Luck you V! Have fun and enjoy the sun!

Eden

What we need is a Dictaphone in the shower that mysteriously populates MS word as we speak. I have written untold dozens of newspaper columns in the shower, all of which go down the drain (so to speak) the minute I am dried off and at the keyboard. What is it about running water that frees the creative writing side of the brain ?

PM, my car has a 50k mile warranty however I have had it since 2003 and have only 48k on it. It still looks like new. So once I get to 50k I will keep it another 10,000 miles. Since I am single I need a very , very reliable car and am not willing to run it into the ground like I have all my other cars. I will either trade it in or give it to one of my kids depending on my financial situation at the time. I would also like better mileage than I have at the moment-my car is a V-6 and I really dont need that much power. Already decided my next car is a Honda CRV.

Julie , your orchids are fabu !

Denise , I have some pretty oddball Christmas music in my CD collection.. With the exception of Nat King Cole, most of it is either classical or jazz. For many years Christmas was conducted at my abode and I carefully selected the soundtrack for the event.

Eden , I was very touched too by the soldier and the dog. In fact I heisted before watching-I have always found dog stuff to be very emotional for me. There is no way I would be able to sit through Old Yeller . I could never ever do what Jerri does. ..and by the way, where IS Jerri ???

Last night I watched the Jean Cocteau film of Beauty and the Beast from 1942 ish. It was really quite wonderful. I have a boatload of French films in my Nextflix queue .

Going to sign off now.

Kathy in Napa

Eden, the puzzles can probably be made from a number of websites. I made mine on Walmart's photo center. Just upload your picture. I think Walgreens has it as well. I remember getting one as a child and thinking it was the coolest thing.

I do feel for the auto workers and basically purchased my VW because it was the best fit for me driving 70 miles a day. Our other 2 vehicles are GM/Ford.

Michelle

(trying to figure out if Kathy "hoisted" a few before watching the dog video...What a sweet video clip, Eden. How's the kitchen coming along?)

Cocteau's B&B is on the dining room table here too. An idyll coinky-dink. Maybe for viewing tonight.

V heads south again!

PM, did you ever put together your evergreen pots for winter? Much more fun than buying a new car, right?

The Jupiter/Venus conjunction was noted here with much jubilation. It's said to possibly be the of the Star of Bethlehem?

At the end of a job today, a cell phone went off with a ring tone that sounded like an alarm when a nuclear reactor core has been breached. A self-destruct countdown or some such dire emergency. I mean repetitive and LOUD. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest. We all stared dumbfounded at the atty, who before answering the phone said, "That would be my wife calling." He had three young children at home and one had an abscessed gum. She couldn't decide whether to take the child to the doctor or a dentist and needed a second opinion from DH. Something new every day in the battle of cell phones vs. civilized society...

To those shopping for little ones like Bella and Kenzie, I don't have a clue what to buy for that age set anymore, so I'm paying attention for tips for my 3-yr-old niece Katie. I want to buy books, but she'll no doubt consider me the dullard aunt if I do.

Mitch was telling me tonight that his best friend is thinking of breaking up with his girlfriend because she talks too much. Marty immediately shouts from the kitchen "All girls do." So I asked the obvious: Do I talk too much? The cowards hemmed and hawed but avoided a direct answer.

I heard the photographer linked below interviewed yesterday. He put together this film and a book called "Wisdom." You had to be over 65 to be included in the project. Click OK and it should go straight to the short film.

A dreamy winter scene in England, which reminds me of a beautiful photo Michelle posted last winter:

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G'night

I have always owned an American car. They've all been used "rats" (as my brother refers to them), and I've found that routine maintenance has kept them working for me with a few hiccups here and there. Overall, I have never had a Detroit "lemon", and the relative quality of American made cars is actually very high. The troubles in the Detroit Three are the result of bad business and shortsighted decisions, pure and simple. None of them bothered to read the OPEC memo that landed with a crash on the desktops in 1973. Instead of using entrepreneurial spirit and thinking LONGterm, they hunkered down and continued building the same products and wondered why the public wasn't buying them. Wah. They kowtowed to the UAW and signed on for wholly unrealistic retirement plans for retired workers and now their legacy costs are killing them. They couldn't have foreseen this? c'mon. I am very disturbed by the events overtaking the economy and the diligent, hard-working people on the line in the American companies. But no one raised more than a whimper when my own industry (and the shoe industy) was decimated throughout the '70s and '80s and I watched my friends (mostly single mothers) lose decent jobs with benefits and have to settle for "would you like fries with that?", hoping that maybe they could get on a health insurance plan. I watched those bloated, arrogant CEOs sit in front of Congress 2 wks. ago asking for billions of taxpayer money and they had the gall to do it without even so much as a business plan. Maybe working for a dollar a year would be a good "learning experience" for each of them, but they should surrender the executive washroom key and clock in for 3rd. shift "on the line" for their year. Grow up boys. And once more, what are they doing? focussing on automobiles... how about shifting the focus to light rail and more environmentally and user friendly mass transportation for LONGterm viability in a world of shrinking resources. Nah... too radical. And, as ususal, it's the person who showers after work that takes the hit. If they want me to become an investor in their industry then they'd better come up with something different than the "program" they've been clinging to for the past 35 yrs.. I foresee a lot of very painful change in our future.

The helpmeet was alone in his misery last night. I left him to patiently fit the mitred corners of the hearth trim by himself. I think we're going to lay out and mark the tiles to be cut tonight. Then I will gird my loins to fire up the wet saw.

We have a free trial of Nexflix and the helpmeet has requested a string on adolescent comedies. Last night he made an impassioned plea that I look over the listing and select a few things of interest. I see my absence from the "screening room" has been noticed. I am less than excited about the prospect as I'm rather enjoying working in the Salon and reading instead.

Off to work I go. I've enjoyed the anecdotes, the pictures, and the usual chitty-chat very much. I need to make myself decorate, Eden, it'll be a nice boost. And I want to know more about the cranberries, Saucy.

Wow! Chelone! You could (should?) take your whole first paragraph above in its entirety and send it off to the editors of large national newspapers! You are an excellent writer and I think you voice the opinions of thousands there! I am truly impressed. I think I'll even print it out for my DH to read if you don't mind...he seldom comes to the office or computer these days, although at one time that was his career path.

Had a call from the school yesterday - TCS got punched by a little (actually let's put that another way, a very large seven year old) girl. His teacher fears that our little blond slight boy has become a target of the other child and feels that we should be aware of what's going on....so off we'll go to the principal's office to discuss and to make sure that TCS's other teachers (they rotate for music, phys. ed. and French) have a "heads up", as well as those teachers unlucky enough to draw recess and lunch duty. In some ways I am glad that we have wended (how's this for a cool word?)our way through the school system twice already....much easier to have a calm and ordered approach, instead of telling the little guy to just bash her back (which of course solves nothing and only causes more nastiness in the school yard...and which was never our approach anyway).

Have been feeling less than cheery for the last few days - too much to do maybe? Miserable dreary weather? Money stuff at Christmas?( although we are fine in that respect, I just have a hard time parting with it), mostly I think having crabby son mooning around the house because he isn't working...to his credit he is not that happy about receiving Employment Insurance - he doesn't want money for nothing, he wants something to do...and heaven help us if we suggest anything....

TCS is just thrilled with Christmas...the tree is up, the mantel is decorated, the gingerbread house is complete, wish lists are posted on the fridge, Christmas music plays softly on the stereo, and the house smells nice as baking is in progress (and eating too!). He has two advent calendars, one with the chocolate Batman figures behind each door, and a more religious one with stickers that you put on to tell the Christmas story, with the Mary-Joseph-baby Jesus ones at Christmas. Much to my surprise, he is really enjoying the stickers...I had never seen one like this before...Maybe chomping on a chocolate Batman enhances the joy of the Christmas story???? Anyway, great excitment at our house.

Denise, and the rest of you looking for gift books for little ones, might find one called "The Gruffalo" - a book about a mythical monster and a mouse, with each of the full-coloured pages a puzzle that you can take out and put together....our little guy loved that book. There is also a sequel, the Gruffalo's Child, which he didn't like at all...just thought I'd mention it...

Also, what a beautiful winter scene...not at all what I see when I look out into the gardens today. I would actually welcome a great big snowfall to cover up all the brown and mucky stuff...

V: off to warmer climes....you lucky dog!!!

Doors - we're lucky if they even get closed here *LOL* with all of the small boy comings and goings. In the winter at least the inside doors are usually shut even if the scrren doors are left ajar. Drives me nuts!!!

Marie, I hope you are feeling a little better - I miss you.

Cheers,

Julie

Good morning

Thinking of V heading off to Mexico:0) Have fun.

Last night was such a fun evening. David's new guitar teacher was giving a candlelight Lute recital in the sanctuary of a downtown church. I have a friend who is housebound after a car accident and on a whim I called her to see if she would like to come hear music with us. It was such a treat - Bach and another baroque composer Leopold Weiss. Dozens of flickering candles lit the interior and the music was exquisite (Bach has to be my favourite composer). My friend loved it every bit as much as we did.

One other thing I wanted to share with you guys and hope it is OK to do so. I've sat on it a while not quite sure if it breaches some of the topics we steer clear of. Please skip if it is.

I posted a month ago about the death of one of our third grade teachers. It was a profound loss made all the sadder by the fact that the young man took his own life. Work was a very emotional place for a while. Anyone who knew the teacher knew that his bird was a snowy owl. He loved the owl in Harry Potter, had pictures of snowy owls in his classroom and a white stuffed owl toy by his desk.

A couple of weeks ago a snowy owl appeared outside the school, opposite the third grade classrooms. It sat there for 2 hours much to the excitement of everyone in the school. I think every child had a chance to come and see it, the whole building was a buzz. The colleague who had found the man the day he passed away said for her it was the first time she realized normal emotions such as joy would return. It is very rare to see a snowy owl, many people only the opportunity once in a lifetime. There is also a belief that someone who has died can send a bird to let people know they are OK. Everyone drew their own conclusions - for me it still sends shivers, but of the good sort.
{{gwi:188604}}

Have a good day everyone

Mary

Friday, and I'll be happier about it later in the day.
I have been lurking a bit, but mostly been very angry and annoyed lately, and hoping to improve my outlook. Perhaps Julie and I are cursed by the gloomy skies?

I so enjoy reading Chelone's voice on CEOs, foresight, transportation, etc Wish you would write a daily morning column for me. I hate reading the news these days. Of course I only get a small town crappy paper.

I also enjoyed Denise's comments on Chelone's "boss". The woman "just can't keep those bleedin' obvious comments to herself" so reminds me of DH, the professor with a lesson (PWAL) for anyone withing hearing distance! Grrrr. Hard to believe he could have been a rock and roll star when I met him, but no, turned into a prof just like dear old Dad.

