Happy New Years Eve!!

I just got home 45 minutes ago from work. I jumped in the shower - styled my hair - and got dressed in that time! Incredible - I can't seem to do that when I am getting ready for work!

Everyone be safe tonight - watch out for the crazies on the road - and don't be one of the crazies! Blog at ya next year!

De

The End Is Near

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I will be heading over to Lyd's house. She always has such good food there - especially the chocolate fountain! Never knew there were so many things you can dip in chocolate! I will be working tomorrow and I need to work on Thursday so I won't be out too late partying. I'll be lucky to make to midnight! Maybe for tomorrow night I will be on Texas time - celebrate the New Year at 10 and then call it a night!

I have just been relaxing tonight - it's nice not to have lots of pressing things to complete. I made a few more Twilight Bookmarks tonight for friends - I have 2 bracelets I need to make too - I will probably work on those this weekend. I still haven't figured out what color to make one of them. I like having my creative juices flowing again - it had been way too long since I had made anything. I forgot to take pictures of the bracelets I sent down to Texas. I may have to have them take pictures and send them to me. They are all De De Originals as i don't follow a pattern - I think of the person the bracelet is for and just go from there.

Rest up for tomorrow!!

De

28 Hours Until 2009

How Long Can You Keep Up Christmas Lights?

I am sitting here in my new Christmas jammies - red with white lace - I look like Mrs Claus! They are really very comfortable. I have turned off the TV - for some reason the constant talking was getting on my nerves - which is really quite strange because I always have had the TV on for background noise. I don't have the lights on my Christmas tree on but I do have the lights on my window going. I think they look like fairy lights - scattered across the window pane in no particular order. I think they are beautiful and I am wondering how long I can get way with keeping them up. What is the "rule" on Christmas lights? Should they come down right at New Years - can I keep them up through the winter. Hmmm - I guess I could just keep them up and see if anyone complains - because if you are a regular reader you know that I have some neighbors who like to complain about everything - so I may just keep them up until I get a little letter from the Home Owner's Association telling me that they have received complaints. I could make it a game to see how long it takes!

Today was a good day at work. I got things done and I haven't started feeling stressed about Year End coming - which is so nice.

L just breezed in and back out - she came by to pick up some mail - a letter from the felon that is at the State Pen in Walla Walla - and a Christmas Card and Gift Card from her Dad. She also had an overdraft notice from the bank but I don't think she even really looks at those anymore - she's just like oh well, when I get paid again I'll just cover the fees. She just doesn't get that when you make that impulsive $10 buy at Red Robin it's actually a $45 buy because of the fees. I don't know how to teach her that. Oh well - she's going to be learning about bills here soon because as of Jan 5th I am taking her off my Cell Phone Plan - she hasn't paid me for her phone charges in 2 months and I need to cut down on my monthly bills. I can get a plan with T-Mobile that will only cost me around $50 a month - much better than the $160 I am paying now.

It's early but I am going to head to bed - snuggle deep under the covers - claim my territory before that cats come in and start laying in the middle of the bed!

52 Hours until 2009!

De

Meetup

Busy Busy Day today! I liked having plans.

I went to Sunday Brunch with Lyd this morning. We went to Big Bear Diner in Bellevue. It was really good. I hadn't gone out for breakfast in a long time. I think we will need to make a habit of this. Afterwards we went to Bellevue Square to wander around a bit. I hadn't been to the square in awhile - I had forgotten what it was like to wander around with a bunch of rich snobby people from Bellevue - yeah, won't be going back there anytime soon unless I absolutely have to - like if the Apple Store starts calling my name.

Tonight I went to my first Meetup Function. Meetup is a website where you can go and find all sorts of different groups in your area that you can join and get together with. They have them for all different types of interests. The group I met with tonight was the 40 Something Club. We met up at JJMahoney's which is an Irish Pub in Redmond. Then we went and saw Four Christmas at the Bella Botega Theaters. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the people I met and will definitely go to another function. I joined another club - Eastsiders Book Club that is meeting up the middle of January.

All part of my New Years Resolution to make new friends. Well on my way as I met Becky, Nicole, Jeff, Monica, and Gerard tonight.

De

Holiday Time

Christmas is over and I am back home. It seemed like a roller-coaster ride for part of the time and the roller-coaster was being run by an 18 year old.

