It's That Time of Year

I did it again. Lost all track of time. Actually, I've been so busy preparing for the holidays that I really haven't been on the computer. And the few times I did (to check email, pay bills), I wound up checking FB, reading blogs.....and before you know it, a couple of hours have gone by and I'm behind schedule!

Well it looks like we're in for another major snowstorm. And it's coming tomorrow around noon and lasting until Thursday afternoon. 3" to 6" of snow; preceeded by freezing rain and proceeded with strong winds. Oh yeah. And a temperature high of 16 degrees. Doesn't that just frost your Christmas cookies?!!

So our Thanksgiving is being postponed until Saturday, being that most of the kids have quite a distance to travel to our home. However, the 24# turkey is just about defrosted. I figure by tomorrow it will be totally. So it definitely will have to go in the oven Thursday. Night, I'm hoping. I'll bake the pies in the morning, make the stuffing and the cranberry relish.

House cleaning tomorrow and continue working on the gifts.

There's a possibility I will have to go into work on Friday and the weekend. They should be short days, though. Did you ever notice how that statement just never turns out?

Anywho. It's too bad that our holiday will be short lived - everyone will be going home Sunday, early afternoon. But what can you do.

I have been knitting and crocheting til my fingers feel like they're going to fall off. Christmas gifts. There's 4 different kinds of bread in the freezer - 6 to 9 loaves of each kind. Not the regular bread pan size, but the medium size; about 4"x7", I think. Again, Christmas gifts. And I've almost got the 2 plaster figurines painted. I'll spray them with sealer next week. Christmas gifts.

Next week I want to get the candies and fudge done, the house decorated inside and out. Then the second week, I'll be going to daughter's, stay overnight. We'll decorate her apartment and take her Christmas shopping. That weekend I hope to get all the gifts wrapped that are ready and start the cookies. Ahh, and the Christmas cards. Yes. I still send out cards. Some traditions are just so hard to let go of.

I figure anything that's for people living here I can finish up last. But the gifts for family in NY has to be done, boxed, wrapped, boxed again and mailed out by the 17th.

I have this frame I'm doing for son-who-used-to-live-here. It's an essay he wrote about my dad when he was about 12 yrs. old (son, not dad). And I found a nice photo of the two of them together. So I'm going to matte the essay and then the photo in a separate opening. Went to the frame store last week and picked out the matting. The gal there was explaining how to cut the matte. I told her if I screw it up, I'll be back in a hurry and she can do it for me. Wish me luck!!

This project is going to be last. When, hopefully, I don't have anything else on my mind and can give it my total concentration. Oh boy.

I also had the vhs of my parents' 50th anniversary (12 years ago) transferred to dvd. So each of the kids will get a copy. It turned out pretty good. I had a picture of mom and pop that I added text to and printed out for the dvd cover. It looks very nice. I think the kids will be happy. Some of them haven't seen the original VHS tape.

On a sad note, our cat, Peepers, 17 1/2 years old, had to be put down yesterday. She's been sick for a while. Took her to the vet 2 weeks ago. She gave her 3 differrent kinds of medicine but told us that Peepers was well over 100 years old in cat life. Well this past weekend she went downhill really fast. Everything shutting down; very sick. But she's in the backyard - next to our dog and granddaughter's guinea pig. She will be missed for quite a while. She was a great family member.

Well, here's wishing you all a very bless`ed, safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

On to the Christmas rush!!

OMG!

That's right. OMG! Where has the month of October gone?! I can't believe it's November already. I have not posted in over a month. Wasn't on vacation; wasn't sick; or incapacitated; the computer didn't crash. I must have lost my mind!

Been getting a lot done. All flower beds are cleaned out; perennials cut down; lawn ornaments and lights put away. BH has laid hay around the house and is still logging - for next year.

I finished spinning what was on the wheels; skeined, washed and balled it all. Almost finished the shawl. It's on "hold" right now.

Son has been up here for 2 weekends fishing. One weekend he brought his friend and other son came up too. The following weekend, fishing son came up by himself. They caught some nice trout. He's going to try smoking them this weekend with my brother's smoker.

Went to daughter's last week. She had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday and then we had the semi-annual meeting with her Living Skills people. So I went out there Tuesday and spent the night. We did some shopping and she made us great chicken burritos for supper.

Work is still going on. The new owners hit a snag in some paperwork, so the closing is postponed until the middle of November - or so they say. Everyone is getting very edgy, sometimes short tempered. Nerves are frazzled being that none of the employees have a clue as to what our employment status is going to be. Except me. I don't give a crap. I told my supervisor last week that I sincerely hope to be laid off - let go - released - fired.

Well I had to put my foot down. This Christmas thing just didn't sit well. Guilt. So after carefully planning how I would get through this with as little money spent as possible, I informed BH.

Me: "Listen, about not buying any gifts for anyone. I have a problem with that. I had already planned on some things. There's the essay that Corey wrote about my father when he was about 12 yrs. old. I wanted to have that framed with a picture of the two of them. I have to make Kim's slipper socks. It's been a tradition for 5 years now. I can even make John a couple of pair. And I'll make Keri and Ryan a couple pair each. You know that waffle iron that Dean won for me at the casino? Yeah, well I was planning on giving it to Ryan and Keri for Christmas.

And then there's the VHS tape of my parents' 50th anniversary party. I wanted to have it transferred to DVD and give each of the kids a copy for Christmas.

Then I have 2 plaster pieces that I want to paint and give as gifts to my sister and mother. (They're Christmas pieces that you put the little plastic lights in the holes and then put a nightlight inside and they look like Christmas lights).

And then Dean and Jr., we can figure out something. And Melanie always gets her earrings or a necklace from "Dad" (cookies and candies from me).

And I think that just about covers it."

BH: "ok. whatever you think".

Easy, huh? hehehe.

So I have been crocheting slipper socks like mad. I have also thought I would make a pair for each of the girls at work. Genius!! Done!!

And the VHS tape was taken into the video place and transferred to DVDs. I picked them up on Thursday coming home from daughter's. This week I plan on painting the plaster pieces. The frame has been purchased; going to the frame shop this week to have them make the matte board for the essay and picture.

Tomorrow I will make a batch of banana bread as part of Christmas gifts. I think next week I'll start to make the candy - and another batch of breads.

And right now the plan is that the Christmas decorations are going up the weekend of Thanksgiving. And wrapping all the gifts that are completed. That way I'll have plenty of time to get to daughter's to help her decorate her apartment and take her shopping.

OMG! I am really psyched! I'll let you know how far along the plans have gotten as time goes on. Wish me luck. Sometimes all the excitement just.........drains.....all......my......energy.