And then Mary, of course your story does not disturb anyone's comfort zone. It is a beautiful tale, a wonderful experience. I think it is fantastic that the children could share the experience too!

This morning is another mediation session for DSIL. I had a long talk with him last night on the subjects involved, though I hadn't expected to talk about that. I guess he needed to practice on me! I'm sure this business is part of my negative mood. But, we did manage to get tickets for a Christmas visit and Woody & her DH are going to be having a visit with "semi-huge one". Last night Phoebe was disciplined for chewing an electrical cord. As Woody says, her size is deceptive and makes you relax your guard, thinking she is more mature than she truly is. Her first birthday comes in about a week's time.

I am off to the naturopath for my second visit. I'm enjoying exploring a second approach to things.

Later,
'bug

I too have that deja vu moment as Denise and Kathy whereby I've answered and posted many a reply to idylls in shower, or even bed sometimes when I am not able to sleep -- but seldom does it ever all get put to cyber-paper, LOL...

Saucy - I meant to comment re the cranberries -- I made a fresh cranberry wreath years for my front door ago that I still recalll fondly (a Martha idea that was terrific) and often think I'll find time to redo one another year - but yet to be repeated. I love the look of berries at Xmas and try to cut holly, etc., to decorate accordingly. I look forward to seeing your decorations.

Kathy -- I confess I think it has something to do w/ that singlehood idea -- I too dont keep my cars much past their warranties -- in fact, re American made -- I've been burned many a time after their warranties were up and I just couldnt deal with their issues. When we're single we often dont have another person handy to chauffeur us around for picking us up to/fro repair shops, or stuck somewhere -- while that may sound "girli" I think it's a fact of life, that women on their own worry about being secure -- and being stranded on a highway somewhere w/ a broken vehicle is a serious cause for concern -- and a pain to have to ask friends for aid. Everyone leads such busy lives, it's hard to feel you're asking them favors allt he time. I've just sadly had way more luck w/ foreign cars re reliability and getting more "years" out of them -- or having to turn a car in shortly after the warranty before big issues crop up.

Well, Im a bit down today -- recall the houseguest of last year? Well, she got laid off from her job yesterday - along with 20 other people at her law firm. These things right before Xmas just are horrible decisions companies make -- and knowing law firms, it more likely had horrible things re not wanting to pay bonuses out or holiday pay -- it just stinks. Horrible selfish business decisions - like Chelone's commentary re the auto industry. I heard on the radio this a.m. on the way to the my "awfice" that this is likely to be the worse unemployment rates in 30 years... very scary. I dont know what she's going to do -- and I know she desperately needs health insurance which she's not likely to be the COBRA option for....

Hi, Eden -- glad to hear you're feeling better!! Look forward to seeing your kitchen.

Mary - beautiful owl and lovely story.

Well, have to face this work day - I am thankful to be employed and include that in my thanks every day now.

--Cindy

TGIF!

Another busy one here. Somewhere along the line I managed to pick up a sore throat/postnasal drip deal this week so I'm not up to par. Company Christmas party tonight. I think I'll just go for a drink or two and dinner then bug out before the dancing and other realted frivolity begins. Tis the season.

I have alot of thoughts on the auto debate but unfortunately not enough time to collect and compose them. I drive a six year old Acura SUV with 75K miles on it that I purchased new and have never spent a dime on above and beyond preventative maintenance and normal wear and tear. I'll probably keep it for a couple more years then buy a used one-two or three years old. Like most of you I've had much better luck with Japanese cars than American. My Acura was built in an assembly plant in Ontario and many of the Honda models are built in the US so by purchasing these cars you are not putting an assembly line worker in this continent out of a job. Like Chelone I think the current problems facing the US auto makers are due to many decades of poor and short sighted decisions by boards of directors and high level executives.

The bigger issue, IMO is our economy as a whole has become almost completely consumer based. We don't make anything here anymore. You will be hard pressed to find anything made here anymore-clothes, furniture, textiles, electronics, you name it. And alot of it is junk. Manufacturing creates wealth. Yes, it's more expensive to make stuff here-costs are higher, but in most cases quality is far better. The loss of good paying manufacturing jobs has put quality products out of reach of the average person who now has to go in search of cheap foreign alternatives. It's a vicious cycle. More demand for cheap=more loss of manufacturing jobs as companies scramble to move their operations to countries where people live in squalor in order to lower production costs and make their products affordable to the average Joe who now has to work at Walmart for minimum wage.

OK, guess you get the idea, at least from my perspective...lol.

Sue

Good grief it was only 3° this morning I wish I could just hunker in the house instead of going to work. Although, this is the first time Ive had heated seats in my work vehicle and they are proving delightful these last couple of days.

Mary, the owl appearing is quite something. Hopefully, it will aid in healing for the children.

Julie, I remember on time my DD got punched in the stomach on the bus by a boy in her class probably about the same age as TCS. That evening the mom came to our home with the little boy to have him extend his apology. It sounds like your house is all ready for Christmas.

The area we live in is mostly hard working people from Dutch and German heritage. Around here jobs arent extremely well paying and benefits are just the basics, but I do believe the businesses are run with a tight fist which makes them more stable. Ill have to remember that when I think Im underpaid ;o)

Denise, LOL if only my garden looked so lovely in the winter. Its saving grace is definitely the number of blue spruces lining it. I dont dare leave my urns out for the winter.

Eden, my 2 nieces are really into the American Girl dolls which I think is hilarious because my brother who grew up with 3 sisters just thinks its ridiculous. He did give in this summer when they were in Chicago and went with them to the American Girl Place. Its good for him LOL Im sure Bella will love it too.

Julie, Eden and Saucy, we surely need pictures of the gingerbread creations.

Have a great Friday!

Michelle

Good afternoon, how is everyone on this lovely Friday? :-)

The sun is shining outside my window which I plan to make the most of very shortly. I am in a good mood in spite of car shopping because I have been consistently attempting to stick to a regular exercise schedule and I am finally starting to see progress. I was able to get through my whole routine yesterday without being more than mildly sore today, so I am cautiously optimistic. I have a history of setting off a round of muscle pain that stops the exercise routine, so I am carefully trying to make it very gradual and not overreach.

I am not enjoying car shopping at all. We made our first trip to a dealer last night and I am not impressed with the latest and greatest. I was so annoyed to find that the minivan that we have been using for the past ten years, now offers worse gas mileage then it did 10 years ago. Huh? Ours gets a decent 24 miles to the gallon. Saturday morning we will be more productive I am sure.

Denise....I really enjoyed your very cheery post. I have yet to really enjoy the Christmas music but as soon as my decks are cleared and we break out the Christmas decorations, we will all get in the mood around here. I happen to be one of those people who can't keep 'their bleeding comments to themselves' [g] Not in a critical way, but in an unnecessarily instructive kind of way. I don't look over anyone's shoulder and give a running commentary, but my requests can be comical. For instance the other day, I asked DD to do something for me and proceeded to tell her where she would find every tool she would need, etc, etc. She was quite exasperated, pointing out to me that certainly after living in our house all of her life, she knew where the screwdriver was. My DD finds it very annoying. She is a very competent and intelligent and it evidently makes her feel like I don't think she knows what she is doing. We laugh about it mostly, because it is an unconscious habit developed legitimately due to the combination of my nature and my circumstances, which I fully understand and try to work on and she tries to understand and ignore. [g] But in my own defense, after years of giving brief directions only to have someone come back to me three times to ask where something was or how to do something, I developed this habit of just giving as much information as I had in the beginning to avoid that.

Denise, I wish I were shopping for Bathtubs!! :-) I am still not quite sure what type of second bath you are aiming for, but I would like to hear more about it.

I also send myself emails when I want to save something. [g]

No, had to give up on the idea of doing the evergreen pots and will be happy to just get my wreath on the door this weekend.

Lovely winter garden photo. I wouldn't mind looking out the window at that every day.

At our house, the girls out talk the guys by quite a large margin. I think the problem is that guys talk too little and we end up having to do our own talking and theirs too. :-)

Michelle....I am also impressed with your swimming schedule. I would love to be able to do that and hope I will be able to at some point. I grew up with a pool and I miss swimming a lot. In my 20s I could swim 50 laps at a time but those days are barely a memory. [g]

Julie...that photo of your orchid is eye-popping! What a lot of buds it has on it! It looks very happy. I am sorry to hear about TCS's problems at school. Those type of problems drove me crazy when the kids were in school. If DS is not working this time of year, I feel your pain and his. So hard to manage to get gifts that you want to give without enough cash.

Cindy...I understand your viewpoint completely about being single and needing your car to be as reliable as possible.

Mary...that is a touching story of the white owl. It is a hard time of year for feelings of loss.

Like 'bug, I enjoy reading Chelone's 'voice' on CEOs etc. I think it expressed much of my own view on the subject, but in a nice concise manner.

My own personal experience with American made cars, was extensive before changing. Some cars were a constant source of trips to the service department, expensive repairs, mechanics who would send the car home only to have the same problem continue. This happened repeatedly over the course of ten years with different American manufacturers. In reading the Consumer Reports on automobile reliability, a statement I read yesterday really lingers in my mind. A Honda or a Toyota car, that is seven years old will start to show some of the same problems that you will find in a three year old car of any other manufacturer.

I also agree with Sue's observation that we have become consumer based and don't make anything any more. This has to change if our economy is to improve and reach stability. Obviously, there are more elements to how we got into this economic position though. An eroding of ethics in corporate decision making and greed in capital letters would be two more that I think are big contributors. The American public is not exactly off the hook either.

Well...since it looks like we are not going to solve the world's ills this afternoon...I better get back to doing something productive. :-)

Yes, I would love to see photos on all the gingerbread creations! I've never tired to make one.

The weeks are flying by...the weekend again. Lovely.

pm2

Im going to ignore (shiver shiver) the single digit temps being posted -- I have a screensaver of a Greek island town by the sea photo I prefer to daydream with rather than contemplate the reality of brrrrrr temps, snow and winds. Obviously, despite my Pennsylvania upbringing, I would fail in places of "far north"...