I really enjoyed spending time with my Mom and Dad for the holiday. The ride up was clear of snow until we got off the highway and then it was like four-wheeling in the back woods - I only have a Ford Focus which is not equipped for the bumpy - icy - rut filled drive we had - I lost one of my hubcaps. :( The county had definitely not been doing any plowing on these roads. I was very thankful to finally get to my destination. Christmas Eve dinner was flank steak and Yorkshire Pudding. Yummy!! After dinner we started watching A Christmas Story. I love that there is a 24 hour marathon of that movie. I saw it when it came out in the theater way back when. Christmas morning came - we had a good morning. It was relaxing - during the time L was sleeping and then when she went for a walk. This morning we left to head home at 945 in the morning - I have been home since and enjoying not having to do anything or be anywhere.

I did not enjoy spending all that time with L. She was unpleasant and argumentative starting from the moment we left for La Conner on Wednesday morning. I was driving too slow - she hated the radio station - she couldn't smoke in the car - she was hungry - she hated my driving in the snow - she could do better - I was going too fast. All of that on the 2.5 hour drive to La Conner. I was so ready to just drop her off somewhere and leave. She immediately started in on Nana - when was dinner - she was hungry - the Internet wasn't working. After dinner I gave Mom a Christmas back massage - while I was doing that L said she was next - I said No that this was just something special for Nana. Oh that did so not go over well - she gave me a dirty look then started ordering me to move because I was in front of the TV - I told her she could move to the other end of the couch until I was done - she said No she was there first and I needed to move. I didn't move and she angrily scowled the rest of the evening. Christmas morning she was in a nice mood - seemed to enjoy what she got for Christmas - once all of that was over though her true colors came back out and she started in on - she was bored - why were we staying overnight again - she wanted to leave - she can't just sit on her ass and do nothing all day - I told her that next time maybe she should bring her own car and she responded with maybe next time I should just not plan on staying so long so she could get back to her friends. This went on for the whole day - even when we didn't respond to her she just kept on going. It was exhausting just being around her. This morning she woke up around 900 and was ready to go by 945. She packed and got things in the car so fast. The ride back was about as wonderful as the ride up there. When we got back to my place she moved her loot to her car - came upstairs to get a back pack she had left here - then just left.

Now I don't want to end this post on a downer note because I did enjoy the time with my parents. When I got home my mother-in-law Merilyn came by and brought me a Christmas present. Those who have known me for awhile know that I like cows. Merilyn brought me a cow print suitcase!!! It is great - I will never lose it on the carousel at the airport and I probably don't need to worry about someone walking off with it. Here's a pic!

Muppet had a good time too. If this picture could make noise you would be able to here the exhausted snoring of my little pup!! De

Twas the morning of Christmas and all through the house
not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. . . . . . Well - some creatures were stirring - Muppet, Tugboat, and Annie are all awake and so are Mom and Dad.

The stockings were filled and full of surprises
There were packages and boxes in all different sizes

L is still snuggled deep in her bed
With visions of . . . . . . i don't know what she has visions of . . . . . . dancing in her head. . . . . What is a Sugarplum?

Nana and Papa are awake from their winter sleep
The coffee is brewing and the snow is still deep

From the kitchen there arose such a clatter
I turned my head to look and see what was the matter

Nana was moving about and preparing the food
Getting Christmas breakfast ready which is always so good

OK - I think that's where my creativity has ended this morning. I have run out of rhyming words!!

It is really nice and peaceful this morning - just me, Mom and Dad. It's amazing how much noise, stress, and tension one 18 year old can cause. I hope she wakes up in a better mood this morning.

Merry Christmas To All and To All a Good Morning!!!

De

Twas The Night Before The Nght Before

I made it off the hill today briefly. It was nice to just see something else besides the four walls of my place.

While I was out and about I ran in to Christmas!! It was alive and well at the Walgreens in Issaquah! It was polite - courteous - smiling - laughing - and singing! Yes - singing! There was a young boy singing Jingle Bell Rock as he walked around with his Dad. I was in front of him and I had to turn around to see who was so happy - he was about 10 and just singing for the joy of singing. His Dad made a comment - think you could have anymore Christmas Spirit!! It was very cute. Then - when I was walking to check out I stopped suddenly - there standing in front of me was Santa Claus - not the regular department store Santa in the whole red suit - this was Santa in jeans, sweater, and Santa hat. I just knew it was the real one too! I said hi - he said how are you - i said fine - and then I told him I had been good - he told me he knew and I was on the list! We both laughed. See - Christmas in Walgreens!!

