Happy New Year!

I wish you, a happy and healthy New Year, dear bloggyfriends!

A spectacular one, in fact.

What is your wish for the New Year?

My wish for the New Year: A year of honest behavior by those who have the power to make beneficial changes in our country.


HONEST



Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin honestus honorable, from honos, honor honor
Date:
14th century
1 a: free from fraud or deception : legitimate , truthful b: genuine , real c: humble , plain
2 a: reputable , respectable b: chiefly British : good , worthy
3: creditable , praiseworthy
4 a: marked by integrity b: marked by free, forthright, and sincere expression : frank c: innocent , simple H-m-m-m-m... Marked by integrety.... has a nice ring to it....

I wish you a happy and healthy and HONEST New Year

A note to someone special: Got your note - reply on the way. Love you very much too. No need for forgiveness when there is love. A new year awaits! Talk to you soon. XOX.

(Bloggybuddies - I know this coded message is going to make you crazy. Sorry. It's for a dear non-blogging buddy so ya'll can stop looking at each other all suspicious like.)

The Good Dr. West Discusses Insomnia

You can count on us, dearie! Mabel here is # One and I'm # Two. Portia back there has agreed to be # 3 and Maudy to my right with her butt in my face is willing to be #4.

The good Dr. West has decided to grace us with another appearance! The renowned author of Maidenhood and Motherhood (1886) has decided to tackle the subject of (yawn) insomnia. He feels that this is an excellent time, as we are on the very carapace of a new and economically disastrous year. Also the Yellowstone caldera is causing a bit of a stir amoung scientists. If that blows you'll get a lot of quality sleep. The permanent kind. It's not like I haven't warned you about this already.
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The holidays are fraught with hysteria which then results in sleepless nights. Stressful problems such as just when cousin Reginald is going to get off his dead ass and go home only add to the stress. Many a good, albeit hysterical, woman has spent the dark hours of Christmastide wide awake only to fall asleep face down in her breakfast oatmeal. The upside is the resulting discovery of the benefits of oatmeal (with or without brown sugar and cinnamon) on your complexion. The downside is getting raisins stuck to your contact lenses can be quite irritating.

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What are you looking at? He said you should count sheep. S-H-E-E-P. Do we look like sheep to you? You muttonhead!



Dr. West is well aware that the nervous affections resulting in insomnia are exceedingly prevalent among all classes and ages of women. Insomnia is the result of too much blood on the brain. He feels that the principles that should prevail in the treatment of wakefulness may be arranged in two classes.
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The first treatment is to soothe the nervous system or distract the attention, diminish the action of the heart and blood vessels or correct irregularities in their function and thus lessen the amount of blood in the brain. Monotonous sounds (like the Mister snoring in my left ear?), soft music, repetition by the individual of a series of words (maybe like quitsnoringinmyearquitsnoringinmyear), gentle friction over the surface of the body (I don't know how this is going to happen. Raoul, the house boy leaves before dinner) undulate movements ( again, Raoul.....), or counting from 500 backwards. There's always counting sheep.
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Hey, you got a raisin stuck on your eyeball, lady.


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If wakefulness is persistent, the above measures will not be adequate. Improvement of the patients general health is necessary. Suggestions for improved health include:


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• A hearty supper of plainly-cooked and nutritious food


• Avoidance of too much food as this augments rather than diminishes the quantity of blood in the brain.


• Avoidance of too little food.

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In most cases, sleeplessness in women will only be corrected by a combination of good food and stimulants such as a few glasses of wine, or lager beer with dinner (now we're talking). In some cases, if the woman has languid circulation, wakefulness is speedily and entirely cured by a cup of coffee taken three or 4 nights in succession at bedtime.

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Other suggestions include:

• some physical exercise,


• warm bath,


• put feet only in hot water (100 degrees)


• Cold water 32 degrees) applied directly to the scalp. (I'll flatten anyone who tries this one on me)

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In severe cases of mental exertion (what would this be - like having to watch two football games and a hockey game on the same day?), all means of the cure will fail unless the brain is used in a rational way. Relaxation and mental rest are required as well as some medicinal treatments ( I think we're finally getting to the good treatments here)

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If you dimwits wake her up I shall have no choice but to shoot you.