Okay -- Im working on Xmas lists at lunch; but I have to offer up this pic that I get to see also from my desk -- 2 female attys sitting in their respective ofcs (one whose door I see directly into - we're within throwing distance of each other; it's kind of weird but you learn to "avoid" eye contact when you need to; but no teeth flossing while others are present, LOL) -- they have their ofcs crammed full of chic furniture/or handcrafted (in the case of one), photos, decorative items to make it "homey"; they both have growing plants and pots on their wonderful sunny window sills -- and they each have at least 3 DEAD DEAD DEAD plants -- ones that have been gone for months -- in the case of one -- she's got a pot that bloomed paperwhites one year -- and I am sure it's been 2 years since it died. What do you think their problem is? Do they LIKE dead plants? The other one has a large, 12" pot that was a basil plant - somehow she got it to grow in her ofc, and she transferred over here w/ it; but it died early in the summer -- it's still sitting w/ all the dead stalks leaning towards the window as a testimony to its demise. There are plenty of trashcans nearby... why is this such a hard thing to do? remove the dead bodies....?
Now, I am a lazy gardener - I know this -- but I can barely stand to look upon or go by their ofcs daily and notice these things - I would LOVE to pitch them for them, but figure it's not really my business and my parents taught me to be respectful of others' possessions... but it's really bizarre to my eye and mind... Silly city cliff dwellers' habits and habitats..you just have to scratch your head trying to figure out what the cache of dead plants offers up to the decor.

Hope you feel better, Sue, but still manage to enjoy your holiday party tonite.

Glad to hear you're starting to feel your exercise routine make you feel better, PM2; keep up the good work.

Okay, I better turn to those lists - I vacillate between being tight this year and just giving into impulse buys; so far the first has been the winning hand; but it's early days yet.

--Cindy

Oh woe is me!!!! I lost another post, and this time I did the split page and had it on Wordpad! I had several paragraphs typed, when I decided to go haul in some firewood. While I was out, the power popped off and back on. I 'thought' the Wordpad post would still be there...NOT!!!!!
I am beginning to think I may not be supposed to post here at this time??? I had only good things to say!

YARRGH!

Marie, I can certainly identify with your frame of mind! Anger and frustration are my middle names.

I post on another forum every day, many times a day, and have never lost a post there, and on a third one frequently, that I have never lost a post(except when I preview ,and 'think' I have posted..)

If I only read and do not post...you will know why.

Marian

Marian - ain't technology grand?! :- )

Mary - that snowy owl incident was amazing! I'll bet the kids were torn between being comforted and being spooked!

On the issue of gender and talking, perhaps that guy splitting up with his girlfriend should read the Scientific American article linked below....

We're looking forward to the hairy beast joining our Christmas festivities. It'll be interesting to see how much Phoebe has changed since her last visit.

Good Cold Evening(brrrrrrrrrrrr),

I sure wish this cold weather would break. It feels like late Jan, early Feb out there. Lots of good reading on Idylls tonight. Funny how posting ebbs and flows isn't it? Today in prep for holiday decorating I moved all of my houseplants to the basement under lights to make more room on the main floor.. In order to do that Brad had to set up another light table for me. I'm up to 6 tables now. When I ask him to do things around the house for me I think of them as his Julie jobs, though I don't tell him that :) All of the decorations have been pulled off their storage shelves in the basement and Bella's ready and willing to "help" me start decorating. Tomorrow we make the trek to the mall to visit Santa and then Build A Bear. Should be fun but also guaranteed to be a zoo.

Michelle, thanks for the info on the puzzles. I'm definitely going to check that out and do some for Bella. The American Girl doll that I got Bella is one made especially for age 3. It's a baby doll. When she's older I'd like to get her one of the others though (if she likes them) and take her to the AG store in Chicago.

Cindy, it always amazes me when I see people's dead or unhealthy (ugly) houseplants. I'm pretty relentless and pitch mine if they look sickly. Once they start going south it's hard to bring them back to anything that looks nice I think. And they're just depressing then. Sorry to hear the news about your friend's job. She's not going to want to move back in now is she???

Mary, thank you so much for sharing your story. Something very similar happened to me a few days after my mom passed away. She and my dad have always enjoyed feeding and watching the birds. Her favorites were the hummingbirds and she had several feeders that she kept full for them outside her kitchen windows from spring to fall. The first thing she did when they returned from Houston was get out the feeders even though it was July by that time and she was so happy that her hummers were there waiting for her. I've tried everything to attract them to my gardens, feeders, their favorite plants, but came to the conclusion that they just didn't like the city. I rarely saw one here. Anyway, a couple of days after mom died I was sitting at my kitchen table in the afternoon facing the back door. That's when I spotted a little hummer that flew right up to the door screen and hovered there looking into my house straight at me. I felt the same way you did about your friend and the snowy owl. It was a very special moment for me that I'll never forget and gave me much comfort.

Chelone, I must thank you for describing here how you turned off or unplugged the electrical appliance vampires. I followed your lead and have noticed such a savings. In fact I received an electric bill today that was 41% less use than at this same time a year ago. I predict that you'll really like Netflix. We love it here.

PM, hope you find your car soon so you can then begin to enjoy the holidays. I hate car shopping with a passion and always let Brad handle that all on his own. He enjoys it so we're both happy.

It was really interesting reading all of your thoughts on the auto companies and economy in general. I agreed with much of what you all said. I do still think though that there is much misinformation out there about our industry here in Detroit.

Marie, such good news that you'll be visiting the family at Christmas. Hope that's just what you need. I think it's perfectly normal for you to be feeling angry too. That will pass with time I think. I'm not sure what a mediation session is in regards to child custody. Does that mean that they're redoing their previous agreement?

Julie, good that you're on top of the bullying situation. That's so upsetting for children. Sounds like you've got the holidays all set up and you and your family are enjoying them. We do our own strange version of advent calendar here too which has evolved into something that's become my favorite Christmas tradition.

Marian, best to hit save periodically when your composing your Idyll post I'd say. Sorry you're having such trouble with that. It must be very frustrating. Me, I just compose in the message box and take my chances. I've lost a few but not many over the years.

Kathy, I feel the same way about animal shows. I don't watch them because they usually upset me too much. I never could watch Lassie as a child or anything where animals were hurt, lost or in danger. Still can't.

Sue, the winter cold is fresh in my memory. Hope yours makes a quick exit. Not fun! Have fun at your party tonight!

Denise, I think books are a wonderful gift for a three year old. Bella would rather get a book than anything (and I indulge her in that on a weekly basis). Some of our recent favorites are the Skippyjon Jones books by Judith Schachner, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, and a new Puff The Magic Dragon book that has beautiful illustrations by Eric Puybaret. We spend alot of time reading every day.

This has turned into a long post and it's time to rustle up some dinner for Bella and I so off I go. Have a good evening.

Eden

Woody, thanks for the link! In rebuttal last night, I told Marty that anyone who talks about a topic that the listener finds uninteresting is, by definition, perceived as "talking too much," which the article alludes to at the end, that women tend to talk more about people and men talk more about objects, though actually talking roughly the same amount. I used to subscribe to Scientific American way back when...And Ms. Phoebe better bring a roomy overnight bag for all those reward cookies she'll be coming home with (yes, you can, Phoebe! Just leave the electrical stuff alone.)

Really enjoyed reading everyone after work today. The job today gave me a pounding headache behind the right eye, but luckily some nice office staff passed on a couple Motrin, which I never take but it certainly did the trick.

The snowy owl photo is amazing. What a renewing sight for the school.

Cindy, the dead plant brigade at your office was a hoot to read.

Eden, it's great to have your input on these issues that are certainly roiling your state right now. And thanks for those books tips. Hummingbirds always seem to me to be powered by something "other," such special creatures, and how wonderful that they'll keep your mom close.

It was funny to read Sue and Chelone's posts this morning. Before falling asleep I mentioned I might post something similar, and Marty basically warned me off. It is a touchy, complex subject. I'd only add that, fingers crossed, a smart, fearless solution is on the way that integrates dealing with the health care costs that are dragging down the auto industry, that the auto plants can be repurposed for transportation that meets the challenges of this century, which would include rebuilding and rethinking our failing infrastructure to accommodate a new vision of moving us around, all of which will bring needed jobs. The only jobs we don't need are those of the auto industry executives who sided with Bush to block Calif's proposed fuel efficiency standards last year. Short-sighted defenders of the status quo we can do without.

And who says we need young kids to make a holiday gingerbread house? Where's that law written? That's going on my holiday to-do list (possibly the B list...) Tomorrow, if I can muster for the drive, a visit to the newly renovated Getty in Malibu, comp'd tickets. Camera will be in tow. (Anyone keep up with the scandal of the antiquities Getty was obliged to return?)

No, definitely not talking too much here...

After reading Denise's post I just wanted to quickly say how great I think it is that here on Idylls we can discuss things we have different opinions on. I for one welcome hearing others views, whether they're the same as mine or not. And I think I learn alot that way. It would be very boring to only hear your own thoughts echoed back to you I think.

Eden

Well, Im glad to bid this week goodbye. We finally got some peace and quiet in the office today to get a few things done. Didnt get caught up, but at least I now actually know what all the stuff on my desk is , and the most important issues were addressed. Rumors continue to fly about more layoffs, people are tense and fearful and as a manager I can only go so far to try to reassure folks- very few are safe anymore.
Frost on the roofs this morning, but no damage on the ground. Tonight is predicted to dip to 30, and judging from the way it feels right now that is not far-fetched.

Denise, of course I hoisted a few ! I am however a pushover for sad pet stories, in spite of my general insensitivity, lol. I find the sexes evenly divided on the talking too much issue. And of course the content of said talking varies widely. I know numerous men who can compete with any female alive in the vapid conversation arena. ..Thank you for the lovely little Zuckerman film-what a gem.

Chelone, I am daily grateful that my company, although undergoing painful right-sizing , had the foresight to develop a few niche business sectors that do not live and die by housing starts. Its no different than the agricultural mono-culture that cant withstand the pest or disease that rolls through with abandon. There are a core group of landowners here in the valley that are promoting diversity, and it will no doubt serve them well when folks are unable to spend 50 bucks on a bottle of wine.

Julie, hope the moping son is cheered by the warmth of hearth and home-knowing many more people than I wish I did who have no work, I can imagine the feelings of wanting to be productive instead of simply collecting a check.

Mary, thanks for sharing the story of the snowy owl. What really matters ultimately is that people were comforted by his appearance on the scene . Some things in the natural world are a mystery, and life would be cold indeed without it.

Cranberries-I made two cranberry topiaries for my mantle one year-I loved them ! I used 6" clay pots, cut a limb from a tree for the trunk, and the berries were hot-glued to one of those Styrofoam balls. It turned out great. They lasted very well too, especially in my only moderately heated house.

Sorry to hear of your friends job situation Cindy. I hope she has some sort of a safety net so that you dont find yourself back in the role of landlord. One does want to help, but I think you did your time with that lady. Boy Cindy, your atty chicks would probably get pretty agitated at my snide comments on their dead plants. The term Corpus Delecti comes to mind.

Sue, I cant even begin to comment on the subjects you touched on, re:cheap goods at Wallys, manufacturing, consumerism etc. The building contractors who shop at my company are as a rule very conservative and patriotic. I t has been very interesting to me to see the eroding of their desire to purchase products that are made in the USA (there are still some) in favor of price.