De

Stuck and Hating This Snow

I hate the snow!!!!!!! It is nothing but trouble. Sure it looks all pretty when it first starts but then it just keeps coming down and piling up more and more. I didn't get as much as some places but I would venture a guess that we have somewhere between 8 - 12 inches. I do know that it came up to Muppet's nose this morning - when she was walking through the snow she looked like she was having to dog paddle.

This afternoon I was really starting to go stir crazy and feeling a little claustrophobic - so on the advice of Lindsay and Tony I bundled up and went out to take a walk. Yeah - that lasted about 2 minutes - not because of the temperature but because of the fact that as I stepped out on to the parking lot in front of my house my feet went flying out from under me and I ended up flat on my back. Luckily I didn't land on poor Muppet. It has now been a couple hours since the fall and I am really starting to feel it - Muppet was on my left side and I landed pretty hard on my right side. My arm is getting pretty stiff and sore.

Besides being slippery - this snow has also delayed the delivery of 1 Christmas gift I ordered from Target - scheduled for delivery last Friday - delayed until today - and once again delayed. I hope it gets here tomorrow or else someone won't have it to open up. The package from Texas is supposed to be delivered tomorrow too - these delivery drivers need to not be so wussy and just get up here. What ever happened to nothing stopping them - not snow, sleet, or rain.

This weather has definitely zapped my holiday spirit. I swear - if this snow keeps me from spending Christmas with family and I am stuck here by myself - I am going to be very upset. I changed my plan of heading to Texas because I didn't feel right leaving L up here by herself for the holiday and now I might end up being by myself.

OK - I'm going to take some Advil and hope this pain in my arm goes away.

De

Snowy Sunday

It just keeps snowing and snowing out there! I'm so glad I don't have to try and make the decision tomorrow about driving in to work. I spent most of today taking pictures of Muppet in the snow and dressing her up as Santa!! So - this blog will be pictures. De

Snow and Flu

Blogging has been on hold for the past few days - my Thursday snow day turned into a sick day - the flu has knocked me for a loop. I thought it was just a 24 hour bug - 48 hours later I'm still feeling like crap.

So L stayed with me 2 nights last week due to the weather - I wish I could say that things were different but they weren't. She came home with 3 "friends" Thursday night and they went out on the deck to "smoke" I made them leave at 9. When she came back after dropping them off she went in to the kitchen and banged around in there - there's nothing to eat around here. Well - there's not any of the stuff she usually eats because she doesn't live here! She wanted to know if she could do chores to earn money for Christmas gifts. Seems that 2 weeks after getting paid she has already run through the portion of her paycheck she gets to keep in addition to the extra $100 she was allotted for Christmas gifts. I think it's going to be up to Santa to fill my stocking this year!!

I ventured out in to town today - needed to mail off a box to Texas and decided to run in to Target real quick to grab some stuff before the next storm hits. I have never done shopping the weekend before Christmas around here - what a zoo. People were very friendly though and patient. At Target they had one large line for checking out and workers sending you to the check out lane that was open. Things moved real smoothly. My last stop was QFC to stock up on items in case the storm is as bad as they are predicting. When I left QFC the snow was starting to come down and the wind was starting to blow. Time to hunker down - turn on the fire - and prepare for the possibility of being snowed in.

De

No Snow

No snow yet! When I got home tonight the roads were wet form the rain - if it gets really cold again tonight all of the roads will turn into one giant skating rink. Tomorrow's drive to work could be really interesting. L called me around 6 tonight - she was on the Plateau and didn't want to drive back up to Tiger Mountain because it was snowing up there - so she is staying here tonight with the understanding that she has to leave the house when I do tomorrow morning. I told her I leave really early and she said fine. I guess we'll see what happens at 6 tomorrow morning.

De

Snow - Yeah Right!

Well - it's another Seattle Winter Storm!! Yeah - I woke up this morning hearing that the Issaquah Schools were closed - in fact almost all the school districts are closed - I climbed out of bed - looked out the window to see the winter wonderland - I saw pavement! No snow - Not snowing - looked like a regular morning. Why are the schools closed? I turned to the TV and watched as they listed the schools again - Issaquah Closed - due to the possibility of heavy snow this afternoon and concern for the safety of their students and staff. You're kidding! They never closed schools for that when I was in school - and I went to Issaquah High School! I can remember having to walk to the fire station on Tiger Mountain Road because that was where the bus would pick everyone up - they would not drive through Mirrormont. Back in my day we would hike through 3 feet of snow to the fire station - up hill both ways - just to go to school!!!!! OK - maybe not that bad but we would have to go to school. I drove to the park and ride and rode the bus in to work. I will keep an eye on the weather and keep looking at traffic cameras in Issaquah to check on any snow accumulation. If it starts looking like it might get bad I will just go catch a bus and head home.

