I finally got around to downloading some pics from my camera the other day (okay, it was yesterday) and guess what? I found some Christmas pictures! Guess what I was doing on Christmas morning?
Yes. I am a nerd. Yes. I am the one who puts this crap together. Yes. I am insane.
But at least I am coordinated:
Yes, we did. The first winter blast of snow last weekend was a cake walk compared to what we got hit with on Wednesday. First of all, it was a Saturday. I had to convince B that there would be no hockey on that day but other than that, we had plenty of food, never lost power and we got along just fine and dandy.
When it started to come down on Tuesday, after B picked me up from work we needed to make an emergency grocery stop (milk and forgawdssake TOILET PAPER). It didn’t really snow too much that evening and when I went to bed about 11 we had gotten maybe an inch? Maybe? Nah, this storm ain’t nothin’. Hah! I say to you, storm! You are beneath me!! Mother Nature, I fart in your general direction.
Well, she must have heard me and Mother Nature, she is a bitch. On Wednesday morning, we had been blessed with about another foot of snow. And still it was snowing.
You know, sometimes I don’t think that B has the sense God gave a duck. “Get ready for work! Get E ready for school!”
Me (logging onto the computer SINCE WE DON’T HAVE A TV AND CAN’T WATCH THE NEWS): “Ummm…school is cancelled today. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go out in this.”
“Nonsense! I will go dig the car out. Look! A snowplow just came by!”
“Ooookay…”
And still it was snowing.
I get to work. There were maybe 10 people there. We all congratulated each other on our stupidity pluck and determination. And still it was snowing.
The VP came around at 9:45 and said, “We are closing in 10 minutes. Go home. Drive carefully. May God have mercy on your souls” (okay, he didn't say that last but he should have). I asked if we get a special prize (I did. I'm just that way...). I call B to come and pick me up.
(An aside: while waiting to be picked up I saw no less than 6 snowplows drive by - NONE OF THEM PLOWING. What's up with that? Are they all running back to their snowplow diner to smile and laugh at the the morons who were stupid enough to be out in this insane weather?)
The trip home was pretty dicey. The roads really sucked. Visibility was near zero at some times. I think that B was driving using sheer instinct and prayer. Me? I was hanging on to the door frame and pushing my invisible brakes through the floorboards. I was screaming in my head OHMYGAWD, OHMYGAWD, I CAN’T SEE THE ROAD! OHMYGAWD, OHMYGAWD while calmly saying to E, “Please don’t disturb daddy, sweetie. These are really bad road conditions.” OHMYGAWD!!!!! WE’RE GONNA DIIIIEEEE!
Well, we didn’t die. We didn’t crash. We made it home fine. And this morning we found…
This is our car. AFTER B had shoveled the car out. There is a tiny path just the width of a single snow shovel from our door to the parking lot.
This is (one of) the giant piles of snow where the snow plows dumped it.
This is the giant pile of snow in front of our building. Yesterday we couldn't even open the front door.
This is our patio. The snow hits E about hip level, making it something over 2 feet (I am guessing something like 2.5).
So much for global warming...
Seriously.
Stupid criminals such as the guy who wrote his note on his own pay stub. Or the one who showed the teller his ID. And, uh, (seriously this should be obvious), don't log into Facebook from a computer in the house you are in the midst of burgling.
Another tip. Try to find a better disguise than writing on your face. It didn't fool your mother when you were a kid and it ain't fooling anyone now. Oh, and duct tape? Not a good disguise either.
And, please...don't disguise yourself as trees. Talk about something straight from Monty Python (although the fellas probably said to themselves...naaah, this is too crazy even for us...). It was funny on Get Smart, but just really pathetic in real life.
They left something out of the last line of that article:
Manchester cops described the man as a white male, between 45 and 50 years old, wearing glasses and a blue shirt......and foliage.
I am not sure if this is my absolute favorite song but I do love it. It almost always makes me cry.
The Love of My Life by Jim Brickman/Sung by Donny Osmond
I know. I know. Donny Osmond. But, hey, he does have a good voice and it does have Jim Brickman. I love me some Jim Brickman. He is the piano man and I love a good pianist.
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Okay...I totally don't get hockey...unless I could have a few hot toddies while watching, but, hey, the boy loves it.I am totally stealing this idea for a Christmas post (and posting it belatedly and back-dating it...cause I can cheat like that).
