Snowy Day Fragments

Sitting here fueling up with hot food....veggie-beef soup and grilled cheese (for the record, Swiss cheese is not the bestest choice for that).  Looking out the kitchen window and seeing snow coming down.  It's steady but not too heavy.  Yet.  Our area is supposed to get 4-8 inches by early this evening.  It's going to be an absolutely wonderful afternoon on the school bus.  Let me tell you, after being stuck in thermal underwear all week I am really going to be glad to see that mercury rise to 50 next week!

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Miss Megan got laid off yesterday.  Sigh.  They called and said work was slow (it was) and has been for awhile so they were laying off the last four people hired.  They're still on the list to be called back when it picks up or a job opens unless they find other employment, of course.  Am I the only one that thinks it was really, really stupid to hire people two weeks ago and then turn around and lay them off?

So, now we are back to square one.  Depressed and unemployed....no reason to get out of bed all day.  Wonderful.

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Tomorrow is the estate auction for Tim's Aunt Peg's stuff.  I don't know how much there is.  The house really wasn't cluttered, but they are selling everything.  That is what she wanted.  In fact, she made the arrangements with the auctioneer herself.

We're going out of curiosity.  There are a couple of things we're interested in, but only if they don't go for ridiculous amounts.  It should be interesting to see what they've found.  You can look online at Auctionzip.  Just click the link and it will take you to the directory of photos of items for sale.

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We want to go to Chincoteague Island, VA this summer.  It's my happy place and everyone else has always liked it, too.  We're long overdue for a visit.  The last time was 2006!  This cold weather has me on line looking at beautiful sunny pictures of rental properties.  We always rent a house rather than stay at a hotel.  We can't make up our minds whether to get a house by the water, but further out of town, or a house in town where you can walk to everything.  Megan wants to fish so is pushing for the one by the water.  We'll see.  Availability and price will determine it, I think.  We're very excited.  It will be our first time going that we don't have to keep an eye on kids and one of Tim's sisters and her husband are going to join us....as well as Megan and whoever she brings along.

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Thought I'd share this picture of last Thursday's beautiful (but cold) sunset. Not too shabby for being taken with my cell phone.

I really do have to think about bundling up and heading back out into the cold and snow.  So, here's Follow Friday and then I'm gone!

This week’s statements:

1. Making ____ is ____

~ Making mountains out of molehills is a lot easier than it should be.

2. I get ___ easily

~ I get bored and restless easily.

3. The number of emails in my inbox is _________ and ____________

~ The number of emails in my inbox is usually below 100 and that includes stupid spam emails...because I go in and clear it out a couple of times a day.

4. Traveling _______________ makes me _______________.

~ Traveling in the car makes me sleepy...unless I am the one doing the driving.

Thawed-Out Fragments & Fun

I can't believe it's Friday again.  We're nearly two weeks into 2013.  Where are the days going???  At least I can report that while it is raining, the temperature is above 40 (and expected to reach the low 50s), and the *$%@# ice is finally melting.  The parking lot at work is gravel so plowing it only goes so far and 30 buses and all the employee vehicles just pack the remaining snow until we're left with a thick base of ice.

This week it warmed up a little so it melted a little then it rained a little and then it refroze....smooth and slick as can be.  On Wednesday afternoon an older guy and I made it into the garage clinging to one another.  Several of us complained to our boss, wanting to know how many have to fall (2 or 3 have so far) and why they don't salt.  "Oh," she said, "It's a losing battle.  We can salt now and it'll help for now, but it'll just refreeze and be icy in the morning."  Uh, I'm not seeing the problem there.  If that's the case, you salt now and then you salt again in the morning.  You do whatever you have to do to keep your employees from busting their heads open on the ice.

I solved my own problem yesterday.  I took my own bag of salt to work and salted my way from my car to the garage.  I don't know how my boss felt about it, but hey, if it spurs her to get on the problem next go round...mission accomplished!

I'm going to enjoy this warm weather through the weekend because Monday it's going to start sliding back down and be below normal by this time next week.  Yippee.