Niki went to the Vet yesterday and had her pain patch removed. She seems OK - still not eating - the doc gave me some pain meds to give her to see if that helps her to eat - nope this was not included in the previous payments so I had to fork out another $30. I let her stay out with everyone last night and when I woke up this morning I had 3 animals curled up tight next to me trying to stay warm! Even Muppet - who is not a snuggler when she sleeps - was curled up tight under my arm. I kinda wished it had snowed a lot last night so I could just stay in bed with them.

Well - I'm gonna get started on my work so that if it really starts snowing I can get outta here. Here are some pics of little Niki and Muppet. De

Ice - Cold - Pennies

Well - the first "icy" drive of the winter wasn't too bad for me. There really weren't that many icy patches between here and the park and ride. I had an appointment after work today but decided I would rather deal with trying to get a bus home at the right time than to try driving in to work. I got to the park and ride after 624 so I figured I had missed that bus. There were a lot of people in line - come to find out, the 624 bus was late so I didn't miss it after all. On the ride in I watched Fred Claus on my iPod - I rented the movie from iTunes. It was actually a pretty cute movie. I finished watching it on the bus ride home. Tomorrow I have to make it to an appointment in Kirkland after work with Niki - so I have to get home - grab her - head back out - get to her 430 appointment. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to drive in to work or take the bus again. That will be a decision for the morning. One thing I know I'm going to do - wear more clothes!! It was dang cold out there this morning. It's been awhile since I've walked around outside when the temperature is in the teens. Definitely need to layer it up. It was so cold that BJ and I didn't walk to our regular Starbucks - which is a couple blocks form work - we went across the street and went to the one in that building.

L just called me a few minutes ago - she said she was still in Tukwilla because the roads were icy and wanted to know if she could stay here tonight because the roads up at Bama and Bepas were pretty icy. My first statement was - i guess you didn't go to work today - Nope. I told her that she could come here but that she needed to be here by 900 because that was when I was heading to bed and that she would need to get up and leave at the same time as me in the morning and I have been leaving at 600. She was all - hmmmmmm ohhhhhh hmmmmm - I guess I'll call you tomorrow. Guess that means she isn't staying here with me tonight. After I got off the phone with her a couple of things came to mind - why didn't she drive back out this way while it was daylight and driving on the side streets wouldn't be as bad - what does she plan on doing if the snow that is predicted to come no Wednesday and Thursday actually happens. The house rules are going to be the same - be here by 900 and leave with me in the morning. I am sure she hasn't thought that far ahead - planning is not exactly part of her vocabulary.

Oh - Tony you are a very funny guy!!! I got home tonight to find a package on my doorstep from Texas. I picked it up and it made quite a lot of noise - many things rattling around. I opened it to find the payment for the Apple Cup bet - which was $5 - but instead of a nice crisp bill I got a plastic bank filled with pennies!!! That's just great!! I guess I'll be taking a trip to CoinStar and turning it in for a gift card - if you choose a gift card instead of cash you don't have to pay a fee. So I guess I got a $5 iTunes card!! The funny thing - it cost him more to send the pennies than the actual amount of the bet!! That's a Husky for you - not real good in the math department!

De

First Snow

I woke up this morning to the first snow of the season. It snowed a couple of inches during the night - it stuck mostly to the grass and cars but because of how cold it was the stuff that melted on the road actually turned in to ice. It's going to be below freezing most of the week so there's not much hope for the ice to go away anytime soon. When I took Muppet out this morning she took a corner a little too fast and her feet went sliding out from underneath her - it was like watching a Charlie Brown cartoon when Snoopy goes sliding across the frozen pond. I wish I'd had a camera!! It is getting colder tonight and L's room was always the coldest room in the house so I have moved Niki to my bathroom for the night. She spent most of the day out by the fireplace but I caught her sneaking in to the other bathroom to try and eat some of the dry food that is out for Buffy. It just made my tailbone twitch thinking of eating something hard and crunchy after having had all my teeth pulled out!