Eden, being in the lumber business for 20 years , I can relate to the PR issues and I have had huge swings in my own feelings about forest practices , sustainability, redwood, etc. Its interesting because the lumber mills were the bad guys for a long time, but things have shaken down now to a point where they are huge proponents of re-forestation-logical because they need a product to sell in the future, and wood is a much greener product than steel or concrete. How great too, that we on the Idylls can all respect varying opinions and learn from each other. I do think about you and Brad when I hear the dire reports of the auto industry, and hope that you are the among the survivors(for there are ALWAYS survivors)

Ok, I have been sitting at this desk long enough, Im going to go read the papes and maybe visit the book thread

Best to All !

Buenos Noches to V, dammit.

Kathy in Napa

Good morning... :-)

Well, this has been a lively thread. Eden, I am so glad you posted what you did, because I was starting to feel like I had said a little too much on the car issues. Sometimes for the sake of brevity, I leave out something important, like that I do have a lot of sympathy for people who depend on the auto manufacturers for their livelihood. I think we all worry about where the solutions will come from and try to figure out what went wrong and personally, I feel that greater minds than mine have not been able to do that.

I missed your posts while you were sick and I am glad you are back. :-) I also enjoyed that great video of the dogs greeting the soldier. Once again, dogs are amazing. I got a kick out of Bella asking for a remote control dinosaur. lol Named Spike no less! I will have to get a look at that one, my DH has had a life long interest in dinosaurs, maybe that would make a fun gag gift for him for Christmas.

Speaking of Bella....Michelle, are there any plans to see Kenzie over Christmas? I didn't know you could make a puzzle from photos. I think that is a great idea for a gift.

Chelone...I am going to have to go back and read your description of how you turned off the electric appliance vampires. After the first of the year, I am going to try to make that a priority. Thanks to Eden for sharing the excellent results you had from doing that.

Cindy...maybe you could make a little card with R.I.P. and glue it to a toothpick and stick it in one of the pots as a funny way of bringing it to their attention that their plants are dead. [g] I find that amazing that someone could possibly leave a dead plant staring them in the face for a year. Wow.

Eden...my mother was a bird lover too and I think of her often when I am watching the birds at the feeder. I remember the last week before she passed she was so excited telling me about the birds at her feeder that week. This fall, I found a crocus that had her name and I planted them around the base of the feeder. I am hoping they all come up in the spring.

Julie...you sound like you are doing a great job of creating the Christmas spirit at your house, despite the challenges. I always found when the kids were little, you could see the holiday through their eyes and it was just a little bit more magical.

Kathy...when are you traveling to your DD's for the holiday?

G'bug....I'm not surprised to hear how you are feeling. It would be hard to imagine you could be feeling any differently. It is a hard time of year for all of you. I am happy to hear that on the positive side of things, you are seeing the naturopath, which I hope will help a lot. It also sounds like Phoebe is a bright spot for you right now. :-) If you can just get through this Christmas, maybe next year has a chance of being better. When are you traveling to DD & Co.?

Well, that is all for me here. We will be heading out to car dealers first thing this morning and hope that will be productive and won't take up the whole day, so we can get a start on Christmas shopping.

Have a merry Saturday... :-)

Gingerbread houses are way more involved than the recipe lets on....we played all the Christmas music in our arsenal and went through a couple of pounds of sugary "glue"! My kitchen smells sweet this morning.

I still have ginger people to bake and decorate :) Maybe tomorrow. I need a day of rest from the kitchen.

World issues have been gently pushed aside, as Sarah wants to have the big girl talk. I am excited for her and want to find the right words so that I don't scare the pants off of her! LOL! Jake had his first formal dance and met a girl there! My babies are growing up....FINALLY, I say! I like them at this age....well, I guess I liked them all along, lol....

Cindy, I've seen some really great fake houseplants at my MIL's house...they even have plastic "soil"! Maybe a covert "switch"? Right now I will admit that I am guilty: I don't have the heart to just throw Jake's bonsai away....I'm waiting for it to dawn on him that it is not going to "green" up!

The snowy owl is beautiful, Mary! I would feel so honored to see one in person, as I imagine that they're hard to spot because of their nocturnal habits. That is a treat for your school, indeed! I am glad that it brought you comfort.

Well, I took pictures, so I am going to go and upload them and find a place to show you what we've been up to in the Saucy household.

Happy Saturday!

Saucy

Interestingly, with respect to the automotive manufacturing sector, I believe the Detroit companies produce exceptionally high quality vehicles. There is a ton of research and "evidence" to bear that out. My brother is a "motor head", a "natural" mechanic with a strong background in restoration of vintage vehicles. He has always owned American cars, too, and is an advocate for the Detroit Three's quality which has taken giant steps forward since the late '70s-early '80s. But like me, he is saddened at how quickly they slipped back into the production of gas-guzzlers instead of setting their sights on alternatives (like those electric gems in CA). All of it understandable as the profits on the behemoths were greater and allowed them to meet the dreaded legacy costs... the sword of Damocles that's hung over them for years now. Out-sourcing parts work to Mexico was another attempt to shave costs with an eye to retirement obligations, too. It's so sad because it never works LONGterm and now the chickens are coming home to roost. Lack of foresight and imagination and strict adherence to sound business practices in the board room and the untion halls is the real problem, not the ability to build a quality product, of that I'm convinced.

Consumerism. As one who survived the crash of the garment/textile/shoe industry I can assure you that I've been aware of the slide for decades now. A classcic example is trying to buy goods for basic clothing construction. There used to be at least 5 fabric stores within a 20 mile radius of my home. Now there are 3 and it's virtually impossible to find quality fabric. All merchandise is geared toward quilters/crafters and finding bolt goods of quality wools, rayons, silks, chamois... forget it! I used to be able to buy Pendleton wools, Liberty of London cottons, and actually be able to choose from more than 3 bolts of cloth. I recall going into woolen mills to watch the looms and then going into the factory store to buy the LOCALLY woven goods. Those days are long gone. And I see it in the way people regard drapery work or clothing alteration... "wow, that's awfully expensive, can't you do it for less?". Typically, that's the response from younger customers who've grown up in the "price, price, price" era and have very little actual personal experience MAKING anything themselves. I cannot complete with Bed Bath Beyond's pricing. But when I make drapery panels they will be exact size requested, they will be properly constructed and will last for years with proper care (my own are nearly 15 yrs. old now). If you want to change your "look" every year/two I'm not the service you want. I regularly face surprise at the prices required to alter clothing, but it's taken me years to master the nuances of quality tailoring and while I'm pretty speedy at them they still take time and require skill and "fussing".

I have repeatedly said this not a "consumer household". But that's not entirely accurate because we DO consume, though if we're going to buy something we tend to buy quality and shop locally owned stores for the item in question. I am more inclined to look into having something repaired than instantly thinking of replacing it. A perfect example of this is furniture. After looking and looking for a used sideboard I finally screwed up my courage to see if I could afford to have one made, since nothing ready-made met our requirements. I found the custom item right in line with the higher end lines I'd looked at. It's exactly what we needed, it's beautiful, and when the cost is factored over the years of service it becomes even more "affordable". I think nothing of stuffing rejected kerbside furniture into the back of my car and rehabbing it myself or sending it out for reupholstery. But this is not the general mindset of the great American consumer.

Eden, I'm thrilled that you've experienced savings by vanquishing the vampires! It's absolutely amazing; I've noted similar savings when I look at the kilowatt hour usuage on the bottom of our bill, as well. I wish more utility companies would espouse this simple method of conservation. It takes practice and a certain amount of patience to get into the habit of switching off the strips and THINKING about cutting off the juice but it works. I've been siphoning off the "savings" and redirecting it to the principle on the bahn note. (my father smiles down on me every time I do it, too)

Mary, count me as another who loved the Snowy Owl story and that lovely "study in grey and white". I saw one when I was a child (Mum took me to look at him, he was on top of a telephone pole in our town) and was amazed at the how big he was. I recall using the binoculars to study the massive talons. I had suspected the teacher in question had committed suicide when you first shared the sad news. I feel a deep and profound sadness whenever I learn that someone has taken their life because I know how it feels to lose someone you love that way. Still, though, I respect their choice to exercise such a deeply personal control over their life. I just hope the choice is made with a relaxed mind, not one in emotional turmoil. I can't think of a nicer way for the kids to remember their teacher!
I love that the hummingbirds evoke the same comfort for Eden. For me, it's watching the cats follow the sun around the living room on a cold winter's day... I can see Mum and Dad affectionately bending over them, speaking softly to them, and delicately stroking the "magic places". It's a good feeling.

We marked the necessary cuts on several of the tiles last night. I am a bit daunted as many of them are "inside cuts", meaning I have to cut away bits of tile to get them to fit around the chimney. I'm not confident in my ability to use a circular saw to execute such precise work, so am going to speak with my brother to elicit his suggestions before plunging headlong into the project and ruining my already limited number of tiles... (gulp).

I wish good luck to PM today. May the force be with you on the car front today!

And I'm filled with hope when I read your thoughts on the issues facing our economy, too. I know so many bright, accomplished, and thoughtful people I am hopeful that quiet determination and a commitment to (y)our children's futures will prevail. I have to get moving now, busy day ahead for me.

But meant to say to 'bug: you need to post daily. It may prove a useful outlet to vent anger, frustration, etc.. Simply direct it to poor spelling and grammar and we'll all be the benficiaries, lol. Don't isolate yourself because you're understandably sour. We understand and we "can take it". It will allow Phoebe time in between beatings, too.

:)

Here's one of the wreaths:
{{gwi:188605}}From Gingerbread2008

I'm adding a link to gingerbread fun....so you can talk yourself out of it :)

Yesterday DSIL carved a moose so their freezer is now filled with moose steaks and roasts, as well as deer meat. Indy dog managed to sneak some of the frozen deer meat from the back of the car while they were shopping however. (No beatings, it was their fault for forgetting it was there.)

DD has bought a gas wood stove for her DH for his Christmas gift. He is SOOOOO happy about it, surprised too. He is now planning making their back sunroom (unheated) into a type of cabin. Their new good friend (sculptor and artist) has offered to help install windows in the room this weekend. It is so nice to hear about this new bond of friendship. DD met his wife through her "no diapering" experiences and they share the same doctor. The couple is from South Africa and they have two sons. So much in common, and the timing for such friendship couldn't be better.

DSIL acquired a huge stash of windows from his office building which is being updated and they wanted new all matching windows. The old windows are fine though, and so he has a huge quantity of them given to him. He wants to use them up north at the North Country Fair where he'll help build cabins for the musicians to stay in while they perform at events. He is attempting to get matching funds for this gift and that will help so much with their dream of a family stage and playground in Reed's honor. Transporting the windows will be a difficult process...