Medications in order of usefulness according to Dr. West

• Bromide of potassium is the most highly recommended (anti seizure med - for dogs and cats)

• Hyoscyamus is a very valuable remedy (mandrake, flea bane, nightshade combo)


• Chloral hydrate is a prime relaxant (This would be a Mickey Finn)


• Opium (opium)


• Morphia (Morphia)

What a quack - he hasn't mentioned the all time favorite of the Victorian lady: Laudanum. And lots of it.

Do I have something stuck between my teeth?

Best Blog Award to Share

As I explained to Soulbrush, I just popped over to her blog to take a closer look at this award and then simper and drool appropriately while I congratulated her.

She bestowed her spanking new award on 15 bloggers, and my name was listed among them! Thank you so much! I simpered and drooled for a while longer and then grabbed the award and ran over here so I could share it with some of my many deserving bloggy buddies. I'd give it right back to Soulbrush too, if I could. Soul's blog is a delight!

I am happy to bestow this award on 15 of my buddies for the simple reason that each of their blogs are a pure delight and I just keep going back for more!

Stevie Wren @ http://alittlebirdietoldmeso.blogspot.com/

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Lavinia @ http://birdbathchronicles.blogspot.com/

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Blicky Kitty @ http://blickykitty.blogspot.com/

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Debby @ http://lifesfunnylikethat.blogspot.com/

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Sparky @ http://redbirdacres.blogspot.com/

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Janeen @ http://chachaneen.blogspot.com/

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Trish @ http://nanaslivingthedream.blogspot.com/

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Shelly @ http://birdinginmichigan.blogspot.com/

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Devoted @ http://theresamae.blogspot.com/

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Anna @ http://lifejustkeepsgettingweirder.blogspot.com/

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Kat @ http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/

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Betsy http://myfivemen.blogspot.com/

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Sharon http://thefabricofsweetrepose.blogspot.com/

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Marie http://www.cpaphilblog.com/

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Nanny http://www.nannygoatsinpanties.com/

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Margaret Ann @ http://waterblossoms.blogspot.com/

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Congratulations, and enjoy!

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Husband **

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Husband!
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Another rerun. Am I lazy or what? I only had 2 readers when this was posted - me and one other person. So read it. Thanks!
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June 29, 2008

I know I pick on the Mister a lot. From what you've read, I'm sure you'll agree I'm entitled. He does, however, have several endearing traits. Yes, really!

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For one, he's always been Mr. Errand Man. Nothing too small or too embarrassing for the Mister. Like back in the olden day's, if I needed any lady-stuff he had no problem whatsoever going out by himself to make the necessary purchases. I've seen gown men pale at the thought of going into a woman's clothing store, or carry ladies laundry to the dry cleaner. They would never, ever pop into a Walgreen's to pick up lady stuff. Better they should be eaten by a lion then to ask on which aisle the Tampax are located. Not the Mister.

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If I get Married I'll Still Be Running Errands. I Just Won't Get Paid.

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Any time night or day. Anything. The more embarrassing to the average male the better. I know I've got a gem here.He's not a church going man, but he does attend on Mother's Day, just for me, and on the major Holidays that match his initials : E C. Easter and Christmas. Today I wanted to attend the Baptism of several of our church members. He suggested it might be better if he clean the swimming pool and maybe pop over to Walmart for some paper towels, but I reminded him that the way to Fred Howard Park is a complete never to be unravelled mystery to me. 400 turns and back roads to get to a beach that is only about 7 miles from our house. You go north and end up going south.

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They have signs showing the way to the park, but when you come out they don't have any signs showing you how to get back home again. No problem for the Mister. He was more than happy to go with me. No bribes necessary, just the possibility that I might use up a tank of gas coming and going.Yes - we have our baptisms in the Gulf of Mexico - it's a perfect place. I was re-baptised there about 2 1/2 years ago. The Mister came without being asked and took lots of pictures.He is all of a sudden getting iffy on his errand runs.