De

Just Another Saturday

Niki is doing fine - she spent most of the day laying in front of the fireplace - definitely her favorite spot. she has been eating canned food and hopefully is on the mend. The poor thing is having trouble keeping her tongue in her mouth - no teeth to hold it in and with the stitches in her tongue I think she has trouble controlling it a bit. Update: No call or text from L checking on how Niki is doing.

Today Muppet went and got her first picture taken with Santa!! She wore her Christmas Coat that she got from Colleen last year - looked very cute. As soon as I figure out how to use the scanner I will scan it and post it.

Not much else to write about - some interesting things going on down in Texas today - I need to check with my family down there though before I blog about it. Not my drama to share.

De

De's Animal Clinic

Niki was able to come home this morning. I called around 7 and they said she could be picked up at anytime. I got down there a bit before 8 but didn't get to take her until after 9. As I was paying the rest of her bill - yes I had to pay even more because I didn't come get her after she had been there for 12 hours so they charged me for another 12 hour block! So - as I was paying the bill 2 young men came rushing in with their cat in a box - saying they didn't know what happened - one of the boys was crying and he put the box down saying please don't have died on our way here - he was gently shaking Milo and calling his name. They took him and his friend into a room - Milo had passed on. It was heart wrenching to watch. These boys didn't look like the emotional type let alone the cat types. They had long hair, gaged ears, piercings - - looks can definitely be deceiving. They left to go sit in their car for a bit while the doctor's were going to try and figure out what happened. It just broke my heart. I know how they felt - my baby Joie passed on rather suddenly 2 years ago -you never get over something like that.

Niki seems to be doing ok - she's pretty stoned right now! I put her up in L's for awhile - gave her some canned food with her anti-biotics mixed in - she lapped it all up! I set up her own little kitty box in there too which she used so I know she can do it all. I had put a bed in there for her put it was up too high so she is now using Muppets bed - I will have to figure out what to do with Muppet on Monday. I brought Niki out in to the living room to be with the family for awhile - she really likes to sit in front of the fireplace so I put her bed there and she has just been resting. Buffy is standing guard right by her. I just caught Buffy trying to clean Niki and had to stop her - don't want her to dislodge the pain patch or any of the stitches. I will have to move Niki back to L's room at bed time so that Buffy stays away from her.

I need to go play nurse maid - Niki needs her mouth wiped.

De

PS - When I posted about decorating I made a comment about having to make sure the cats didn't knock over the Christmas Tree! Well - Buffy got very interested and when I got home from work this is what I found.

Niki - Update

It has been a very long day today. I got Niki to the dentist at 800 and Dr Matson examined her to decide what all needed to be done. I have to say - he is the first Vet I have met that has a really good bedside manner. He walked in to the room and started talking to Niki right away and petting her and making sure she was comfortable with him - then he introduced himself to me. Niki seemed to like him and started purring up a storm. She was purring so loudly that he couldn't hear her heart beat - did you know that when you take a cat in to a dark room they stop purring? He took her in to the bathroom and it worked - he was able to listen to her heart. Then came the looking in the mouth part. Niki was not happy - you could really tell it was hurting her a lot. He did make a comment about the nasty odor coming from her mouth! That should be gone not that there isn't anywhere for the bacteria to hide - yup - they had to extract all of her teeth.

I left her with the vet dentist and headed in to work - got there at 9 which wasn't too bad - that's what time most of the department gets there anyways. I tried to concentrate on work but I did find myself constantly checking my cell phone to see if I had missed a call. At around 200 I called the vet to check up on her and was told they were just finishing up with her and Dr Matson would call me when it was done. At 245 I decided to run across the street to get a sandwich - yup - as soon as I wasn't watching the phone they called - I must have been on the elevator because it went straight to voicemail. Niki was still very groggy - enjoying the drugs Dr Matson said! When he got in to her mouth he discovered a thick mass under her tongue - so he had to cut that out and suture her tongue back together. When I went in to pick her up he showed me pictures of what her mouth looks like so I won't be tempted to open her mouth and look in. When she comes home she is going to have to be separated from the rest of the animals for 2 weeks so that Buffy doesn't lick her and make the stitches come out - makes my tailbone twitch!!

Niki wasn't doing real well coming out of the drugs so he said she needed to stay at a 24 hour care facility over night - so I paid my bill with Dr Matson (1890) and headed to Alpine Hospital in Issaquah to drop Niki there and pay another bill (deposit of 176). This cat has become the most expensive pet in the family!

