Awesome CHristmas!

I had a totally AWESOME Christmas! Not a lot of money spent, Except for the Car repairs that Bob gave me. We all made homemade goodies to give to each other. Freezer Jelly, Zuchhini bread, smoked salmon, cookies, fudge, rouquefort dressing, (my sister's recipe) hand crocheted doilies etc. It was as Christmas should be! No mass amount of monetary crap and greed, just lots of love and good stuff.

My daughter, in her eclectic way again, gave me some totally AWESOME pillow cases! She, as I have told you before, shops at good will, and found hand embroidered pillow cases, that people have decided are not in favor anymore. (May even have been in some one's estate sale) And She knows how I like them So I got 8 sets of pillowcases. She also made candied nuts! OH MY!! My Blood sugar is up today! ;)

Have you ever taken a real hard look at embroidered pillowcases and wondered who did them, or when? I did last night. THere is one set that is almost identical, but one of the cases was not quite finished the same as the other one. I sat and looked at it, and wondered if it was perhaps a Mother/daughter how-to lesson, or maybe it was an elderly woman who just could not see well enough to thread the needle, so set it aside. Or maybe the original owner died mid stream? The stories to tell are in there, I will just have to look harder to see what they are.

Some of the pillow cases are very well done, and others are wrinkled and rough. I know how that can happen. I gave up embroidery when my Mom would look at the back of everything I did, and if it did not look as good as the front, or if the linen was taut under the thread, then I had to rip it all out and start over unti it was done right. Needless to say, I don't embroider anymore. Maybe I will pick it up again, and try and see if I have improved any.

One of the odd pillow cases was embroidered with a very fancy edging and scroll work, and had HIS written in the middle, there is no HERS. Did he maybe die? or did they divorce and she got rid of the HIS and kept the HERS, or was it maybe for a trousseau, and the marriage never happened? Lots to tell in those pillowcases.

Lots of wondering whose heads rested on them. SOme of them look like they were barely used. Maybe it was just busy work. Only they know, and they are not telling. It made a great Christmas Present for ME!!!!

Tim and Mistie came with Molly their St Bernard, and DOnna brought Tilly her AUssie, and Sadie was a yappy little Bitch and did not want to share, so she got locked in my bedroom with the cats, because she would not behave, The others did though.

I cooked Prime rib and it was PERFECT! I even made green bean casserole for Tim, and it al got eaten. Everyone was happy, healthy, and sated when they left, no Alcohol, so they all were safe driving. It was the first CHRISTMAS in over 15 years that both of my kids were home at the same time. It is so nice to have them both happy again. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told him I needed a new car!

When Bob asked what I wanted for Christmas I immediately told him a new VW passat Stationwagon.





He laughed. I was serious. He instead said how about a tune up, brake job and new tires? That'll work! So I make all the appointments. (DId you know that in order to have work done on your car anymore, you have to make an appointment to have it looked at so they can order the parts and make an appointment to work on it?) I called Les Schwab and told them I wanted 4 nes tires and new brakes. So I make an appointment for the appointment, and was told that my brakes are FINE. So during my APPOINTMENT, I had four new tires put on. THen I called Mazda and told them I needed a tune-up and a detailing job. SO I make an appointment to see when I can have an appointment. THen I took the car in for my APPOINTMENT and got a loaner car, because you can not get a detail and a tuneup on the same day.

So after 2 days have gone by, I called Mazda to see when the car will be ready, and was told today sometime. SO here I sit waiting for the appointment to be over. MEANWHILE, he calls and says, you need new brakes, and oh by the way your valve seal is leaking around your valves, and to fix all that it will cost you 875.00 for the seal and labor and then 495 for the Front and Rear rotors and pads for the brakes. Now Bob has already spent 700 for the tires, and the brake inspection (which they said was good) at Les Schwab, and the detail and tuneup is another 900.oo. and then all of this on top of it will be around 1400.00! (which will have to wait for Income tax refund) I TOLD HIM I NEEDED A NEW CAR!!! HEll, by the time all this is done, I just might have one.