Yesterday I had my third visit with my naturopath. I am intrigued to explore a different approach to medicine and caring for my health. I am not disposing of my traditional doctor, though I have been tempted at times! He has a "one question per visit" approach to things and also tends to give treatments by making assumptions about me rather than by really checking things out. At least that is how i feel. Also, if he can give a Pap smear, it seems that he should also be able to look me in the eye and remember my name etc... So far the (young! Well, I guess everyone is young to me now...) naturopath has come up with some interesting things and we expect that after 2 more visits we'll have a plan to try. One of the tests yesterday went off the charts, a test that involves my body's responses to stress. No surprise there!

We have tickets for a short trip to Alberta, arriving late on Christmas Eve. I hope we don't collide with Santa along the way... Skyler will be with his mother this year, but should come the day after I believe.

Saucy, DD loved that Skyler asked her about the birds & bees rather than his parents. I think he chose wisely. They kept saying they'd talk to him "later", whereas she has the background in biology and physiology, all the picture books, a great sense of humor too. Being pregnant once more, he is into asking more and more two years later. His Mom says "ask your Dad". The kid of course talks with his buddies at school and comes home with the strangest ideas which DD tries to correct. They have fun though and that is more than I had at that stage! DH, the youngest of 3, remembers asking his Mom where he came from and she gave very clinical responses. HIS response was "You let Daddy do that to you 3 times???"

Last night we attended a beer tasting event at French Club. Personally, I only like beer occasionally, and only when the weather is super hot in summer. So I liked none of them, but will admit it was an interesting event.

Chelone, in Canada we were able to buy many of the things you mention just a few years longer than you...because of the love of things English here. Liberty of London is a thing of the past now though. How I loved them! I used to make small dresses for DD with Liberty fabric...back when she'd wear a dress! I then turned to French Soleado fabric made in Provence near where my parents lived.

And so Saturday is here and there's the recycling center to deal with, groceries to shop for, pet food to purchase, etc.

'bug

Saucy, years ago our Sarah made gingerbread scenes for Christmas. The first year it was a house, but then her imagination took hold and she made other things, the one I remember best being a camping scene with tents and canoes.

Good morning

Saucy - I just love your gingerbread adventures. Sarah has grown so much since I last saw her and she looks just like you! My gingerbread plans this year include making decorated gingerbread tree decorations of musical instruments to give as gifts. Both Annie and David have requested more bikinied gingerbread figures LOL!

Eden - I love the hummingbird story and enjoyed thinking about Chelone's cats and PM's bird feeder.

I'm starting the day with a run to our school carpark where used electronic items are being reclylced to raise money for Sudan. A local company is able to extract valuable parts and save much going into the landfill.
I then have a market trip with a friend while David is at orchestra with a relaxed stop at one of my favorite coffee houses.

On the topic of musical instruments David is wildly excited as we discovered this week he has grown enough for a full sized instrument. My heart sank as there is no way we are ready for a large expenditiure just at the moment. However his teacher, who is simply a wonderful young man, has leant David one of his concert guitars to play on. I cannot tell you what a generous act this is as the instrument is a much saught after and beautifully constructed guitar. There is currently a 7 year waiting list for this maker. The sound is rich, deep and powerful. I simply cannot wait to hear what David can do with it. We have to be patient as on Sunday David has a recital and will play his old instrument till then. To adjust to a new size will take time. Neeless to say we will be very, very careful, I will no doubt worry a lot and will be making a trip to our insurance guy.

Chelone and GB - I loved making Annie little dresses and smocks from liberty prints and mourn the fact that I can no longer find a source over here. The French fabrics are beautiful and a few of them just crying out to be made into bags or aprons.....

Lots more to comment on but I need to get going on the day. Hope to be back later.

Mary

Good Week-end!

I'm going to skip commenting on economics, too much like work. But will say that my sense is we are on the cusp of something great and will be better off than we were before when we emerge on the other side of this economic break down. It's a major historic event pushing us all in the right direction with energy independence a 'solution' and an opportunity to solve much of this. I said I wouldn't comment, ah well. But I think this is good. (And what I wouldn't give to work at the FDIC right now.)

Kathy, thumbs up on the Honda CRV. Mine is 5 year's old and 33K on it. Nothing but routine 'dusting' and oil changes/check ups. I was a SAAB addict when I lived in New England, but hard to find maintenance for SAABs in Maryland, so I cried on the drive to trade it at 120K for the Honda. I feel safe in any car that's been maintained and is easy to repair en route. AAA card and a cell phone are there for emergencies, as are rental cars, but that doesn't happen. So that's my 'single woman' approach to automotives.

Mary, 'Snowy Owl' story gave me a shiver and sense of peace.

Saucy, lovely wreath! But my favorite photo is 'messy kitchen'.

Denise, Had to fiddle with security settings to watch 'Wisdom' - but got there. I'm reminded of Malcolm Gladwell's 'Outliers'. Theory is 10,000 hours of work to be good at anything. (Madeline Albright in eyeliner?)

I replaced my Home PC this week and moved to VISTA OS as it's inevitable and I actually like some of the features. (Tab approach for IE is nice touch). But in vain haven't been able to figure out how to reset the EXCEL menus back to simple lists - it's full of pictures like some 'EXCEL for Dummies' version.

It was 20F when I had the courage to look at thermometer at 6AM. So it was probably colder in the night. No walks this morning. I'm a wimp and put on two robes just to take the dogs to the dark yard in their PJs. The short-furred-low-fat ones were as happy to skip the exercise as I was. Way too cold for December.

My neighbor put her white candles in the windows last week-end and I want my white candles out too! 36? candles and all the cords that go with them for Hopeless to get into. Another good reason to adopt new 4-leggeds ony in summer.

Cindy, Maybe walk in with a cup of water, tilt your head at the plant and ask her if she thinks it's too late.

Eden, I have to go find that Dinosaur to see what it looks like. I do remember 'Butterscotch' from last year. Does she still work?

Chelone, There are exactly two fabric stores within in 30 miles of me - both are Joanne's Fabric- and they're mobbed every time I go in there. I just googled 'Stich N Time' in Hyannis - the fabric store I visited weekly when I was growing up. Of course it's gone.

Sue, I skipped my 40th reunion this year, but the group established a Yahoo website, so it's been pretty entertaining to catch up there and look at who got fat and who got old. Looking at a few of the women, I'm pretty sure they've survived some facial reconstruction. A few of the guys were at my dad's funeral this summer and appeared to have held up well.

Well, the dogs are hibernating under fleece blankets which means I should be downstairs tossing laundry and letting the vacuum cleaner roar about.

Stay warm!

Cynthia

Good Morning,

Just a quick post here. I'm off to the Farmer's Market for a wreath, then to Target to find Christmas tights for Bella's outfit.

Saucy, the gingerbread houses are fabulous! I have to get up the courage to try with Bella. I'm thinking the graham cracker ones might be more her speed this year. I did buy a cool book last month called Gingerbread Architect.

Cynthia, yes Butterscotch is still going strong. Bella likes to brush her mane and I find her sitting up on Butterscotch reading now and then. Spike is much more annoying. He was delivered a few days ago and Brad and I charged up his batteries and tried him out. I'm thinking he's a toy she'll need to have at her house:) I tried to talk her out of this thing but she's insisted for months that he's what she really wants. Here's a link...

Denise, a couple more book suggestions that Bella really likes: any of the Fancy Nancy or Madeline books.

Busy day today so I'm out of here for now.

Eden

Just when I thought I could get a word in edgewise here, up pops another post!!!! LOL It's so good to hear from so many and I'm hopeful I remember everything I thought of on my way back from food shopping this morning.

Methinks it's computer gremlins, not Karma, that's robbing your posts, Marian. Even if it's three words, it's good to hear from you!!

As a huge believer in goodness by way of spirituality of all sorts, the Snowy Owl story delights, but doesn't surprise me. If we pay close enough attention, there are wonderous happenstances every single day that can brighten us and others around us when they are recognized. Pointing them out sometimes causes rolled eyes or steps physically backwards, but in my opinion it is people who don't at least don't give such things a nod that are missing out.

I drive a 2003 Ford Focus ZTS that was custom built for me, I think in Kansas. When I went to buy it, there wasn't one exactly like I wanted anywhere in the US so off the order went to the factory. When the car was delivered, the build order was signed by every single person that worked on the lines, thanking me for believing in their product.

This little 4 cyl American built car has taken me 116,000 miles at 35 mpg for four years with only routine maintenance being needed. That and a new starter celanoid that I had been told to replace at 80K but didn't. My fault. Rich drives a Ford 350 pickup that, at 13 mpg stays parked most of the time, but there isn't anything like it out there for his business.

I've owned foreign cars and truly love my Focus more than any of them. So long as they're still available, Ford will get my order for a new Fusion as soon as our personal economic situation recovers. Now that I've hit 50 that bit of extra room will make a difference. LOL

That said, the Big Three (excepting maybe Ford) still don't get it. To come back without plans other than "we'll be out of biz if we don't get the $$ before the end of the year" doesn't reassure me that giving them huge sums is a good idea. I do agree with some pundits, though, that the banks were not required to do anything but put their hands out and though the industries play very different parts in the economy, what's good for one should be good for all.

The real Holiday gift giving fun this year will consist of finding things for less than $5 each that the receivers will really enjoy. It's not that hard to do, I'm finding, and with some shiny paper and a good bow (I'd fit into Kathy's family tradition well) the presents will seem "more" than their price alludes.

In a really pretzel-logic way, there is huge relief that we don't have $$ to spend. Each "thing" is turning out to be way more personal and thought out.

Oh, Saucy. Your slideshow brought happy tears of memory. When Ky was small we'd invite cousins and friends to the house, open up a giant box of graham crackers and edible (almost, anyway:-) decorations and let the kids have at it. If you put the "glue" in squeeze bottles it helps the process a lot. A huge plastic tablecloth on the floor soon was covered with sugar of many colors, "jimmies", mints, etc. Sometimes the buildings were buildings, sometimes they were box trucks, sometimes they were stables, but they were always treasured.

Chelone -- Those da#m double-cuts will get you every time, according to Rich. Bet your brother will be proud as punch to help you out. Did you ever find your pomegranates? Thought of you in particular this morning when a woman was trying to figure out how many bottles of cloves it would take to stick an entire orange. My McCormick's spice coupon was donated to the effort :-)

Eden -- So many exciting things happening within your family! Is Spike the one from "Land Before Time??" I could probably still recite the script word for word:-) And I'm sure your Mom would fully understand if baby Kate "borrowed" one of Bella's blankets. The same love would be there, for sure.

Julie: My first thought when reading about TCS was "thank Goodness the school recognized the problem and is doing something about it!!" This happens to so many kids and if those kids feel they don't have to tolerate it because adults are telling them they don't, it's the best possible outcome in a horrible situation. Is there a volunteer opportunity for your DS to do nearby? Rich has found that going to Habitat projects for a day or lugging cases around the food bank takes the non-working edge off, somewhat.