Dr Matson and the staff at Eastside Veterinary Dentistry are wonderful. They took such care with Niki and kept me informed on everything that was going on. Dr Matson called Alpine Hospital to set it up there for Niki to spend the night and told me that he will call there tonight to check on her. On the take home papers they gave me his cell phone is listed in case I have any questions or concerns once Niki is back home. You can tell that they all love the animals there and that this isn't just a job. Thank You Dr Matson for taking care of Niki and assuring me that I was doing the right thing.

De

Niki

Over the past couple of days I have had to do some soul searching. I love animals - my pets have always been a part of the family - I have always said I would do whatever it took to keep them happy and healthy as if they were my own children.

Niki is L's cat - she picked her out 2 years ago when she came home from Montana - she was a rescue cat from Petco - poor thing had been there for 6 months without anyone choosing her and L fell in love with her so we adopted Niki. Like most everything L has adopted - once the newness wore off after a few months and the tediousness of having to feed, water, and clean up after her got to be too annoying for her she just stopped taking care of her. Niki has an issue - she seems to be allergic to the bacteria in her mouth - the back of her mouth swells up and she can't swallow very well so she drools on everything - cortisone shots were working for awhile but their effectiveness has worn off. Now it is time to go to the next step which is to have her back teeth pulled so that the bacteria doesn't have any place to hide. Of course you have to take them to a specialist for this - did you know there is such a thing as a Veterinary Dentist? I didn't. So - I called the specialist on Tuesday and they had a cancellation for this Thursday when they could check her out and do the procedure all in one day. I won't get the actual price quote until this morning but the receptionist said to expect it to be at least $1K.

Now came the soul searching part. I know that if it were Muppet or Buffy that needed to have something done I wouldn't even be giving it a second thought - they would be in there and I would figure out a way to pay for it. For some reason I haven't been that way with Niki. In fact - I seem to be more angry than anything else about this. I talked to someone on Tuesday who helped me put it in to perspective. Niki is L's cat - I didn't pick her out - she wasn't my cat she was L's. Once again L has gotten something and abandoned it and I am left to clean it up and take care of it and I resent having to do that. It really kind of pisses me off that I am having to use money that I don't really have to take care of a cat that isn't really mine. Then my compassion for animals comes out - it's not Niki's fault that her human Mom left her and doesn't seem to care about her - side note I did let L know that Niki was having to go in and have this done and invited her over to spend some time with her and she said she would but then never showed up. So this morning I am taking Niki in to hopefully get better. It is like she went from the cage at Petco to being adopted by someone who wasn't really prepared to give her what she needed to now being adopted/rescued again by me. So - I am choosing her this time. After today she will be my cat - she will be part of my family - and she will be loved and cared for.

I will update this post tonight to let you know how she is doing.

De

I Decorated

OK - I put up some Christmas decorations. I got a tiny tree that came with lights already on it and I strung some lights in the window in my living room. There is now a corner of Christmas Spirit in my house. We'll see if everything is still standing in the morning - Buffy has taken an interest in the tree! She has already taken two balls from the tree and rolled them around the house.

De

Good Morning!

I was just too tired last night to blog. It was cold when I got home - I was tired - so I crawled underneath my big comfy blankets - turned on Big Bang Theory - and went to sleep. Month end is just about over so I should be getting back on a regular schedule.

Yesterday afternoon I did get an interesting call from L's Bama. She called and wanted to know what L had told me about the tattoo she got. I let her know that L had dropped by the house briefly on Sunday to show it to me - that it only cost her $80 - and that's about all I knew. She told me that when L got home on Sunday she told them that it had been a Christmas gift from her friend Kellie. Bama told me that one of the few rules they had was that L could not lie to them - that she needed to let them know what was going on. Not sure what happened last night when she got home. L definitely inherited the "I'm going to tell you what I think you want to hear" gene from her Dad. My hope is that one of these days she grows up and realizes that not telling the truth just gets her in more trouble. Bama also told me that L has to be out of their house by the first week in January and that she doesn't think L has done anything about finding a place. I reinforced to her that L is not coming back to my house. I just can't do it again.