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I Had To Get This Picture Off Of Flickr - We Don't Own Any Of This

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It used to be I could run out of Heinz 57 sauce (don't know why I used this for an example. We don't even use the stuff) and he would dust the potato chip crumbs off his turquoise t-shirt, change out of those blue shorts that he is not even allowed to go to the mail box in, and dash off without so much as a sigh. Just in the past few months, however, he has started to balk at errands. Says he doesn't really like popping out for stuff anymore. I told him he cannot change his mind now. No. He's been doing this for 38 years and I'm not even sure how to go about running an errand.

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Good Riddance!

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I do not know which aisle they keep the Tampax in (don't know why I used this as an example, I don't even use the stuff any more) (Hallelujah and praise the Lord) Don't get me wrong, I've driven all over the state, from Michigan to Florida and traveled to several states on my own. No problem. But those were work related or to visit my family. They weren't to dash out for a quart of milk. He cannot change his mind at this late stage of my life. Batting my eyes doesn't really work anymore - we both just laugh at my efforts at feminine guiles. This is a developing story. I'll let you know how this goes. I think I might need a box of Raisinettes, or maybe some Heinz 57 sauce since we haven't had any in about 32 years.

Thanks for stopping by!

An Award to Share!

Janeen of Chachaneen who IS the Spirit of Christmas presented this lovely award to me and 4 other bloggers. It comes with 2 rules, the first is to name five things I love about Christmas and the second is to present this award to five other bloggers.


These are five of many things I love about Christmas:


1) I love to open the boxes of Christmas ornaments. The tree is filled to overflowing with beautiful ornaments that I have been given or The Mister and I have purchased over the 39 years we have been sharing Christmas.


2) The smells of Christmas, present and past. The scent of the tree, cookies baking, Christmas dinner, and from long ago, the smell of incense at Christmas Mass, plum pudding and homemade cranberry sauce.


3) Internet shopping. I'm sure anyone who does not love shopping also appreciates this convenient way to order gifts.


4) Time with family and friends. We seem to move farther and farther away from each other, and the times we are all together are so few. My niece Alyce and her new husband Shawn had everyone over for Christmas this year. The Florida contingent of my family gathered there and enjoyed the day along with Shawn's family - eighteen of us! My sissy's Janet and Mary, and brother Jerry along with our families enjoyed an abundance of delicious treats and conversation and those all important hugs and kisses and laughter.


5) Sharing Christmas with others. Instead of purchasing gifts for each other we make donations to a worthy cause in the name of family members. We present gift cards with information about the donation to each other. This year our donation went to a church in a very poor area of Costa Rica which in turn gave Christmas gifts of clothing and toys to the children of the town.


Sharing this award with 5 people was a challenge, because the Christmas Spirit reigns in Bloggyland. What I decided to do is choose among the many new visitors who participated in the Christmas in Bloggyland Tour:



Imere http://thegreengrassgrowsallaround.blogspot.com/

Tara and Kidz http://kidzorg.blogspot.com/

Snarky Much http://snarky-much.blogspot.com/

Tova Darling http://tovadarling.blogspot.com/

Martha http://comicallyflawed.blogspot.com/

Trish of Nana's Living The Dream recently presented me with the special "Proximidade" award. This award is a fine one because it focuses not on the glory and fanfare of blogging, but in the PROXIMITY to one another through this on-line world (kind of a Six Degrees of Separation sort of thing).
"Blogs who receive this award are 'exceedingly charming' say its authors.This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."
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I would like to pass this award to eight (of many) brand NEW bloggy friends because they are proof that the proximity to a new found friend is just a click away:
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LarryG http://ytfe.blogspot.com/


YaYa http://yayastuff.blogspot.com/


Jane http://jumpininthejungle.blogspot.com/


Patty http://autumnsmeadow.blogspot.com/


Mary Lou http://buttercreamcottage.blogspot.com/


Elizabeth http://elizabeth-aboutnewyork.blogspot.com/


Human Being http://dearteachercrow.blogspot.com/


Angi http://angie-beem.blogspot.com




Congratulations, and enjoy!