'bug -- Rant away. I, too, have been trying to piece together the purpose of the mediation and am hopeful that it is not a result of Reed's passing. Love, love, love that Skyler found the new baby's heartbeat and that he has the trust in S and W to come to them with the really important life issues.

Denise - Last night on CNN saw a long segment about the measures taken at the L.A. port for security, and how far ahead they are than other similar venues. Of course thought of Marty and was proud to know that one of those little dots on a boat or in an office was someone I "know." Sorry your work has been headachy but glad a quick fix was close at hand. Hooray for Office Staff!!!!!!

LOL about your two attys, Cindy. I once had a similar situation and was told when I went to dispose of the dead, bug infested remains that it was a "reblooming" plant and should come back. "After 6 months??? I don't think so." Because it was an obviously dead florist azalea, I suggested that replacing it might be a better idea. No go. I'll bet to this day that the pot, at least, is still there.

I have nothing to say to V at this point ;-)

PM - It sounds like you and I have the same bad habit of thinking it's just easier to get everything "out" and let folks use what information they need. But if we don't, how will they know what we mean???? Right????? LOL January 17 can't come soon enough and I'm really hopeful that you can be there. Put up a note on the NE Garden Forum but it appears that it was responded to so that it'd get off the top of the list. Their loss.

Sue -- Our industry organization party was yesterday afternoon and I couldn't get out of there soon enough. As a rep it was a command performance to be sure. Why can't we all just donate the $$?? Hope you don't get the full-blown illness going around.

Rich has been particularly cranky this week and though I can't blame him for feeling the way he feels, it's hard to maintain a positive outlook (desperately needed to maintain my day to day stuff) when the love of my life is so down and he doesn't have any other place to vent. For his gift I'm trying to find one of those punching bags that are weighted with sand at the bottom and bounce back up after being hit. I have no fear of it being me (I'd be loooong gone) but do you think he'd take it as a joke like intended? Just can't bring myself to give him socks.

This is getting really long, but I can use the excuse that I haven't been around for a few days. LOL. Waving to everyone, and encourage you all to look for your version of the Snowy Owl.

Martie

Anyone curious about 'bug's anxiety can get some details that were sent to Chelone and Martie.

What a busy group this morning .. Gingerbread, auto facts, fabrics-not much gardening news though !
Frost was thick on the rooftops this morning, and we have fog-an unusual combination for us . I fully expect to see black impatiens and Dahlias this afternoon. It couldnt come a moment too soon for the Dahlias as they have looked horrid for quite some time. I was on the verge of cutting them down anyway. I hope to begin Lady Banks new hair-do this afternoon after this fog burns off.

Loved the gingerbread show Saucy ! That is one thing I have never done, believe it or not. I can well imagine how long it took to do that wreath, it took forever to do my topiaries too, and there were klutzy glue-gun wounds as well.

Eden, I wholly support the plan to keep Spike at Bellas house ! Yikes, that looks like one annoying toy .

Ok, I better get busy with the internal chores , Im behind schedule

Kathy in Napa

Kathy, hard to talk gardening when the garden's under 4 inches of snow. I ended up not going out at all today. It's been snowing since morning and when Megan brought Bella she said the roads were bad. I decided there's always tomorrow. Also although Brad was about over his cold, this morning he woke up with a sinus infection. So he's been moping around here all day not wanting to leave the house. Instead I decorated our bedroom for Christmas. Since I had nothing better to do I spend a couple of hours decorating a chandelier that hangs over the bed with a big carton of ornaments that I got last year after Christmas at target. $2 for the whole lot. Bella commented that it looked like "Fancy Nancy". She's a character in a series of books who likes to fancy everything up.

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Also put the snowman sheets on the bed, got out the holiday bears and put up a Christmas tree.

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Martie, hang in there. Things have to turn around sooner or later. I hope... I need to take my own advice. I keep telling myself no use worrying about things I can't control. We're cutting down on gift giving in my family this year too. Just buying for the Bella and a $25 adult gift, girls buy a girl gift, boys a boy gift and exchange. None of us need a thing. My favorite parts of Christmas are the decorating, baking, crafts, etc. As for the dinosaur, I only wish it was that cute one from Land Before Time. I love that movie. David had a cute stuffed dino from it when he was little.

Kathy, isn't that an awful toy? Bella saw it at Target months ago. Of course they have one all set up that the children can try out. She's never forgotten about it and has asked for it ever since.

PM, I tend to think I can do things better myself. Not a good quality either.

Marie, you've been on my mind all day. Just want you to know I'm thinking of you:)

Cynthia, if you say everything will be alright I believe you. I was happy to see your post this morning!

Time to order a pizza for dinner and then venture out to pick it up along with some wine I think.

Eden

I like Fancy Nancy much better than Spike.

Lady Banks has filled the yard waste toter and one additional 32 gal trash can. One more day and Ill be done with her. It was pleasant out today if I positioned myself in the sun, probably got up to the high 50s. The frost vanquished the impatiens as expected, but oddly Charles Grimaldi still looks pretty good, and the Sungold tomato that lives in his pot shows no sign of the frosty night. The Angelonias bit the dust too.

Eden, I have been doing similar décor action on my dining room chandelier the last few years. If I decide to do it again this year Ill have to get a pic of it. Ive done nothing yet ! Ive never really decorated my bedroom for Christmas , youve inspired me ..maybe some greens or the like.

I went out to Target this morning to see what they had in the way of down comforters. I want to put one on my bed for the winter. Now that Mervyns has gone belly-up , Target is the only place in this town to get linens (we have a Wally , but I dont shop there ) and unfortunately they had only the Woolrich brand, which was given numerous very bad reviews on their website (escaping feathers). I might actually have to drive over the hill to Macys to get what I want. Anyway, my point here is that Target was creepily deserted this morning. I went at about 10:30 . There were no lines, relatively empty parking lot- not what I expect to see 3 weekends before Christmas.

Martie, you are so right about the economic situation pushing us into more thoughtful and useful gifts. I am most concerned that the young people in our family do not feel obligated to spend money on presents for those of us who are better off financially. I am buying one present for everyone (except Aiden-he gets 2 !) which is a radical departure from the past.

Do you suppose Deanne is holed up in the bird blind again ? We need to hear from Wendy and Brenda too. Hope Marian has not become frustrated by her posting issues-

Im continuing tonight with my Winter Paul Newman Memorial Film Festival. So far have watched Hud, Butch Cassidy, Cool Hand Luke. Tonight is The Color of Money , which I have never seen. Going to watch The Sting next weekend (have only seen it once the year it came out) and also scheduled are The Verdict, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The long Hot Summer , The Hustler, Absence of Malice.

Nite all!

Kathy in Napa

Kathy! I saved a Macy's Friends and Family mailer even though I rarely shop at Macy's. 12/10 through 12/15, get an extra 20% off with code MACYSFF. (Exclusions are furniture and electronics, technology and area rugs - good for 10% off on those.) Macys.com. Can also be used in the store, just tell them you don't have the coupon and give them the code. I do not have a Macy's account and this is supposed to be shared with 'Friends and Family', so there you go.

Eden, the chandelier looks beautiful and I'm wishing I had snowman sheets! I decorate the hall and living room chandeliers year round with little birds and crystal Xmas ornaments. I add more jazz in December.

No, my candles aren't in the windows yet. I need to make sure I have a bunch of replacement bulbs first. Usually stock up in summer as they're too hard to find this time of year.

There is a sprinkle of snow on the ground here and the girls had a blast pretending the lot was covered in sand and they were back at the track.

Cheers!

Cynthia

If at first you don't suceed....try, try again!

Kathy, I hope things are going well with your new boss. When my boss ( at Gibson's Discount Center) was replaced by the hardware manager, he was so ignorant of the running of the store, that when I needed help with my bookkeeping job he was totally useless. I guit asking him ,and figured it out myself. I quit after a few months of him...then the entire store closed down.
I am jealous of your yellow Epiphyllum. I have a rose- colored one. It may be the same color as your bright pink one???
Most of my Phals are in a southeast window year around. In the summer the Honey locust shades the window, so they never get too much sun. The Dendrobium goes out on the deck in the spring. The slipper orchid used to be in the bay window ( southwest) but is now in the sliding glass door-turned-window (northeast). It will be in bloom soon.

LOL, Chelone...do you know how to spell 'variegated' now?
I admire your way of handling your boss. In fact, I like the way you handle all situations. :-)
Your take on the Big Three is very much like our Tim's. He discussed that while here.

Saucy, I am also jealous of your white Epiphyllum. I should indulge in more of them. I love all the jungle cacti.

Deanne, good to see you surface. I am wondering about the kerosine heater. They are apparently safe around plants. No toxic fumes? I keep an electric utility heater in the plant/utility room. I am encouraged by my inability to grow Rex Begonias, since you have problems with them. In my opinion, you are the plant guru...not I.

Julie, I remember the pic of your pooch's chewed up bed.
I always get a kick out of your reports on TCS. LOL. I 'do' remember what those initials stand for. :-)
I love that pic of the train!
Oh! WOW! your orchids really put mine to shame!
My youngest GD got into trouble at school for punching out a boy! I never did get the details.

Pm2, when you asked " where did all your pots go?" I misread it and thought you meant 'where did all my posts go'! All the pots from the deck are either inside or moved to some other location. Most are indoors. The utility room is 'wall-to-wall' plants (almost). Many of the prettier ones are in the livingroom and dinningroom.
I love the winter house scene that you poated. You find the neatest pics!

Martie, I wish I had seen the moon and stars configuration. I love sights like that.

Woody, I am glad you asked about RIF. I was wondering also. A lot of the initials meanings escape me.

Marie, we can be 'snarky' together..only for differant reasons. Mine are a lot more trivial than yours.
I have to chuckle about your mispelling irks. I suspect you see plenty of them in my posts. I try to check and recheck, but still miss a lot. I use a dictionary a lot. :-)
Wow! One sending the letter to the wrong sibling! How has thet turned out?
I have a difficult niece that is wanting info on her father from me. He and her mother were divorced when she was very small, and she hardly knew him. I am debating whether to get involved. My sister, who is so tolerant of all kinfolk, has warned me against her. At the distance that I live from her, I don't think she can cause me too much harm.
I can't complain about the putting away of tools here. We each have our own. As for turning off lights, we are both getting slack on that....because we forget to.
My excuse for the inability to bring things to mind is ...that I have a very slow dial-up..LOL. It is all in there, but is very slow to download!
WOW! Your winter scene at your house is beautiful!

