Finally Spring!!

There's one corner of my yard clinging stubbornly to what's left of it's snow cover.

However, it's been in the 70s. The birds are out. The frogs are croaking. The woodpecker is somewhere in the woods again. And my chipmunk is back. You should've seen my cat trying to figure out all the different noises when I opened up some of the windows.

I aired out all the floor rugs today and then sat outside reading one of my books until it started cooling down some.

My baby brother started drivers' ed a couple weeks ago. Doesn't seem possible, but man, this kid is growing up (literally... he's finally taller than I am!).

That's it for now....

How About Spring Here??

It just snowed the other day (we got dumped one is more like it) and we're getting more tonite. And this time last week it was closer to 50 out there. I'm over winter already, Ms. Nature!!

In other news....

I realized the other day I have yet to post anything this year! How did nearly 3 months pass with nothing?? Gah!!!

I bought my father's car at the beginning of the year. It's exactly what I had before, only it's red with 100 thousand less miles, and next to no rust on it. I love this thing!

I got a new camera for Christmas/b-day from D, my bro and SIL. I love it, and have been taking pix, mostly of the cat, so far. It's too cold to venture out and take pictures of the grand outdoors.

One of my friends thinks I should enter some photo contests, especially some of my sunset shots. Let's just say they're awesome!!

My baby bro has his first girlfriend... and he and my mother forgot to tell me for nearly a month!! Oops.

My most recent CD purchases have been A-Keys (As I Am), J-Jackson (Discipline), S-Crow (Detours) and the Grammy nom's CD. I haven't been able to listen to all of them yet, but what I have has been good so far. Call me some-what old-fashioned, but I like listening to an entire album, the good, great, bad, possibly ugly. I don't think you can have a handle on an artists' growth or style otherwise. I know that isn't as high on the priority list of (some of) today's music lovers' lists these days for various reasons, but it is for me. If CDs every disappear off the face of the Earth, I will be one deprived Angel.

This is the year of Weddings! A niece, a friend, and Ds sister, within a 3-month span. I'm in his sis', and my dress just came in the other day (finally!!!). I actually can't wait to get it fitted (this from she who despises dresses). Next week starts such festivities as wedding showers. Fun, fun!

The final book in my favorite historical fiction series came out earlier this month and I (ashamed to admit it) haven't been able to buy it yet. *Sigh* Maybe I'm in denial, kind of like when HP7 came out. Maybe. I have a list of books I want to buy and gift cards to buy them with... I just need to get out of town to do so. The weather just needs to co-operate long enough to make the trip worth-while, since the bookstore is about 1/2 hr., 45 mins away.

That about covers it for now. If I don't post again soon, I'll at least be checking in when/where I can!!! Just remember.... think SPRING!!!!!!!

2 Down, 2 to Go

Christmases, that is. And for one of them, I only have today and maybe, if I'm lucky, tomorrow to wrap stuff for!!

The one thing the step-monster wanted was a new book of birds. I bought it before she even started hounding my father about it, so obviously, he didn't buy it and she didn't open it Christmas morning. Well, she's given him such a hard time about it, and expected me to bring gifts down last nite (which I was unaware of, since I only went w/ D last-minute to say hello to them), that I've half a mind to just "accidentally" leave it home for an undetermined amount of time. I'm not always such an angel, y'know ;)

Down to the ocean was so much fun. I actually saw the whole family, except one cousin, for the first time in years. It was an amazing time.

I also saw the rubble pile where the fire was. It's unbelievable. All that's left of the Temple are a set of stairs and the bulletin board that was nearer the sidewalk. The shrubs are all still green and a tree was scorched some, but still stands. They were truly lucky not to lose anymore (buildings) than they did. One man did die.... he had gotten people evacuated and went back to his apt. for some reason. The firefighters had to evacuate before they could reach him.

We gave my aunt a really nice little box with all kinds of pictures in it. It will definitely be added to as time goes on. I actually have a handful of pix to email my cousin for her at some point, some older, some from this weekend.

I hope you are all well, 2007 is rushing to a close, and 2008 is creeping in in it's place. May it be an amazing year.....