******************************************************

On a very sad note

I found out via Genevieve's blog that Suzanne, of Liquid Illusion, committed suicide on Christmas Eve. I have been following Suzanne's blog for a while now. She was a wonderful and very talented person who was apparently plagued by bi-polar dysfunction along with personal problems that led her to believe that this was a way out. We can neither judge nor know what God has to say. I pray she finds the peace she was seeking. I especially pray for her family who is left in the wake of this tragedy.

The 12 Inch Italian, Please **

I'd like one of these, please! Hold the mayo.

I have pounds of cookies to eat and miles to go before I sleep, so I am taking the liberty of recycling another of my older posts:

May 30, 2008

I stopped at Firehouse Subs for a sandwich to share with a friend today. I ordered the 12 inch Italian. I realized right in the middle of my order that it sounded rather rude. The cashier, apparently jaded by these orders, just asked if I wanted chips with that. Sure do.

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Sometime in the early dawn hours the resident squirrels succeeded in toppling the squirrel proof bird feeder from our tree out back. Pesky things. They pour over blue prints at night and make new attempts by day. Took them 2 1/2 years, but they got it.

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They ate most of the seed that spilled out. I hope they're good and thirsty now. I also caught them in the act of snagging one of my roses yesterday. A new white miniature that I planted the day before. (I'm a glutton for punishment) I've been blaming it on the deer because I saw a deer track in the garden. I think the squirrels figured out how to make deer tracks.

.Now you can see just what we're up against here!

Any way, the squirrels are having an awards dinner tonight for the one who cracked the code to the feeder. They'll probably hit the sack early though. They're in training right now. I have a fig tree - the one with bottles and wind chimes on it - to deter them. They love it! In there all the time. They are measuring the figs daily, and doing their meal planning around the ripening crop. It's a game every year - who gets to enjoy the figs. The usual score is squirrels 287, Muse and the Mister 6.

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'Scuse me - I was just interrupted in my chain of thought by the Mister. Letting me know that the current load of laundry is just about dry and since it's mostly my clothes I should get it while it's hot. Skipping over the obvious; WHY SHOULD I GET THE *$%^@#@ LAUNDRY JUST BECAUSE IT"S MINE, %^@#@(* !!!!!!) what may not be so obvious to the reader is this: I am sitting here in the one room of the house that I can call mine. I've mentioned.... oh, I don't know... maybe just a thousand times that when I'm writing it would be ever so nice not to be interrupted. Yet, even if we have not exchanged ONE WORD all day, he thinks up things to tell me or ask me while I'm writing. Just like the squirrels figuring out the bird feeder.

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Did you see "As Good As It Gets"? The scene where Jack Nicholson's fiction writing character Melvin Udall is interrupted in the middle of writing? This is part of the dialogue: " Never, never, interrupt me, okay? Not if there's a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there's a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you're going to faint. Even then, don't come knocking." There's more, but it gets way too rude.

You might just want to take it out of the dryer yourself, Mister.

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is I've explained this to the Mister 167 different ways, and no sooner do I come in here and I'm wailing away on the keyboard I hear the skritching of his sandals coming closer and closer and closer.... to the door and then next thing ya know, here he is with a burning question like "Should I put the chicken on the counter to thaw?" Holy Mama!

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I'm just sure I could have finished my novel by now, sans interruptions. I could be out on book tours. talking movie rights. But no-o-o-o-o-o. Every time I think about it I imagine the skritch of those sandals coming at me and well, that's why I'm only 78 pages into the thing. Four years later. The fact that I haven't quite worked out the plot plays into this, but I'd rather blame it on skritchy sandals.

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When he isn't able to think up a good question he'll just skritch up behind me and say "What are you writing? or " Why dontcha put the 2 of diamonds on the black three." Okay, Okay, so I play some solitaire. It's because I'm passing the time before the skritching starts and then, after answering the burning question of the hour, I can move on.