Cindy, your belated BD wish is noted and appreciated. :-)
I love the BD pic. Such a beautiful daylily!
Sorry to hear of the job woes in your are. How will you handle it if the former houseguest wants to return?

Re: car shopping. I bought my 'new' one a little over 5 years ago. It is a 2000 Ford Contour. I am very, very pleased with it. It had around 57,000 miles on it, and I have added enough to bring it up to 88,000. With the purchase price, and repairs plus maintenance. I have less than $6,000 tied up in it. It was paid off over a year ago. My very first car was a 39 Ford coupe. It was a great car also. On very cold days it would start when nobody else's would.
My previous car was a 1980 Toyota Corolla Station Wagon. It had 311,000 miles on it when I retired it. It is still setting in our yard, and I am sure it would run. if the battery was charged, and the tires aired up.

V, sorry to hear of the road conditions in your area. Our county road is in the best condition that it has been in years. We now have a new County Judge, so I am thinking things may be looking up in that department.

Norma, the neighbor's Great Pyrenees (Sam) got the last of the turkey scraps yesterday. I put them out in a large skillet, and he found them immediately and scarfed them down in no time. LOL
I made Turkey chowder for our dinner today...and tomorrow....and the next day !!!! I am going to have to freeze some of it. Three days in a row is enough!

HI Denise...waving right back at you. The e-mailing of your posts to yourself sounds like a good trick, bgut I am back to my usual way. I type awhile, then preview, then type some more. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the power does not flick off!
Your winter scene is gorgeous!

RE: locking doors...My dad would climb the wall if he came home and the doors were locked! I never lock mine until after dark. Of course, if I am expecting company, I don't lock them until they arrive.

Is V back from Mexico yet?? Lucky V! Oh, I see she said Tuesday....

Thanks, Eden, yes my fibro has tamed down to it's normal state. Much more tolerable.

Mary, I always enjoy reading about you and your children's activities. You sound like such a great family.
I espacially like your story of the Snowy Owl, and can I dentify with it. The pic is great!
And speaking of birds...I watched all spring for the return of the Rufus-sided Towhee, and never saw one, then today when I was at the kitchen sink peeling potatoes, there was one in the Bladdernut by the deck!

Speaking of cranberries, my fresh cranberry salad that did not jell was still so good, I think I will make somemore just for myself!

Sue, I hope you are feeling better.

Michelle, I am of Dutch/German heritage. Maybe I have kinfolk in your area!

Okay, I am not going to press my luck any farther ! I haven't got to the end of this thread, but maybe I can catch the rest later.....

Hi to all I missed...Please excuse all mistakes. I am not going to take the risk of dilly dallying any longer!

Marian

Saucy....very cute cranberry wreath and I enjoyed your slideshow of Gingerbread fun. I thought the end result was smashing! Since we haven't met, I couldn't tell if she looks like you or not, but when we do meet, I will have to say, 'Oh, you look like Sarah', instead of the other way around. [g]

Eden....decorating the bedroom is something we never get to. I am lucky if we get to the living room and dining room. Neat to have a chandelier in your bedroom to decorate, and I love the bears and the snowmen sheets!

Kathy...I added a down comforter to our bed last year and I haven't been cold since. I have enjoyed Paul Newman films over the years. I think my favorite is either Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or The Long Hot Summer. We just watched CoaHTR about a month ago. Great cast. I was not so fond of the poolhall films and Absence of Malice has some difficult scenes to sit through. Butch Cassidy and The Sting with Robert Redford were the most fun. The two of them together was a bonus. He was very good in the Verdict.

Martie...I enjoyed your memories of creating gingerbread houses when Ky was small. I imagine yours was the house all the kids wanted to go to. :-) Having to cut back on Christmas must be making Rich feel pretty cranky. Who can blame him. Maybe you could give him a coupon book to do some of his favorite things with him, or help him with something that might be encouraging to him. Is there some 'work related' jobs that you could lend a hand with? Organizing his tools or painting his work areas? I don't have someone in the family that is in construction, so my guesses I am sure sound pretty lame. [g] Maybe instead of socks, you could get him one of his favorite treats...special coffee beans, pecan rolls from his favorite bakery. I was noticing that part of G'bug's traditions is doing a 1,000 word puzzle over the holiday together as a family. Maybe it would take the focus off the gift giving if you do something a little out of the ordinary this year, so you don't notice so much? One year, I dragged home a huge bag of library books from the library with something for everyone. I didn't wrap them, but had the bag of them in the living room to look through Some of them were jokes, some were children's books the kids had loved when they were small. You can also take out DVDs from the library if you get your list and time it right before the holiday rush. Maybe one of everyone's favorite films for the holiday weekend with a big bowl of popcorn. Memories are always free and if you have a chance you can make some sort of special photo album. I had a friend who was very good at gift ideas on a budget and put together a 'This is Your Life' type album for her husband once, that was very well received and remembered and talked about for a long time. You can make a CD of his favorite music. Last one....if you have a video camera or can borrow one. You can tape yourself retelling how you met, funny stories from dating, how he proposed, and all the things about him that you are crazy about. Ok...that's all I could think of....you see....I'm getting everything out and you can use the information you need and ignore the rest. ;-)

Cynthia...no snow here yet. I hope we get it the week before Christmas so it will still be white by Christmas. I love watching grayhounds run, they are so amazingly fast! I would love to see a video of that. :-)

Marian...wow...you made it! :-) Good for you for hanging in there! I am amazed at the mileage on your old Toyota. That has to be a record. That is a lot of plants to have in the house. Just think how 'clean' your air is in your house all winter. All that oxygen! Yes, I love that winter house scene, too. It is a Thomas Kincade painting. He always adds that touch of light from all the windows. Reminds me a bit of Norman Rockwell in a way, although nothing alike. I'm glad to know you enjoy the same images that I do, we must have similar tastes. :-)

Well....time to quit....but I saved a photo of Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas, having reminded me of Chelone's Christmas 'fruit' arrangements....

Good night....

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I didn't even get very far in reading....but NO....I find that Mervyns is G-O-N-E!

My favorite store when I lived in California.

Must go back and read now....

Saucy

Oh...I forgot two things...Martie...I have my fingers crossed for January 17th....from last year...

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Kathy...you mentioned having some unusual Christmas music in your collection...would love to try something new. Are they more Jazz or Classical? Mine run toward popular more than anything else.

It's A Marshmallow World by Arthur Godfrey from the 50's, Barbara Streisand does a wonderful version of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas'. Another favorite is Eartha Kit's 'Santa Baby'. My mother's favorite was 'Favorite Things' and my Dad loved anything by Bing Crosby. As kids our favorites were Mele Kalikimaka and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' and 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus'. Perry Como can always be depended on for a Christmas memory or two. Of course, I have a lot of more recent favorites too, but no one here listens to those, do they?

Ok...now I'm done. :-)

PM, I remember the Bing C Christmas album with the Andrews Sisters-my friend George had it, and we listened to it frequently. My jazz Christmas CDs were all found in the used section at our local music store, and are all instrumental. I really love them. I also have some Elizabethan music CD's , also the Chieftans 'Bells of Dublin, The Gay Mens Chorus, and a CD that was made by my sons high School when he was in the chamber choir. I love classical acapellla groups. Have a few of those.

Kathy in Napa

Good morning all,

The snow has just started falling and Im up before the sun with the back spotlights on enjoying watching the snow fall while enjoying my morning cup of French Roast. Im hopelessly behind and just was able to skim the last thread.

Mary, how fantastic that David is becoming such a virtuoso on the classical guitar. And how wonderful that his instructor is loaning him an instrument! He must be really good for his teacher to do this for him. Brilliant! Im sad to confess Ive not played my guitar since the last time I visited you. Seems there are just too many things in my life to stay current on all the things I love to do.~ Love the Snowy Owl photo and story!!!! There are several on Plum Island right now and Im hoping to be able to photograph them this winter.

Marian, Im not unhappy to hear that you have difficulties with Rex Begonias as well!!!! LOL

Kathy, yes indeed Ive been spending hours and hours in my blind with my garden birds and enjoying every second of it I might add. Ill post a separate thread with a few of the thousands of images Ive taken in the last month. (yes I did say thousands. LOL! ) Doug has bought me a new HUGE hard drive for my lap top as Ive filled this one up yet again.

Eden, I just love your holiday decorations. I wish you lived closer. Id pay you to do mine. LOL Ive no enthusiasm to put up all the decorations this year. Seems like so much work just to take them down in a few weeks.

PM I just love your fruit wreath! Beautiful.

Cynthia, its so lovely to see you here again.

Today Im going to finally, hopefully get the plants in from the garage. With the cold temps the last couple weeks they are hopefully as much in dormancy as I can get them. I still havent figured out how the devil Im going to get that banana down the stairs. Ill do an update later.

OK Im off to do a thread of birdie pics for you guys. I thought you all might enjoy seeing what Ive been doing with my time.

Have a great day all
Deanne

So Vs in Mexico! Wow! Lucky girl!

Its snowing right now, just a light one. Just started and the kitties and cur will be thrilled to experience it when Daddy gets up.

Wow, Eden! Id forgotten you had a chandelier in your boudoir. It looks great, especially decorated for the Yuletide season. Did you use one of those plastic medallions to add the detail to your ceiling? Ive looked at them repeatedly over the years and have never used one before. Seeing yours got me thinking about the possibility of using one over the stairwell in the Salon (whenever I get around to replacing the cord and the bare bulb, lol). I have to agree with you on the annoying aspect of Spike and the necessity of him remaining in Bellas home! You could always give her a lump of coal and tell her its what ultimately became of all the dinosaurs, you know. ;) Books were always a huge part of gift giving in our home. And like Bella, my brother and I were never disappointed to receive them. I love that you and Bella read together; so, SO important, and not only for good reading skills, but also for relaxing and cementing the bond of affection and trust that will make the "tough" years easier.

Michelle, I love the idea of making puzzles for Kenzie. I can only imagine the squeals of joy when theyre completed and pictures of her favorite haunts at your home are revealed by her hard work. There are so many inventive ways to use technology to keep those distant close. Weve had none of your bone-chilling temperatures here but they will arrive as they always do! Still, though, we rarely see zero degrees F here in the "banana belt" of the Pine Tree State.

Ive yet to get working on the decorations for the outside of the house, PM. That wreath picture is so pretty. I havent decided whether or not to fool around with the wet saw today or apply myself to the task of stapling greens to frames. The helpmeet brought home a bundle of "brush" (trimmings from Christmas trees) the other day. Which reminds me that I ought to move them inside the bahn before they are covered with snow .

As usual, Ive gotten several chuckles from Cynthias post. Will today be the day the window candles are displayed at your house? Do you make winter jammies for your peach-skinned canids for the winter season? The image of the girls peeling around the yard pretending they were pursuing the "Yankee" cracked me up.