On Sunday I was chatting online with my sister - she asked me if I had put up the Christmas Tree yet. Uh no! I haven't put a tree up in my house since L went to Montana - so hmmmm about 4 years. Colleen says I need to decorate because it will put me in a holiday mood. I need to figure out a way to get motivated to decorate without thinking about the dragging the boxes out from storage - hauling them up the 3 flights of stairs - then the taking everything down and hauling it back to storage after the holiday is over. Man - I sound like a Grinch. Also - I'm the only person in the house - it just doesn't seem as much fun to decorate the house when I'm the only one who will see it. Maybe I will put up some lights and some small decorations but no tree. Colleen - will that count as decorating?

De

L - #3

L called me this evening and said she needed to show me something and would be over in about 20 minutes. When she got here she showed me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tattoo #3!!! OMG!!! They just keep getting bigger and more out there. Yup - this one covers her right hip and is an homage to John Lennon - it is a gun shooting out a flag with a peace sign and the word Imagine written in script down through it. It's in the same purple and black colors as her "sweet" tattoo. All I could do was shake my head. I asked her how much - $80. I asked how she was able to get the money from her grandparents and she told me she hasn't been home since she got paid on Friday - which means she has had her whole paycheck all weekend. Hmm - wonder how much of that paycheck she has left. I know she called me on Friday to get directions to Bellevue Square - so she went shopping on Friday and got a Tattoo today. I'm guessing about half of that paycheck is gone.

I have been working on a beading project today. I haven't made any jewelry in a long time. I started working on a piece today and just felt all those creative juices start running again. I now have all these ideas running through my head - I can't work fast enough! I want to try and finish the piece I'm working on right now before bed so I will write more tomorrow.
De

Magic

It seems that the older I get the more I seem to have lost the magic that was once Christmas. I remember 3 weeks before Christmas I could hardly contain myself - the tree would be up - the lights would be on the house - and it didn't seem like Christmas could get here fast enough. Now it seems that Christmas gets here too fast - between closing out November and getting ready for year end - trying to come up with that something special to give your family - I just don't get that magical anticipation that I had. The innocence of childhood lost to all of the responsibilities of adulthood.

Then today I got to work at 630 and the lights were still out on our floor - which I love - and I looked out the window by my desk down onto Westlake Center and Macy's. There was that magic right before my eyes! It was in the bright light of the Macy's Star lit up in the dark morning and shining as bright as I believe the North Star shown on that beautiful night so long ago. Next to Macy's is Westlake Center where the city's Christmas Tree is all lit up - looking like it had been decorated with the kisses of angels and the glitter of fallen snow. And throughout the city all the trees lining the street had white lights in them to shine all around. Standing in the darkness of my office looking down at this scene I took a deep breath - This is the magic of Christmas.

Unexpected Visit

Well - tonight's blog was supposed to be about Christmas in Seattle - I took pictures from my office building today. That has been put on the back burner due to an unexpected visit from L - these never go well. Before I start in on tonight's events I need to let you know that she called me at work today just to bitch and complain about how she has no control over her own money - how her grandparents tell her that they are just doing what her Dad told them to do - she then proceeded to make some rather disrespectful remarks that I don't think I will post here. I stayed calm throughout the conversation until that point which is when I told her that that was enough - I wasn't going to get involved and she needed to talk to her Dad and her grandparents at the same time.
This now brings us to this evenings events. She called me when she got off work and asked what I was doing - just hanging and decompressing after work - are you cooking anything for dinner - no - do you have any leftovers I can have I'm so hungry - no - Have I gotten any mail lately - yes you have two magazines here - can I come by and get them - OK. (L's part of the conversation in blue and mine in green!!) So she got to the house - got her magazines and kinda just planted herself on the couch. She dropped quite a few hints about only having 1/4 of a tank of gas - she may have to call in sick to work because she may not have enough gas to work - hope she has enough to even make it home. I didn't fall for it - I just ignored it. She then helped herself to some cereal and yogurt - as usual she left things on the counter and after she left I realized the used bowl was sitting on the couch. But before she left she called her Dad - I only heard one half of the conversation but it was mostly the same things she tells me when she calls - how she is stressed because she doesn't have control of her money - it's her money - she may not have enough gas to get to work especially seeing as she has to drive uphill both ways and that uses more gas ( hmm uphill both ways - all she needed to add was 3 feet of snow and she would have had a story just like Papa's!) Anyways - from what I could hear it sounded like Alan was trying to stand his ground and was doing a pretty good job at it too. Then the waterworks started - big tears - heavy sobs - she sounded so pitiful. I have had an opportunity over that past two years to grow a thick skin to those tears - mostly gained in the last month she was at home. Alan hasn't had as much practice so I think he gave in a little - I'm not sure - but I did hear L tell her Dad that her grandparents will do whatever he says so could he just call them. Not sure how it was resolved but she was off the phone shortly after that. Of course one thing she never mentioned to him was the conversation I overheard her having with her friend Amber and the fact that she gets paid on Friday so they can do - you know - the same thing they do every weekend. I am sure this was "code" for smoking weed or more and I am sure she has been paying for it all which is why she has no money for gas.While she was on the phone with her Dad I hung out in the kitchen and did some baking - my stress reliever! Finance Department gets muffins tomorrow!
As she was leaving she made a remark about only being able to last 2 more weeks - if she has to stay longer she will die. Of course - is she doing anything to work on getting out of there - Nope - still waiting for someone to swoop in and rescue her. Not Gonna Be Me.