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'Scuse me, the mister just stopped by with another question (bzzzzzzzzz) and I heard the dryer go off. The dryer with MY clothes in it, so before I go off again I'm signing off. More to follow.

Make-up Magic and Palmetto Bugs*

A Two Car Garage

*I thought I'd re-post my 6/6/08 entry so that I can spend some quality time sitting under the Christmas tree eating cookies in my jammies. You probably haven't read this one anyway, because I only had about one reader back in June. Me.
*****

While enjoying my pedicure the other day I was reading an article about make-up application. Something about how to be as beautiful as your favorite movie star or something. Yeah, that'll be the day.

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The eye catcher was the part about how you should spend at least 20 minutes applying your make-up to ensure perfection. 20 minutes. I don't know about you, but I for one could and would not spend 20 minutes doing my face unless I were in prison. That's the only place I can think of that I might have that kind of time (while doing time).

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Come to think of it, that wouldn't work either. I think most prisoners only get to use make-up if they are doing an interview for 20/20 Mystery. They borrow an ill fitting sweater from the Head Matron and slap on a little borrowed lipstick so they can talk about how they are completely innocent of all charges and that must have been someone else's fingerprints on the machete.

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I timed myself this morning. It took me a little under 4 minutes to do everything from toner and that all important moisturizer to blush and eyeshadow. I'm probably a bit more slapdash than my "favorite movie star", whoever that might be. At my age I'm looking

The Muse should follow my make-up techniques - after all, there is nothing like a Dame!

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at maybe Dame Judi Dench for pointers. The important rules that I personally follow are "make sure your _______ doesn't/don't look like __________'s." My list goes something like this:

Make sure your:

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eyelids don't look like garage doors slamming shut when you blink

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eyebrows don't look like Uncle Louie's (that's the Seinfeld episode where his eyebrows got singed off and Elaine drew them back on with a black magic marker) or like Joan Crawford's when you're hanging your clothes on wire hangers.

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eyeliner doesn't look like Liz Taylor's during her Cleopatra years, or like Cher's any time

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Eyelashes don't look like Lucille Ball's.

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Lipstick doesn't look like Lucille Ball's or Joan Crawford's (coloring within the lines applies here).

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Blush doesn't look like Bozo the clown.

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That's about it. If I pass muster, and I remember to check the back of my hair, I'm good to go.

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Next topic:

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Several of my Northern acquaintances have asked about Florida Wildlife. Specifically bugs. They call and say: I hear there are a lot of bugs in Florida. Is that true? To which I reply: To tell you the truth, I've seen far more bugs in Michigan. However, the bugs you see in Florida are quite memorable.

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Palmetto bugs the size of fire trucks are a prime example of memorable. Spiders so big you can hear them walk is another. So it's not the number, it's the overall weight and length that will astonish.

2 cents worth of palmetto bugs

You probably already know this, but if you see a (normal sized) spider in the house just spray him/her with hairspray or spray starch. They are rendered incapable of moving long enough for you to call animal control or run out of your house screaming. Which ever you prefer.

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The thing that brought this to mind is I walked into the bathroom last night and got that eerie feeling that I was not alone in there. Without moving anything except my eyeballs I searched about and sure enough there was a palmetto bug ( okay, okay I know they're cockroaches, but we here in Florida prefer to call them palmetto bugs) the size of the Queen Elizabeth II in the shower. I dispatched him quite handily.

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What to do about them is not the point here, the point is they are big enough that you know you are not alone in the room. How spooky is that? Very. I've creeped myself out here. Think I'll go sit by the pool for a while. Thanks for stopping by!!

From My Blog To Yours

Have a blessed and merry Christmas, my dear bloggy friends!

The Flying Conciatu Brothers

The Mister's Bro, Flyboy, flew in last night from the frigid north and - although we've had the 3 days and fish conversation - he's staying for a week. That's fine with me because his favorite pastime - like mine and the Mister's- is eating shrimp, grouper, and in general, anything that isn't tied down.




I asked what he would like to do today and the answer is: Eat lots of shrimp. Cool. Sign me up.




