Dad and I went to see Valkyrie last nite - he loved it! War stories are not my favorite, so I will not voice my opinion except to say that I thought perhaps the facts were "embroidered" upon to make the story longer than necessary. I will google it and check.

Cold and windy today - was outside for a while pouring castor oil in holes in the garden . . . looks like the voles are having a blast in my hosta bed.

we were up before the crack of dawn today and at the grocery store by 8:30 A.M.! Just us and a bunch of other old fogeys! Hope I got enough stuff to last thru next week. We are having steak tonight - Dad's request! - and then tomorrow I will make vegetable soup. That way Dad can eat whenever he want during half time. I am assuming he will be watching as many games as he can. He has a project going in the woodshop - I don't know what but he's having a grand time with it.

I watched Keith Olbermann last night showing some old footage of the presidential campaign. All I can say is Barrack Obama is a class act!

I think I am catching a cold - DRAT! just went thru the medicine cabinet and all our cold remedies are expired. And I'm NOT going back to the store for 3 or 4 days!

Happy New Year to All!

Hey Nancy - The Lincoln Lawyer is called that because he drives and conducts his business in his Lincoln. He buys 5 Linolns at a time so he can get the Fleet Discount. The Brass Verdict that I am now reading is a library book = and I can't loan it out. Your library should have it.

Remember = Jamie and I are making that gingerbread house on Friday - Jaida will probably be there and want to help too.

MAN! It's really cold today = down in the teens I think.

i'm back

Yes, Cox finally connected us up again Sunday evening - I had to call and ask what time the guy was coming, was told anytime from 8am-8pm. Well, he finally showed up around 630ish.
Got to read my garbage email, got to play my game and read the blog.

The boys are out of school for the holidays. It's all nice and quiet until big mouth (Joey) get's out of bed--noon or so. Then all hell breaks loose b/c Jamie can't do this, and Jamie says Joey's bossing him around, and Joey says Jamie's not listening, and blah blah blah - like i can reach thru the phone and smack both. Have told them they need to be like best friends and work it out.

Mom, Lincoln Lawyer=is that about the lawyer who works out of his yellow caddy? If so i didn't borrow it from you. I got it from the library -You gave me suggestions when i called you to ask what to read and i found that book. Anyway, if you have the sequel, I'll be glad to borrow that one...lol.

ok, i'm off - gonna play my game, mabye ...toodles

I guess everyone is too busy getting ready for Christmas to post anything! I still have stuff to do but am procrastinating. I made fudge this morning - now comes the hard part - NOT eating it! Will seal it up in tins. Have also been gathering up things to bring to Virginia Beach. I will make the cheesecake at Jane's - am bringing all the ingredients except eggs, so I hope she has plenty.

Was delighted to find some books at the library that I had wanted to read - Anita Shreve's Testimony - I mostly skimmed it, didn't care for it. David Benioff's City of Thieves which I started and was totally revolted after a few pages and slammed it shut. I still shudder to think of it. Now I'm making rapid progress with Michael Connelly's The Brass Verdict - a sequel to The Lincoln Lawyer - and am having a hard time putting it down. Next up is Doris Kearns Goodwin's No Ordinary Time - I read it years ago and loved it. It will be a good won to have with me over the holidays.

Fritz has knots in his long hair on his ears and I need someone (Zsuzsi and Katie or Ellen) to help me snip them out. He recognizes the scissors and goes running when he sees them in my hand. Need to trim Sandi's eyebrows, too.

Am seeing Nancy online today so I guess her service was restored. Welcome Back!

xxx's

Just a quick note here: This week at 9 P.M. every evening C-span is doing specials about the White House! Looks to be very interesting. I only get 2 C-span channels - hope it's on one of them. If not, I will ask one of you to TIVO it for me.

I started reading P.D. James' latest - The Private Patient - very good. Gave up on Barefoot by
Elin Hilderbrand. Was 200 pages in and just disliking it intensely. The library has Michael Connelly's The Brass Verdict, a sequel to The Lincoln Lawyer, and I will try to get that next. I know Nancy read the Lincoln Lawyer, and I think Jane and Ellen would both like it too. Nancy has my paperback copy I think.

It's cold here today - am trying to think of something "good" for dinner. Not to mention lunch. I get so fed up with planning meals!

Have a great day everyone!

Today is Friday, December 12, 2008, and how many of you can remember exactly what you were doing 51 years ago today? Not to brag about my fantastic memory or anything, but I can remember in minute detail most of what happened that day. I wanted a lot of things that no one would give me like drugs - lol - but when all was said and done, I got what I wanted most in the world - a beautiful baby girl!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY!!!!!

Dirty Santa

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/95506/dirty_santa_a_fun_gift_exchange_game.html?cat=7

I don't know what Dirty Santa is and I ain't asking! Don't want to know. Wait a minute - memory is stirring back about 40 years - you girls don't want to hear this! lol.

Finally got a good night's sleep - 2 hour nap yesterday afternoon plus 6 unbroken hours overnight.

Have done abolutely nothing about Christmas. Will give Joey and Jamie money and buy something for the little ones.

I am spending way too much time doing jig-saw puzzles - it's an addiction. I will finish the one I'm working on and not let myself do any more - (maybe).

It's been raining off and on so I must look around for Fritzy puddles. He HATES going out in the rain and I can't blame him. He is so short that not only does his back get wet, but his feet and that thing that hangs down get wet. Poor little guy.

Have nothing planned to do today - just the usual stuff.

Smoochies

Don't call Duff...

I am sure between myself, Jane and Nancy, we'll be able to make a Volvo cake for your birthday. It's just a big boxy rectangle anyway, right?

