm envious. I need to get the land lord here and do s few things. I don't mind the painting. But I need to strip some border off and I'm dreading this.

Sorry I've been away. Between getting to the gym, visiting Bob in the hospital, spending time with my step-mom and my bf Doug, and walking Santa...just doesn't leave much time for anything else.

I've had a busy and exhausting morning, so I'm going to lie down and relax a bit before heading out to the dog park. I'm also meeting a good friend for a walk in the park this afternoon. Then Doug and I might go out tonight...not sure yet.

Tomorrow evening, for Christmas Eve, we're going over to my step-mom's to exchange gifts and play cards or another game.

I hope you all are doing well. Even though I don't get in here every day, you're all in my thoughts and heart.

Much love,