I have 42 pounds of Christmas cookies, pecan bark dark AND milk chocolate, some Polish poppy seed cake, several bags of Hershey Kisses and a giant stick of Summer Sausage to tide us over between meals. I have a tree full of ripe oranges for a dose of vitamin C so we don't get rickets. Christmas is happening!



Flyboy is also going to make the Romanian version of crepes, called klatita, for us tomorrow. Last year we filled them with guava paste and cream cheese - a heavenly combination.



Later we'll attend the Christmas Eve service and then have dinner at Angelino's. We've been doing this for several years now so, I guess, it is a family tradition. The faces and number of family and friends at Christmas eve dinner have changed considerably over the 7 or 8 years. The time and the place are the only things that have remained constant.



Thinking back, all of our Christmas traditions have changed so much over the years. New ones replace the old with the passing of family members, the moving about of others and the growing up of children. We do not grieve for those traditions that no longer are part of our lives. Those are good memories of Christmas Past. We accept and embrace the new.







This, my first Christmas in Blogland, I celebrate and embrace a new tradition with many, many new friends in the world of blog! I love that I can fly around the world faster than Santa every day to visit you! I love your posts, your comments, your encouragement, your art, poetry, pictures, sense of humor and the special bond that we all share. I especially love our adventures, and look forward to the next. I wish you all a wonderful and blessed Christmas!




From my blog to yours:

Why Men Shouldn't Be Allowed To Take Phone Messages

Mmmmm! The Muse Swings' Gingersnaps!

I mentioned gingersnap cookies - that I used to make - in yesterday’s post. These are by far the most delightful gingersnaps of all. They are small, thin, crunchy, melt in your mouth cookies. You can make the dough ahead of time and freeze until ready to bake. Baked cookies can be stored for about a month in the freezer or in a cool dry place in airtight tins.

They collect moisture rather quickly, so you may not get the best results in the humid southern states as you get in the dry cold northern states. I always doubled the recipe – which makes hundreds - and gave them as gifts, took some to parties and still had plenty to fill plates for the holidays at home.

The Muse Swings’ Gingersnaps

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
¼ cup dark molasses
1 egg
1 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
2 2/3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp ginger
1 ½ tsp ground cloves
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking soda
3/8 tsp salt

sugar for dipping

Combine sugar and molasses and egg in large bowl and mix well. Beat in butter, stir in flour, spices baking soda and salt.

Turn dough out onto waxed paper and shape into logs about 5/8th inch in diameter. Freeze until hard. Can be made a day or two ahead.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put about ¼ inch of sugar in small plate for dipping. Lightly grease baking sheets. Remove 1 log from the freezer.

Slice log in ¼ inch slices, dip both sides in sugar to coat thoroughly and set about ¾ inch apart on baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned but still soft – about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to racks. (a paper lined table will do). Cool thoroughly and then store in airtight containers. Can also be stored up to 1 month ahead of time in freezer bags, in the freezer.


Recipe makes lots of little delightful cookies.


You may also want to serve these with Cream Cheese Pumpkin desert dip.


Cream Cheese Pumpkin Desert Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

MIX all ingredients until well blended; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Serve.

Enjoy!

Q: Do I Smell Cookies Baking? A: Nope.

So what if she didn't make snicker doodles, you pedantrious prunes! Now see what you have done!

You don't really believe I made these, do you?

A conversation with my semi-guilty conscience:

Guilty Conscience: Sooooo, Muse, Just how many Christmas cookies have you made this year?

Muse Swings: Zip, nada, zilch.

GC: (While making my left eye twitch) Are you planning on baking?

MS: I'm thinking about it.

GC: Just what are you thinking about?

MS: I'm thinking about crashing a cookie exchange.

GC: I see you have a grocery list with some potential cookie ingredients listed.

MS: Yes, it's a bit optimistic of me.

GC: And you are planning on going to Publix, when?

MS: Tomorrow, I guess.

GC: I'd suggest you at least set the alarm. Otherwise by the time you show up the sugar and flour aisles will be as empty as your cookie jar.