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Big, big, GINORMOUS news!  Megan got a job!!!  She finally called a local plant that pretty much always has a "Now Hiring" sign out.  My mom and I have been after her for months to apply there.  She finally did last week and went for an interview on Monday.  She got hired on the spot.  Is it a dream job?  Well, no.  She works 8pm - 8:15am and her schedule rotates.  One week she works Monday and Tuesday, is off Wednesday and Thursday, then works Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  The next week is the opposite days.  It pays $8.25 to start and she'll get daylight as soon as they have an opening.  At least it is finally a job and a purpose to her days.  Hallelujah!

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Organization is the name of the game around here.  I am going to be so organized this year it's going to hurt!  Seriously.  Tim and Megan don't respond well to attempts to organize them.  I'm putting my One Word for the year (intentional) into play here.  I recently purchased a Planner Perfect planner and companion ebook.  The creator, Jenny Penton, has been great so far and I hear she is a wonderful encourager.  I'm following her on Facebook, too.  

There are a lot of things that need organized around here, but I'm starting with something small...it's all about eating that elephant one bite at a time.  In other words, don't look at the whole, huge, daunting picture....just look at what you need to do today and do that.  I bought an inexpensive notebook, dividers, and plastic pocket pages at Walmart this morning.  I am going to organize my coupons this weekend so that I might actually use them.

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Tim seems to finally be on the mend.  I think he did it just to avoid going to see the doctor.  Yes, he can be that stubborn about going.  Me?  I feel okay.  It's just that my chest (upper, not the lungs) gets tight sometimes....like if I'm talking more than a couple of words, or singing, or I do a little too much, or get a big breath of diesel fumes (happens around the buses).  That really doesn't seem to be going away.  And today I woke up feeling okay, but my throat feels.....off, like maybe something's coming.  I hope not.  Just heard on the news that Pennsylvania seems to be the epicenter for the flu this year.  We are being hit hard and people are going down left and right.  ER's are overwhelmed, I dare you to try and find anyone who still has the flu vaccine to give you, and the last time I looked the shelves of cold/flu remedies and pain killers were a barren wasteland.  I've seen people wearing masks.  EVERYONE is wiping down the shopping carts with antibacterial wipes at the stores.  School kids are collecting (and using) hand sanitizer in those nifty holders that hook on your backpack.  Me?  So far I'm resisting the urge to blast every kid who gets on the bus with a good shot of Lysol, but it's touch and go.  I really, really want to spray the little walking germ bags.

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Okay, moving on to something more fun than the flu.....

Feel free to click on the picture above to join in or just  to see the list of everyone participating.
This week’s statements:
1. When I __ I ___ ~ When I dream I dream big!
2. It is pretty funny that ____ ~ It is pretty funny that my 6 pound poodle will sit there with two bones while my 65 pound hound lays there and looks sad.
3. It may be strange but ___ ~ It may be strange but I have a hard time expressing myself with words...unless they are written.
4. How ______ made me ______. ~ How my dad treated me made me put up walls.

Frozen Fragments of Friday Fun

Holy frosty Friday, people.....it is cold out there!  And yet, not as cold as yesterday when it was 8 degrees when I started picking up kids.  That's just ridiculous in my opinion. *No, I am not a fan of winter.*  I told my boss that I'm officially putting in my annual request for transfer to Jamaica.  She laughs, but I'm pretty sure I could lead a donkey with 10 kids on its back to the nearest school.

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It looks like they've got the "man" who shot our friends' daughter's boyfriend and killed him last weekend in custody.  They just came up with his real name the day before yesterday.  It's still a big mess though and everyone involved (including our friends' daughter) will be doing at least some jail time.  Drugs.  What a waste.

Tim is still not feeling well.  I've been after him to call the doctor and see if they can see him in the afternoon on his way home from work.  I guess he finally called yesterday and left a message, but didn't hear back.  I'm hoping they call him today.  He is the type who when sick will just keep pushing until he's really sick....like at death's door sick.  He's been driving me crazy *and scaring me half to death* for 28 years.