So last night I took a load of clothes out of the washer threw them into the dryer and stuck another load in the washer and went to bed. This morning, the clothes in the dryer are still wet. So I trurned the dryer back on, and it sounded like a car trying to run our of gas. (electric dryer) Then NOTHING!!! so now when Mazda calls, I will load the loaner up with wet clothes and take them in to pick up my car, transfer the wet clothes into MY car and go sit in the laundromat for an hour drying all my clothes. What does it cost anymore? last time I was in a laundromat it was .50 to wash and .10 to dry. Must be close to .75 cents to wash and .25 to dry?

To top off everything, This morning I headed into the back yard to pick what little mint I thought I had growing back there (for the Prime rib seasoning) and Jupiter the neighbors cat jumped out and scared me just as I opened the gate, and SWOOSH!!! there went SADIE! Out the gate and down the street with her nose to the ground looking for deer, or raccoons or cats, or bigfoot...who knows, but she will NOT come when called. SO my neighbor and I were running around the neighborhood sreaming for Sadie in barefeet, on frozen ground, and in our nightclothes. Sara finally caught her just as she was about to cross the highway. (Little Bitch!) I HATE kids that won't mind!

So how has YOUR day been?

Winter Solstice

Today is the shortest day of the year. Or the longest night...It has always been a comforting day for me. Don't know why, but I always want to just stay home and zone all day. It is 3:20 PM and already is getting dark. Then of course it is raining like hell too. Might have snow tonight, mixed with the rain of course.

I have not seen the squirrels in several weeks, they must hibernate, although they were out two years ago playing in all the snow! I wish the sky was clear, so I could look at the moon. I Love a crystal clear, cold still winter's solstice, with all the stars sparkling and the moon a waxing crescent! Been so long since I saw it, I THINK it is that phase now! But then a really full moon on winter's Solstice is pretty too, shing and lighting the woods like a spotlight! So we will be still for a day or so, and then start our tilt to the South, and the days will get longer and longer. Of course those of you in the Southern Hemisphere may be sad, because your days will get shorter and colder! THat must be strange.

I have to go swim, then run to rehearsal and read several parts, as two people will not be there tonight. (GRR) Then Tomorrow I take the car in for a tune up and a detail. (The other 1/2 of my CHristmas Present. Poor Bob had no idea how much this was all going to cost when he mentioned it, but when I said hey, you dont have to do this and I mean it, he said he rides in that car too, and he wants to make sure everything works right. Bless his sweet heart! He is A keeper.

I just about have all my shopping done. I need to find something for TIm, and I have no CLUE what to get him. He could probably use money, so I might just do that. He is now living with Mistie, and she has all of her stuff up here, so I dont think they need any household stuff. SHe seems to be helping him stay clean and sober, and he seems happy! So go for it! She is divorced, and has children, although not with her, and is a devote Mormon, so does not drink or drug! If he is happy and safe, that is all I want!

O Christmas Tree....

I finally got my lights up outside and finished decorating the tree inside. I told edt I would post a picture of "my wee tree" when it was finished. I always start out wanting a small tree, and by the time I get the thing home, it has grown two feet, and by the time I have it in the stand and the lights on it, it has grown another 2 feet.
You think I would learn, but I never do. Got all the ornaments on it this time too, and fixed the broken ones, and rigged fishing line in the ones with no hooks. (cant find any anywhere to buy!) So now all the ornaments I have are on the tree. All new lights, and all I have left is to put out my Christmas village. Then stand back with a fly swatter and kill schroeder as he tries to play with everything.

Nutcracker

Meiko Parton as THE NUTCRAKER in Thw Whidbey Playhouse's Production of Nutcracker



Meiko, and Jacey Geragotelis As the Sugar Plum Fairy



I really did not have anything to do with this play other than be the Photographer and do the Bios and the Lobby Wall and the Poster, And the Program...Ok, maybe I DID do something. Meiko was in my show ZOMBIES< and we encouraged him to go try out for Ballet, and Voila. He stuns the audience with his leaps and turns. and only 6 months of formal training too!

This weekend was the reception for the Donors, and I had right at a month notice to plan and pull it off. But I did! WHEW! I am tired. I took today off of rehearsal for Cover of Life to get my house cleaned and rest! I can actually see my dining room now. Now tomorrow I have to go find a tree!