MS:

GC: And what about those teeny little gingersnaps you used to make by the thousands? I haven't seen one of those in 17 years.

MS: It's the humidity in Florida. They puff up - no crunch.

GC: And the problem with that is?

MS: That's the whole point of the cookies. The crunch.

GC: I saw you thumbing through a recipe book at the check out counter the other day. The recipes all call for that pre-made sugar cookie dough. Where are your morals? Your pride?

MS: Look, I've been semi-super Christmas Mom for 40 years. My priorities have changed.

GC: So, what exactly are your priorities?

MS: I don't really have any right now. I'm good with that. Actually, I'm wallowing in it.

GC: Do you think Santa will be "good with" not having a plate of cookies waiting for him this year?

MS: Who sez he won't get cookies? I still have a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints in the freezer. Those things are like gold this time of year.

A North Pole Adventure!

I got a bloggy-gram from my new bloggyfriend Linda of Life's A Calling, Who Is This? announcing a North Pole Adventure at her place! Stop by any time from 12/22 until midnight 12/24. It involves Santa, Elves and Reindeer! Pop over to Linda's and say you'll be there!

I've been there several times - that's me looking for the powder room

I know for a fact there are no trees to hide behind when one of these guys comes a-callin' so I'm bringing some of my buddies.

They are assigned to Ice Station Zebra. I realize this doesn't fit completely with the Christmas Spirit, but Polar Bears don't celebrate Christmas. They celebrate lunch.

I "borrowed" the Royal Snow Castle from the royally redundant Count Vladimir Vladimirovich Vladimiriskov of Vladistov Vladland. There are rooms for everyone and excellent dining. Don't look for borscht though - sorry -you know I don't like beets. So, pop over to Linda's and make a note on your calender! See you there!

It's really quite lovely!

A Pretty Exciting Day For A Hermit

Wow! You're Still Alive! Congratulations!

I had a pretty exciting day for a hermit. I was on my way to help out at the church office, and made my obligatory stop at Starbuck's. The store is being redone on the outside, and each time I stop, there is something new and different going on the impede my progress. Today they had the entire front of the store blocked off and some burly guys were busy doing something to the parking lot that created some nasty dusty smoke. I had to park next door and then hold my breath while I entered the side door. When the cashier took my order I coughed (politely, of course) to indicate it was no easy matter finding my way in. Having to breath probable carcinogens in order to get a cuppa joe is not a pleasant thing.

I was waiting for my drink (trying to think of several good excuses about why I was going to set a new record for being late at church) when another customer popped in front of me for a refill. The what do you call those coffee making people? barristas? set my drink down on that teeny tiny counter and the person immediately snagged it and went over to the sugar and straw station. I asked the barrister if that was my drink that she had just place on the counter - it was - so she had to remake it, thereby giving me an extra excuse for being late. Certainly more believable that the others. It's volunteer work, so I'm not going to get fired or anything, but I like to put my ducks I mean my excuses in a row. Whatever. Then I had to make my way through the smoke and dust to my car. By now there were several cars trying to figure out where to park with all the construction work going on. Starbucks people get grumpy where there isn't easy caffeine access. Lots of beeping of horns and squealing of tires. Get over yourselves, I say.

Caroline and Jessica shopping -probably at my Books-a-Million

Prior to my Starbucks adventure I was stopped at the light at Alderman and US 19. The light that keeps you waiting for something like 39 minutes. There was a little red Volkswagen convertible next to me with the top down (Was too - this is Florida) and a Spay/Neuter license tag. Did too. We have thousands of different tags here in Florida). I swear the driver was Caroline Kennedy. Could've been. You weren't there. I was about to roll my window down and give her a high five for the Senate seat thing, but she was busy putting on mascara and I know how much I would hate being interrupted during rush hour beauty treatments so I just winked knowingly and continued my wait at the light.


SPOILER ALERT! Before you move on let me warn you the next picture is of a snake, and I know some people who are so afraid of snakes they don't even want to look at pictures of them. If that's the case, either pop over to someone else's blog right now or close your eyes and scroll down, whichever.