My sweet little poodle puppy has an appetite for destruction.  She will chew and shred anything she can get her teeth on.  Keeping the mess cleaned up is a constant battle.  Keeping her from chewing important things is a bit of a losing battle.  She will dig and pull at carpets and rugs until she gets a fiber pulled out and then she goes to town.  All of my area/throw rugs have "snags."  She chewed the base of the Malibu pilates chair to the point that if I want to sell it I'm not going to get much.  I just caught her chewing a corner of the storage ottoman I use for a coffee table.  She's chewed chair legs, garbage, shoes, purses, stuff in purses, puzzles, books, magazines, and the other dog.

She's well equipped with DOUBLE fangs!

Tim isn't working tomorrow so we'll be bringing the boxes in from the shed and packing up Christmas for another year.  I'm ready to put the house back together for the winter months of hibernation....which means the living room seating needs to be set up for optimal TV watching and curling up with a good book.  Once that's done we may start working on our bedroom.  18 1/2 years we've lived in this house and we've done nothing to our bedroom....AND IT SHOWS!  I can't take it any more.

Megan keeps plugging along.  She is seeing a lot less of Cody, but they do still talk and get together a little.  She's been going tanning and to the gym, which makes her feel better about herself.  Now, if we could only find her a job.  That would do more for her than anything, I think.  Well, that and some new friends.  She and Cody were no sooner officially broken up when someone she used to know, but hasn't spoken to in a couple of years started telling people vicious lies about her.  She ran damage control and I guess everything is okay, though she had it out with that kid.

The baby boom in Tim's family continues.  We found out yesterday that we're going to be a great-aunt/uncle again.  Our oldest nephew and his wife are expecting their third child in August.  That will make 5 babies in a year and a half!  We Artis's are good breeders.  Tim's mom had 7 children in about 10 years.  They had 9 grandchildren in 10 years (and that is with 3 of them never having kids!).  So far there are 9 great-grands in about 6 years.

I'm doing okay with the "Intentional" thing, I guess.  I've been sticking to starting the day with reading the Bible, eating a small, healthy breakfast and taking a healthy snack to work to get me through the morning.  I'm doing better about blogging, but still getting stuck for longer than I want on Facebook.  I'm making the effort to do things.  It'll get there....it takes what?  21 days? for something to become a habit?

Now, moving on to....

Each week, Hillary lists four statements with a blank for us to fill in on your own blogs. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to Hilary(at)feelingbeachie(dot)com. If she uses them, she will add you as co-host to the hop! This week’s co-host is Ali from the daughter-in-law diaries – she came up with the last statement!

She would LOVE it if you could please help spread the word about this hop…. So, please tweet, FaceBook share, and add the linky to your post…

This week’s statements:

1. Every time I see a ____ I oh an ah…

~ Every time I see a Ford Mustang I oh and ah.

2. I don’t have a ___ bone in my body.

~ I don't have a graceful bone in my body...I trip over my own two feet.

3. I like ___ on my burgers.

~ I like lettuce, tomato, cheese, and ketchup on my burgers.

4. If I had one more hour in the day I would _________

~ If I had one more hour in the day I would probably spend it online or reading a book.

Well, that's it for the Friday fun around here.  Please come back tomorrow if you can.  I'm going to try and get back to posting my Saturday Shares.

Friday Fun on Christmas Vacation

Joining in with Hillary @ Feeling Beachie for Follow Four Fill-in Fun and Mrs. 4444 @ Half-Past Kissin' Time for Friday Fragments.

This week’s statements:
1. without fail, whenever I fly__ Without fail, whenever I fly there is going to be some kind of delay or mix up.
2. I used to be___ I used to be.....younger, skinnier, more organized....
3. When I ___ I ___ When I get on Facebook I lose all track of time.
4. My greatest fear is ______.
My greatest fear is ending up old and alone.