I am watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer right now which is helping me to destress - Mom - I thought of you - I hope you stayed up to watch it. I didn't know it was even on tonight until I turned on CBS to watch a different show.

Muffins are done and I am headed to bed. Tomorrow - barring anything unexpected - I will share pictures from my office and my theory on something from Fringe on Tuesday!

De

So Sad :(

Have you ever had a favorite food suddenly not be available? I went to QFC tonight on my way home - it was time to get my favorite holiday cookies - Mothers Gingerbread Boys. They come in the bag like the frosted animal cookies and they go fast. Last year they were gone in a week! I love these cookies - they are bite size Gingerbread Boys - and just the right amount of ginger flavor. I got to QFC - went and got milk and then headed to the cookie aisle. Last year they were in a display at the end of the aisle so I checked there first - hmmm nothing. Next I headed to the cookie aisle and walked the length of it. I couldn't find them. As I was making my second trip down the aisle in case I had just missed them I suddenly stopped - looked around - OMG - there weren't any Mothers Cookies. They had been replaced by the generic QFC brand - Franz. I need my ginger cookies - it's Christmas - I have had those cookies during the holidays for the last 4 to 5 years.

When I got home I decided to Google Mothers Cookies - sometimes on the actual company's website you can look up stores in your area that carry the brand. I Googled and the first article that came up was - Mother's Cookies Abruptly Shut Down!!! They abruptly closed down production and went out of business back in October!! No more Gingerbread Man Cookies - Circus Animal Cookies - Iced Oatmeal. It's like losing a part of my childhood. I remember when my sister and I were in High School - our parents went on a ski vacation and left us home alone. Mom left us money for groceries during the week. Both Colleen and I took some of the money and bought a big bag of Circus Animal Cookies each. We hadn't told each other we were going to do that so we each got our own bag. I did find a website where you can order some cookies before they are all gone. They are filling orders right now so you need to check back on Dec 5th to see what is still available. Of Course - no Gingerbread Men and the Circus Animals have limited availability.

So no Gingerbread Cookies - I'm going to have to find a new favorite. What was your favorite Mother's Cookie?

I am going to try and stay up tonight to watch Fringe - I will blog about any Fringe - Lost connections tomorrow if I see any. If I fall asleep I do have it scheduled to record so I will just watch it when I get home tomorrow night.

De

Month End Again!

Good Morning ~ Once again Month End is here. No matter how many times I complete the month end process it just keeps coming around!! Will it ever be completely done? I will probably die and go to Heaven and God will have me doing Month End processes!! I got in at 700 yesterday morning and left at 600. By the time I got home I was just too tired to blog. Now today I pulled in to the parking garage at 615!! I don't think the other people I work with are even up at 615! I drove in today because I missed the 5:54 bus by 1 minute and didn't want to wait a half an hour for the next bus. There was no traffic this early and I actually got to work before the 5:54 bus would have dropped me off.

Seattle is decorated for Christmas and I have a view of the Westlake Christmas Tree and the Macy's Star from the window by my desk. I will try to remember to bring my camera tomorrow and take a picture so you can see the view too.

Oh - another thing I love about getting in so early - the main lights aren't on yet so I get at least a good hour without all the fluorescent lighting - I could work like this all day but someone always comes in around 730 and turns on all the lights. **UPDATE** Someone turned the dang lights on at 652 :(

Oh well - back to the Month End Process!

De

**My online radio just went out so it is really quiet now - kinda spooky**