This is a collection of songs that just say Christmas to me. The first is a novelty tune from many years ago that I haven't heard on the radio for ages. Thank you YouTube for existing so that I can listen to this song at Christmas.
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron
And it just ain't Christmas without a little Bing. The first one, The Little Drummer Boy, was from the last Christmas special he ever made, with a very young David Bowie.
The next one, White Christmas, of course, is from the movie Holiday Inn, made at the height of his popularity back in 1942.
I find it hard to listen to the next song without getting all teary. Probably because John Lennon died way too young and the song is so beautiful.
Happy Christmas/War Is Over
This last one I seldom hear because I don't live in the Pacific Northwest anymore. It is a really cheesy song and this version I found has some strange noises on the soundtrack but I love the pictures of Mt. Rainier, the Bon Marche star and the rain-slick Seattle streets. For me snow doesn't really mean Christmas. For me, it's not really Christmas unless it's raining.
Christmas in the Northwest by Brenda White
Merry Christmas to my family back in Seattle. I love you all and miss you always.
Seven years ago, I was in the hospital, but I was happy.
Happy birthday,my son.
Happy Birthday, Beautiful Boy from itsjustme on Vimeo.
Okay, everyone is posting about their Thanksgiving dinner plans. So, just to help me get organized I will outline my T-day menu too.
1) We will start out the day with a breakfast of my Easy-Peasy Cinnamon Rolls because I like them and if anyone else doesn’t, they can kiss my lily-white…
2) Turkey – well, turkey breast. B went to the store to redeem our free turkey (grocery store-speak for ‘thanks for buying so much crap at our store…here’s your ten dollar turkey, sucker!’) and came home with a turkey BREAST (must have been mesmerized by the word ‘breast’). No problem for me…I just eat the white meat anyway, but B will have no drumsticks. I am trying a dry-brine this year. I have done the wet brine and it is really good but I thought I would try it another way this year.
3) Mashed potatoes – Pioneer Woman’s creamy mashed potatoes. God they are good. Bonus, they can be made a day in advance. Win-win.
4) Sausage-cornbread Dressing – I like it this way and if anyone complains, well then there is more for me.
5) Gravy – I make kick-ass gravy. Pour gravy over the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, a piece of bread, spilled it on my shoe. God it’s good.
6) Homemade dinner rolls – again PW’s No-Knead Rolls – they look really easy and, again, make in advance…
7) Glorified rice – a modification of my MIL’s recipe – it has cream cheese, maraschino cherries, pineapple and whipped cream – what’s not to like?
8) Pumpkin pie – okay, this is kinda boring but I will make the boring kind of pumpkin pie that B likes instead of my kick-ass pumpkin chiffon pie…obviously my family ain’t here.
9) Pumpkin Leche Flan – it’s flan…that’s all I needed to hear…
10) B’s family's creamed corn crap – obviously not a favorite of mine.
11) That ghastly green bean casserole – see #10.
12) Broccoli-Cauliflower Gratin – it’s cauliflower…and CHEESE…sounds good to me.
And, of course, wine...delicious, delicious wine.
There…you think that’s enough food for three people (the smallest of whom will probably pick and complain, eat the mashed potatoes and gravy and say that he doesn't like turkey...)?
Happy Thanksgiving and Bon Appetit!
I did not post much about what we did this past Halloween. We had a pretty busy day, though. We started out at O'Dark thirty with a hockey game. Then we went to a local library which had a magician performing. E volunteered and I got this tasty video:
E and the Magician from itsjustme on Vimeo.
We ended the day Trick-or-Treating with one of my co-workers and her grandson in their neighborhood. The day was (only slightly) marred by the downpour that occurred (fortunately) at the end of our Trick-or-Treating outing. We went back to Ginny's house and E & D played downstairs while our clothes dried in the dryer and she & I sipped hot coffee and chatted. A pretty good day.
You know, I like our President. I think he is a good man and will try his best to make a better world, but the Nobel Peace Prize? Really? Now? For what?
Other sitting presidents have gotten it but they actually did something. TR brokered peace between Russia and Japan. Wilson worked on ending WWI and created the League of Nations. Carter got one after leaving office for “decades of work seeking peaceful solutions and promoting social and economic justice”.
I guess they are giving Obama a Nobel in hopes that he will do something.
Okay. Someone give me $2 million in hopes that I will win the lottery.