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This has not turned out to be the best of "vacations."  Tim and I both have 11 days off from work, but the first 4 days went to Christmas preparations and the big day itself.  Since then Tim's come down with whatever cootie bug I've been fighting with for the last week and a half.  He's in the first stages when the fever takes hold and the body aches.  And of course, being a man....he has it much worse than I did.  He can't possibly do anything for himself.  If he had a bell like in the old sitcoms I'm pretty sure I'd have to kill him. *Just kidding.  Sort of.*

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I'm hearing about the One Word movement everywhere I turn in blog-land these days.  The idea is to choose one word (or let one word be revealed or given to you) that sums up how you want to live or who you want to be in the coming year.  There's a website that explains it and you can be part of the community that's participating.  It's interesting to read how choosing a word impacted some women over the past year.  I'm trying to find (or trying to let it find me) my one word.  At the moment, I have two in mind that seem to fit, but I guess I am waiting for confirmation on one of them or another word completely.  I want to know without doubt that this is my word.

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My Princess is handling the break-up with her boyfriend better than I imagined she would.  Maybe that's due more to the complete strangeness of said break-up than any new emotional maturity.  He (the boyfriend) announced the Sunday before Christmas that he was breaking up with her.....but that things would continue as normal until after Christmas so it wouldn't make the holidays "weird" or "uncomfortable."  They had already bought gifts for each other (his to her was a diamond ring....not an engagement ring, but still....a ring!!) and gifts for each other's families.  They continued to shop together, hang out together and he still did things like hold her hand and tell her he loved her.  All the while he maintained they were broke up, that he needed time and space and wanted to get his life in order and that they'd "most likely get back together someday."  Can you see why she (and all the rest of us) might be a little confused?

Anyway, she hasn't seen him since Christmas Day.  I don't even know if she's heard from him.  I'm waiting for him to come and get the (expensive) gift we got him that has to be transported carefully.  I'm not going to be thrilled if he doesn't come for it.  She says she's looking forward to the break and is going to give him space and time to miss her, that she won't call and bug him.  However, she is out shopping with his mother and grandmother as I type.  Nobody has a clue where this stands.  I don't even think he does.  But, shopping with his family aside, my girl is reconnecting with friends she let go when she got involved with him, going tanning, putting in job applications, and starting back up at the gym.  I'm hoping she gets a job soon.  That would build her self-confidence and maybe she'll see she deserves better from a guy.  Or better yet, that she doesn't need a guy to complete her.

*Soooooo glad I am not a young adult trying to find my way through the relationship maze these days.  It seems like so much has changed since I was in those shoes and not for the better.*

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We are really getting the use out of our present from Santa, what with being sick and stuck in the house.  Our old TV had lines through the picture.  It was annoying, but they went away after half an hour or so.  Not being male, it didn't bother me that much.  What did bother me was that it meant the picture would be going one of these days and according to absolutely everything I read and everyone I talked to...these wonderful flat-screen TVs are not meant to last more than 5 years or so and fixing them costs more than buying a new one.  What a disposable society we've become!

Well, the hubs, being a man and all, was bothered by the lines so we decided that rather than buying smaller gifts we'd buy ourselves a new TV with some of his Christmas bonus.  We are now the owners of a 60" 3-D HDTV.  Until we get a 3-D Blue-ray DVD player or the cable company starts airing 3-D programming that part is useless.  However, you should watch a Blue-ray action movie on that thing!  Holy moley!  It may as well be 3-D and the motion is so clear and fast it makes your head spin.  Hubby loves it.  Me....I'm waiting to see Toby Keith, Sam Elliot, Ryan Reynolds, and others, in glorious, ginormous high definition.  Swooon!

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If we are well enough, we have some friends coming over for New Year's Eve.  They were supposed to come tonight, but.....well, yeah.  That didn't work out so well.  I don't know about you, but I for one will be glad to say Adieu, Auf Wiedersehen, Arrivederci, Sayonara, Shalom, and Ciao to 2012.  It has not been a year that I will exactly look back on with fondness.  There has been joy to be sure, but also too many moments of heartache.  Here's to a happier 2013 for all of us!