Mary, the generosity of musicians never ceases to amaze me. There is a definite kinship there, a shared experience of learning something, practicing, and mastering it. Hard work and joy in the subject elicits the generosity of such a thoughtful loan. Several years ago the cellist, YoYo Ma left his Stradivarius in a taxi. The instrument is valued in the millions of dollars and it was returned as soon as the oversight was reported. There was a similar story about another musician who left her instrument in some sort of public transport not too long ago . Hard to believe anyone could forget something so obvious, but Im sure it happens more than we know. I love the sound of the Lute, when I hear it now I always think of Mary I of England, who was the most accomplished musician of all Henry VIIIs children (all of whom were quite talented). I think my favorite composer is Handel, though I am a fan of Georg Telemann, too. I am particularly fond of the bright, cheerful sound of brass.

I purchased a pair of speakers for the Salon yesterday, having stewed on it for some time. We have rather a lot of stereo components kicking around the Compound, certainly enough to cobble together some sort of "system" for music delivery, but speakers are in short supply. I am not particularly skilled in programming remote controls but Im shooting for the Holy Grail, you guys. ONE remote to control volume and program/control a receiver and disc changer from anywhere in the room. Mind you, no such feat has ever been accomplished in this household before, so Im clearly shootin for the moon on this one.

Speaking of the moon, I DID enjoy the convergence in the heavens, Martie. It was very cool and both the helpmeet and I commented that we always think of the generations before us that looked up at the same thing, and considered the possibility of what a knowledge of the stars could provide them.

I wish Rich lived near me. The helpmeet attempted to install the staircase railings last spring. He was irritated and when hes like that he tends to hurry. Anyway, it looks like doggie poo-poo and Ive quietly decided Im going to look into hiring someone to do it with less "attitude". Ill bet itd be childs play for Rich and Ill bet he wouldnt mind if I wanted to "prefinish" some of the pieces before they were completely installed. You are so right about the importance of thoughtfulness in gift giving. The point of the season isnt the "booty", at all. My list includes several rather small items that will flesh out my tool collection and thats about it. Helpmeet has yet to present his wish list, so Im not certain whats on it. Hopefully no Spike!

I lol when Eden worried that your "out of work" friend doesnt appear at your door, Cindy, looking for another winter of protection. Repeat after me (while giving a nod to Nancy Reagan), "just say no". And I dont "get" keeping the dead plants around, either. Thats probably why there are no houseplants in this house! All the suggestions on how to address them made me laugh. Im always interested in your reports on the news from the heart of our nation.

Marian, Rex would make your yard a regular stop if you set out a turkey buffet for him. He might even bestow a certain "gift" on the edge of your lawn area, too. Speaking of which, he is giving me "the eyes". Hes had breakfast and now hes jonesin to go out for his morning constitutional. Id best get suited up to chaperone him.

Keep warm!

This is what greeted me as I was preparing breakfast:

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Good morning! No time...bbl :-)

Great to see your post this morning, busy Deanne. I can only imagine the photos to follow. ;)

Marian, that mackerel sky is gorgeous! what a nice treat to find waiting for you.

Kathy, one word: Cuddledown . We own 3 of them, my brother owns 1, they're terrific! and you don't have to "break the bank", either.

Small rant here...men are such big babies when they're sick (at least mine is) and I find that I do not have the proper temperment for nursing. This is becoming a longggggggggggggg weedend.

Beautiful Marian.

Yes Chelone, the medalion is one of those cheapies from HD. I'm always on the lookout for architectural detail for my plain little house. The chandelier's one I found at the flea market years ago for $5. I've got another thrift store one that's a little larger in the living room and we just hung a little sparkly one over the sink in the kitchen. I'm not a fan of overhead ceiling lighting but am a sucker for cool light fixtures and love buying lamps. Good luck on the music setup. For me simple is best. I haven't yet grasped the concept of the Ipod sitting in it's docking station in my kitchen but Brad loves the latest and greatest with all the bells and whistles and hooking it all up too. David also inherited this trait from him.

Cynthia, I love the simple look of a candle burning in each window. Since I only have a large "picture" window and one bedroom window on the front of my house the look just wouldn't work here but you have plenty of windows to pull it off. Your home must look beautiful when they're all lit. Do you set them up to go on with a timer or go around and plug them all in each evening? I enjoy the ritual of going around and turning on all of my little lamps in each room at dusk.

Saucy, Mervyns closed their doors here a couple of years ago. I miss them too! We've also lost Linens N Things and World Market in the last few months. And then there's the closing of Frank's Nursery a few years ago which I still haven't gotten over.

For dressing my bed I usually rely on Home Goods/Marshalls or Target. I like to change things frequently though so don't worry about investing in anything of great quality.

Mary, David's guitar teacher must see real talent in David to offer his own instrument. Good to know there are still such mentors for upcoming musicians. Seeing the music programs in schools around here often makes me wonder. My music teachers were such dedicated people. Brings to mind my piano teacher, Miss Roth. Her students were her life. When you walked into her house, her living room was taken up by two baby grand pianos, side by side that took up the entire room. She expected or I should say demanded the best from her students. My violin is one my parents purchased from my violin teacher that was his college instrument. I also still own my little 3/4 size that I started out with back in 5th grade. Music lessons and performances are some of my best childhood/highschool memories.

PM, I love the wreath in your picture. So did you find a car yesterday. Hope so!

Kathy, I always do decorating, including a small tree of some kind in each room. I'd love to see your chandelier and Cynthia's too decorated up. Maybe we should start a Christmas decorating thread. I love seeing everyones decorations.

We're going to give it another try to make the trip to visit Santa today. It snowed all day yesterday but today is bright and sunny with beautiful blue skies. It's very cold though.

I've a few things to get accomplished before Bella's arrival at 11 so time to end this. Have a nice Sunday!

Eden

Deanne, Martha Stewart wrote on her blog about getting a huge cycad moved into her greenhouse earlier this fall. It took three men and was a big deal to move it. I thought of you when I read it. Good luck on moving yours (poor Doug, lol)! Good to have a nice long post from you!

Eden

We just came in from walking Misty - BRRR...! Temp is -8C (18F) with a windchill of -17C (1F)! Winter is here - UGH!

Happy Real December Weather Morning!! We got a dusting of snow last night and there's a wind advisory for this afternoon!!!! It's really here which means Spring can't be far behind, Right??? LOL (All this "keeping positive" is getting a bit out of hand...... :-)

Okay, if we don't hear from Eden for a bit we'll know why ;-) Gotta love what a few bucks can do to the atmosphere of a room.......

Spike needs to stay as far away as possible from Bud. That's my take on the whole thing. The poor dog will think that monstracity is going to attack Bella and it'll be toast in a few minutes. Hey!!!!! That's the idea!!!!! Open it at your house and let Bud "play" for a few minutes!!!!! What a good Grandma you are, Eden, to do what Bella wants even when it involves Spike.

Wahoo Marian! So when are you going to start using the Toyota as a planter?

PM -- I "get" you more than you know :-)

Deanne - I still have some Salvias, a New Guinea Impatiens, and a few other leftovers in the garage by an east facing window and the darn things won't die. Even a Rex Begonia that should've been mush by now is hanging in. Go figure.

Kathy - Frost and fog is New England weather, friend!! Make some pancakes, use real maple syrup, scatter some browned-out maple leaves among the Dahlias, and you're in my backyard!

Rescued a teeny, fading Poinsetta this morning from the supermarket pity pile (two days in a row is two days too many). With all the "designer" foliage varieties out there, a bedraggled plain red one just needed to be saved for posterity. That's the extent of gardening here, right now :-)

Just got an invite to a friend's for sitting around the woodstove while beef stew simmers on top and playing with her 250 pounds worth of Golden Retrievers. Sounds just right for today, and will tell the dogs that Cynthia's may not have their winter protection but can outrun them in a heartbeat.

Slipping, sliding, but waving nonetheless.

Martie

LOL Eden ! All Deanne needs is a groundscrew and a skip-loader and she'll be all set to get the banana out of harms way !

Kathy in Napa

Good evening my friends, another weekend is closing up shop; its been a quiet one around here with DS on his house-sittting gig. I did nothing about Christmas decorating except to get the grape vine wreath down from the hook in the garage and hose all the dust and spider webs off of it. I may hang it plain this year .

This morning I went downtown with my camera and stated taking some pics of some of our buildings. I will continue this and then post on a separate thread; I hope others will post architecture of their regions as well. It was really foggy and damp today so I only got a few shots that were worth anything.

Chelone and Cynthia thank you , thank you for the link to Cuddledown, and the Macys sale code ! What great info, especially as it pertains to the product and choosing the most suitable comforter for your climate . I will order my comforter from them, and then use Cynthias coupon code for the cover and shams.

Marian, wonderful sunrise pics.

Chelone, if you lived down the road I could supply you with speakers for the Salon music system. Im waiting for the next electronics recycle event here to give them the heave-ho. I also have a tape deck which will never be used again. My speakers that I have with my system are Infinitys that I bought with a bonus check in 1987. They still sound fabulous, but they are rather large so they do double duty as plant stands for two of my 3 houseplants. I seem to recall that they cost me about 800 buckswhat a lot of money that must have been in 1987 ! In fact its still a lot of moneyI would think twice about spending that much on anything right now (except for dental work of course, lol). But this really speaks to the quality issue you mentioned earlier Chelone. I spent 800 bucks in 1987. and these speakers are still state of the art, and believe me they are on for hours every single day.At the time I bought them I did a great deal of research , looked at Bose, Polk, JBL etc., back in the day when there were independently owned stereo component stores. Ive never regretted the purchase.

Deanne, I just knew you were out with your birds! I know what you mean about getting up the enthusiasm to put up the decorations- Ive struggled with it since I will not be here for Christmas, but at the same time I love to make wreaths and arrangements so I plan to find a middle ground and put out only what I can disassemble in a couple of hours.

Eden, a company I worked for in San Diego in the late 70s was on the verge of being bought out by Franks. It was a chain of 9 garden centers. The deal fell through at the eleventh hour . Ive posted a pic below of some of my Christmas stuff from 2 years ago. I bought the two reindeer (they were paper) and glue-gunned sphagnum moss on them and made bows for their necks.This is not a very good photo. If I can find them I will put them up again this year, and get a better pic too.

LOL Martie, I thought about Spike and Bud too ! My dog would have absolutely freaked out. I DO have some real Maple syrup in the fridge, DS makes his own Chai tea from scratch and MS is one of his ingredients. He is very picky about the syrup (and all the other items for that matter) and only buys the good stuff from NE or Canada.
Ok, time to rustle up some dinner .. wonder what V is having tonight ?? Swordfish with salsa? Jeesh.

Kathy in Napa

(Note the aforementioned speakers on the right) {{gwi:188614}}From 2006