I've been trying to figure out Christmas. I can't put up a tree because......Hello!...cats! And, getting out the ornaments and other decor from the attic means invading...Hello...not a teen anymore but still obnoxious' space. Also, the timeshare sampler we bought won't let us book VA Beach over Christmas Break without an "uprade" of 500 bucks. Scott has vacation time he can use, and will lose if he doesn't, but can't remember to get it... and I am off from the 20th until after New Years! There are a lot of household projects we need to finish:
painting
junk removal
cleaning
organizing

and a hotel in VA Beach would be too much for Mr. Tightwad to spend....although that is all I have asked for for my birthday and Christmas. This family needs to swear off sex in March and April.....December birthdays suck. I am tired of the combo-gift. (not for mom, she is even-steven all the time).

We did go look at having my wedding band resized and discussed a honeymoon next June for our 10th (holy shit, the longest I've ever been with a husband!). We want a cruise since our timeshare sampler includes a "free" one for 30 bux a day per person, + airfare to Florida. And taxes and gratuity. So, for only 1500 bucks, we can have a modest cruise. I am trying to decide if a week on a boat in a tiny room with my old man is really a honeymoon at this point or some sort of marital longevity test. I think there is enough to do separately (sleeping/snoring/eating: his favorites) and (reading, eating, reading) that it will be OK. On the ring, I am trying to make Scott realize that having it reset in a new setting is better than paying them to steal gold from my ring that is too big. I'm also negotiating side diamonds or gemstones. Wish me luck.

Mom hooked me on puzzles, but I need a room to do them without animals, since they sleep, eat, play with and barf on them.

OH, and I got gifts for: Jaida, Christian, Jamie, and Joey, and THAT IS IT. I will make cookies, fudge or some kind of goodie treat for everyone else to be shared, and I will make somethings to contribute to Christmas dinner. Other than that, no more. I have ideas for next year (hint: Farmville + Dirty Santa - just ask for the details).....LOL.

xx Ellen

Insomnia strikes again. Ugh. Fell asleep about 10, woke up at midnight, back to sleep til 2, then laid in bed til 3:30 and finally gave up. I HATE this! I used to sleep a solid 7 or 8 hours and that does happen once in a great while. I can find things to do in the middle of the night - read, watch t.v., but I know I will feel lousy later in the day. I take Tylenol (Equate brand) P.M. sometimes but don't like to use it all the time. I will take it tonight for sure, though, because sometimes if I go beyond being real, real tired then I can't get to sleep at all - this happened 3 weeks ago - just an awful, awful night.

I just finished reading Dewey the Library Cat - a nice book. Am now 100 pages into Barefoot by Elin Hildebrand and am not liking it very much. I will continue on with it - it might get better, but it's definitely "chick-lit" meant for much younger women than I.

We had a little rain and wind during the night and it feels much warmer. Sandi and Fritz wanted out about 2 and it looked all wet. Dad is getting the truck inspected this morning but I will probably stay home. No doubt he will want me to follow him into town in the Volvo so he doesn't have to hang around waiting. HEY - the Volvo is 20 years old now - I should call Duff at Ace of Cakes and order a Volvo birthday cake! It would probably cost more than the Volvo is worth.

Adios everyone - back to the kitchen and more coffee.

Just a short blog to say hello--guess no one is writing anymore. Just wanted to share a little something for the nite and then i will write more this w/end - I promise.

Joey took me out for dinner tonight and bought me a nano for my birthday and hard phone case. But, the best thing about my birthday dinner w/the boys tonight is the fact that there was not one arguement, or kicking legs under the table= i was a proud momma. I guess the boys are growing up. Makes my heart swell w/pride, but makes me sad to know -the day is coming when they will be leaving my nest to make their own nest.

Well, I keep waiting for someone to post something but NADA! Sooooooooo, I will bring you all up to date on my doings. I have been on a jigsaw puzzle marathon for several days. Bought one new one and found an old one I hadn't done in years. Just the thing on cold rainy days. Even Dad will sit down and work on it.

Our trip to Pennsylvania was okay - the trip up was horrible - traffic, rain, and then darkness. Plus Dad sitting in the backseat doing his best to harass the driver. Ellen (the driver) did an excellent job. We arrived at the motel at about 7:30 P.M. - that's right - 7 hours for a 4 hour trip due to weather and traffic. We were all hungry but couldn't face getting in the car again so we ordered a pizza delivered from Dominos - it was okay.

Monday morning was the Memorial Service for Aunt Nancy - first a "meet and greet" followed by the service and the trip to the cemetery. It was nice to see Chris and Russ and their families - Chris turned out to be the best looking one. Angie is always sweet and friendly, and I really like Russ' wife. She is down to earth and easy to talk to. She is a school librarian so we always discuss books. After the cemetery we all went to Shirley and Russ' house for a little while - it's a beautiful house. Melissa has made a Swedish cake - Nancy used to make them for special occasions. We left after a couple of hours for the trip home. Much easier this time around - very little traffic and no rain. Went out to dinner in Fredtown with Ellen, Scott, Katie and Mark. - HEY - today is Katie's birthday!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Dad and I drove home the next morning with a quick "potty" stop at Barnes & Noble - not to mention a small purchase. Then it was on to home and Sandi and my little Fritzy - I adore that little guy and I think both dogs were thrilled to see us.

Now let me tell you about the house! I don't know how Jane does it all - it was only 2 days she was here. Windows washed, house vacuumed and dusted, all carpets shampooed, floors mopped - it hasn't been this clean in a long, long time.

I have really mixed emotions about Aunt Nancy, but I will get into that another time. I really thought she would live to be 100.

Kisses all around!

XXX