Friday Christmas Fun

And it begins....the Christmas crunch!  From here on out it is pretty much all about getting my act together.  A long list awaits....shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, parties, church, time with family and friends, etc., etc., etc.  Don't let me kid you, though.  I LOVE IT!  Today I am sporting this hat on the bus

and it will be seen around town as I go run my errands in just a while.  Hey, I'm not too excited about that part, but I've had it on all morning which means I've got hat-hair going on so the hat stays for the duration.

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Going shopping for some candy making supplies this morning.  I'm thinking I will make the bus kids chocolate covered pretzel rods this year rather than bake them cookies.  I was also thinking of asking a couple of the young moms at church if they'd like to bring their kids to make candy.  The one, I know, is looking at a bleak Christmas so all of us at church are going to try to give her and her kids a nice one.

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I finally took a picture of that snowflake light curtain I bought at IKEA:

I think they are pretty.  Prettier than they look in the picture, anyway.

That's poor Daisy being thrust into the action by Megan,

who has developed an uncontrollable urge to recreate

the opening of the Lion King with the poodle at the oddest times.

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And just for fun, here's a picture of Miss Daisy hogging all the bones and not sharing with her big brother, Elvis.  She's such a little diva!

And here's a few more of my favorite decorations:

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And this week's Follow Friday thoughts:

This week’s statements:

1. I usually ___ but never ____

I usually buy craft projects but never finish them.
2. I was named ___because ___

I was named Stacy because someone (THANK YOU) convinced my mom that Anastasia was too much.
3. I would never change _______about my body, but I would change _________

I would never change what I think about my body, but I would change my body.  Does that make sense?  I'm not sure I got this one.
4. The last time I said “I Love You” was to _________

The last time I said "I Love You" was to my husband this morning.

Join up with the Friday fun at:

and

A Little of This, A Little of That...

I just can't believe we are into the teens.  As in 19 days until Christmas.  As in two weeks from today is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.  As in I don't have any shopping done yet.  Or dinner planned. Or....  Aaugh, indeed.  At least the tree is up...and it's not such a bad little tree.

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The ladies' group from church had its Christmas party last night.  We had a buffet at a local Italian restaurant.  Fabulous food and it was decorated so beautifully....partly by the restaurant and partly by one of the ladies who made all the table decorations that were given as door prizes at the end of the evening.  A local girl with a lot of talent provided Christmas music.

Our pastor (who is female) made up gift bags for each lady present.  They were all different.  We got them by drawing a number and then a card with either a "truth" or a "consequence" on it that we had to answer or do.  I pulled a  consequence card and had to go to someone I hadn't met before and tell them I was glad they were there and that God loves them.  I threw a hug in for good measure.  My bag had a Rachel Ray cookbook and a PartyLite candle in it.  My mom also went and for telling the truth about her favorite holiday tradition, she received a Thomas Kinkade clock that plays Christmas carols and sented hand soap.

At the end of the night we used the same numbers to pick a gift in the ornament exchange.  I got a very pretty glass ball with a spun glass angel inside...the angel lights up, either white or color changing.  We collected angel ornaments for Megan when she was growing up so I gave it to her.

Mom had a good time so I hope she will think about coming to church on Christmas Eve.  We have the service, but also a huge dinner and time of fellowship afterward for those who don't have other plans.  It's a lot of fun.  I'm going to make a ton of peel and eat shrimp and our friend Bennie is going to (finally) make his to die for egg rolls.  Yum!

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I am looking forward to next week.  Well, I'm hoping it's worth looking forward to, anyway.  Tim has been working ridiculous hours the last few weeks (90+ last week) and I see him for a few minutes in the morning and few minutes at night before he crawls into bed.  The building he is doing now is supposed to be completed and turned over on Monday or the company will be looking at a $10K per day fine!  Yikes, no pressure there!  Anyway, he is not sure now that it will happen on time because the electrical sub is.....well, a total screw up and nothing seems to be getting him on the same page as everyone else or lighting a fire under him.  Tim is beyond frustrated with him.  He has actually caused damage to things already done and undone other work.  He's lied about a few things being done, too.  Nice.  I'm wondering how he will react if the fine takes affect because the company won't eat the cost when it wasn't their fault, they will pass it on to the electrician one way or another....maybe withhold his check?  I'm not sure how that works.