I had the opportunity to hold a python today. A very small one , maybe 2 1/2 feet. Much too small to think of me as lunch. The owner (if anyone can truly own a snake) said this brand - I mean species - will only grow to 5 feet. Only. The snake was fine with me holding him/her/it. He felt like a really expensive pocketbook.

I have an acquaintance who is so terrified of snakes, not only will she not look at pictures of them, she calls 911 any time she sees one in her back yard. This is Florida! The 911 people just love her to death. She told me about a non-mutual friend who bought a rubber snake, thinking 'Fraid a Snakes Person might get over her fear if she would just hold the rubber snake. She whipped it out of her pocketbook and flapped it in the air. 'Fraid a Snakes Person almost died on the spot. Not a good plan.

So that's it. Just some random thoughts about my day. How's your day going so far?

Lost and Found and Misc.

Back to normal today! I left the bonfire burning all day yesterday so bloggyfriends could stop by and warm their toes by the fire and their noses by the vodka.

The Happy Woodsman was very accommodating in that respect. He was busy popping into the woods all day picking up kindling. I think it was Stevie that drew this sketch of him enjoying a breakfast of french toast - might of been Mim or maybe, since the french toast is round it was Marianne.

His visits to the woods turned out to be quite an adventure! He found several bloggyfriends who had strayed a little too far from the fire and brought them back to safety!

I was on my way to Grandmother'sHouse. blogpot.com and I got lost and the bigbadwolf.blogspot.com came after me!

Why yes, ..er...um... this is the..ah.. what did you call it? Bloggyland Christmas tour? Come in, little ones.

We still have one missing person:

Whoever has Mr. Peck is asked to return him at once. He has an appointment at the unemployment office at 3:00 today. You know how cranky they can get if you don't show up.

A special thank you to the bonfire cleanup committee for their hard work and inventiveness!

Piling the trash on top of the no dumping sign is always a good idea. Thanks for recycling all the vodka bottles! It was a good idea to haul them up to Michigan so you could get refunds.

Have a safe trip home, everyone! See you all at our next adventure!

Bloggyland Christmas Tour - What A Day!

Come and sit by the bonfire with Stevie Wren, Trish and I! Put your feet up, and grab a blanket if you like. It's been quite a day, hasn't it! I managed to visit every bloggyfriend who opened their homes and their hearts to us today - this is by far the most attended event yet!

Oh, I almost forgot; I have some vodka chilling in the snow - it's cold, but it will warm you up right down to those frozen toes of yours.

I thought some french toast would be a good idea. Would you like some? here's a plate (I "borrowed" it from Lisa's pretty cupboard) I'm sure she won't mind.

Would you rather stay inside by the fire? I have a glass of eggnog for you. It's very cozy here. A nice spot to sit and talk about our day

Oh, how about some chestnuts roasted by the open fire? (humming the song...la la la hum hmmm). Would you prefer a latte? Comin' right up!

I sure thank you for participating and/ or spending time visiting Bloggyland Village today. Everyone had such wonderful and unique posts to celebrate the season. Mr. Peck says over 1,200 folks took sleigh rides today! Well, who wouldn't with Mr. Peck at the reins! By the way, have you seen him lately? You haven't met him? CLICK HERE for mug shots..er.. I mean pictures. If you see him ask him to bring the sleigh around front, Janeen's been standing out there for an hour!.

The best part of the tour was this great opportunity to meet new bloggyfriends. We had 52 participants - many of whom I had not met prior to today! It's such a busy time for everyone. That makes this adventure even more special - that you took the time to post and visit. Thank you so much!

Oh, you had a late start? No problem, visitors are welcome in Bloggyland Village anytime! Just CLICK HERE and hop on a sleigh to any of the links of participating bloggers.

Are you warm enough now to go back outside for a few minutes? Good!

What better way to end such a spectacular day than with fireworks!

Thank you again, and Merry Christmas dear bloggyfriends!

Oh, and pass me one of those marshmallows, would you please?