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My class celebrated its 30-year reunion over the Thanksgiving weekend.  I suppose on the whole, it wasn't much of a celebration.  Out of a class of 350 or so there were only about 30 signed up for the dinner Saturday evening with spouses/significant others invited (that number included those guests).  There were even less for the classmates only gathering Friday evening.  

I had never been to one of our reunions before and in all honesty didn't have a whole lot of desire to attend this one, but......enter Facebook.  So many of us have gotten in touch on there.  Old boundaries have blurred or disappeared and most of those I talk to on a regular (or even daily) basis are not people who were among my friends in school.  So, when the talk began and the planning got started for this reunion I thought "what the heck" and jumped on board.  I ended up only being able to attend on Friday because of family commitments but it was good to see everyone and find out what they've been up to.

The reunion committee had tables set up with displays of our yearbooks and high school newspapers that we all enjoyed looking at.  They also had a memorial table set up with pictures of all those we've lost.  Quite a few and all so young.  Even one who'd planned to join us but was lost to cancer just days before the reunion.  

That memorial table has sparked an on-going discussion among all of us on Facebook.  You see, when we were freshmen, just innocent 14-year-olds....our world changed in an instant when a helicopter that was dropping prize balls crashed into the crowd at a church festival.  Many people were injured.  Several died...including two of our classmates and one of our teachers.  It was a Sunday afternoon.  On Monday we were the walking wounded, haunting the hallways of the school, not knowing what to do or how to handle our grief.  During the morning announcements the principal said something and a priest or minister, maybe both, said a prayer and there was a moment of silence.  That was it.  There were no grief counselors back then.  So, this is, I believe a first...all of us talking as adults about the pain of that long ago day and finding out that one among us was standing right beside the ones we lost and has been in counseling trying to get over it for all these years.  We never knew.  Maybe, just maybe, we'll find some closure through this mixed blessing of Facebook.

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Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  May we never forget.

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This week’s statements:
1. ___in the ___ is the ___
2. __is my____
3. I like to think ____; but I know _____.
4. If I just ______, then I could ______.
My responses:
1.  Books in the house is the only way to live. 2.  Pepsi is my addiction. 3.  I like to think I've got it all together; but I know I don't. 4.  If I just had a little bit bigger house, then I could keep things looking neat rather than cluttered.

Black Friday Fun

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Anyone crazy enough to be out there?

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Time for a little Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun with Hillary and this week's cohost, Pam.

This week's prompts:
1. I put ___ on a hot dog
2. when it___ I ____
3. If my house____then I would be able to___
4. If I was getting married tomorrow I would _______________ differently so we could ________________differently now.
My answers:
1.  I put ketchup (spelled that way...I am a Heinz girl) and nothing else on a hotdog. 2.  When it snows I like to stay inside with the pellet stove fired up, something yummy in the oven, my dogs curled up, and a good book. 3.  If my house was bigger then I would be able to entertain the way I'd like to. 4.  If I was getting married tomorrow I would probably do just about everything (hey, it was the 80s and I was only 20....I'm smarter now and styles have definitely changed) differently so we could hopefully do some things differently now.
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I hope you all have a wonderful day doing whatever it is you do on this day after Thanksgiving.  Me?  I'm going to be trying to get a repair man to come fix my washing machine that picked yesterday to breakdown.  Then tonight I'm getting together with some high school classmates.  This is our 30 year reunion weekend.  I can't go to the dinner tomorrow but am meeting with some tonight for a pizza and beer type get together.  We will be celebrating for sure, but also marking with sadness a classmate lost to cancer just this week.