Silver Linings

There was an 8-alarm fire in my old hometown on the ocean very late Friday nite, Saturday morning. My aunt's apt. building was destroyed, as was a Jewish temple. 17 cities/towns responded to help. She was at work when it started, and is now staying with my cousin in another part of town. She did have renter's insurance, at least. The family is working on gathering various pictures we have of her and/or her son, among other things.

We had a Nor Easter Sunday, and we got all kinds of snow out of it. If winter keeps going on as it has, D might actually be able to get his snowmobile on the trails this year, as opposed to around the yard just to run it. I guess that means I may get to take my one ride I promised him when we first got together two years ago.... As long as he remembers I get lots of hot chocolate after!!

I'm still lovin' the new computer, with one issue. Unless I'm typing somewhere this side of frequently, it goes into Power Save on me. It doesn't seem to recognize clicking and scrolling as "activity" for who knows what reason. Drives me nuts, but at least it's a minor problem :-)

Just in case I can't get online again before next week:

Merry Christmas and safe travels and delicious holiday meals to all (and enjoying time with family, of course!!)

So, Yeah, It's Been A(long!)while....

It's very definitely winter around here now. We've already seen a couple inches of snow (I need my snow tires!!!!) within this past week. My rule is, it shouldn't snow before Thanksgiving or my birthday (which is in 4 days), whichever happens to come first.

A couple weeks ago when I went into work, they were playing Christmas music. Not that I haven't been seeing Christmas stuff since at least last month in most stores, but still. Let the turkeys digest before bringing on the Roasting Chestnuts, huh?!?*

We have a new computer. New toy. Which is always a good thing :-)

Back the end of September, maybe beginning of October, my brother almost hit a bull moose that was in the road in front of us. Luckily, when he spooked, he went for the woods, not the vehicle! Out of the three of us, I had the "cheapest" camera, and I got the best picture of it!! Not even four days later, on the way home from work, I got to watch a female and baby walking thru one of the area marshes. One of those perfect pictures if I'd had my camera with me moments!

So, this Sunday I'll be 29. 29 I'm in denial about being so close to the big 3-Oh, it just doesn't seem possible or even right. Today is 1 year since I moved, and Monday will be my 2-yr. with D. Between Thanksgiving, birthdays and anniversaries, Nov. is a major month for me!

I've also got nearly 3/4 of my Christmas shopping done for the year. Now comes wrapping all this great stuff....... I wonder if my cat attacks wrapping paper....

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travel/visiting family (going or coming to you) time to all!!

*on the plus side, I think it was a fluke, because I haven't heard it since.... yet

Cat: 1, Frog: Floor

The other nite, the cat came flying from the kitchen, jumped on the back of the living room chair, to the computer chair to the top of the computer monitor, over one of my favorite stuffed frogs. Next thing I know, frog leg is in the cat's mouth, and the frog is being flung on the floor. Just as quick as this happens, he bolts back into the kitchen. The frog is back on top of the computer. :-)

Off my Chest (Semi-Lengthy, no holding back style!)

Got this idea from Brighton. Say ten things, or twenty- no limit, that you would really like to say to their face but can’t or won’t. Yep, gots meself some of those.....

~If you tell me you're going to be in town, how about actually being in town?? I only took nearly a week off to spend time with you, because I haven't seen you in nearly ten fucking years and it'd be really, really nice to hang out with you. For crap's sake, I'd even be willing to go to a fucking club with you, even though the whole clubbing thing isn't even my scene. You also realize I'd have a 3 hr. drive to see you, and there is not a way in hell I'm making said trip if I don't even know when, or if, you plan on showing up??????

~I know you were only doing your job, but seriously, my record was clean, a warning would've been sufficient.

~Why should we "leave a message and wait and wait for you to call back?" How about you actually open your shop until, say, 5 pm like most normal people would do, so we can get rid of the damn fleas in the house and on the cat?!

~Why the friggin' hell didn't you people flea-bomb the house before you moved, anyway? Oh yes, you were a lazy troll, now I remember. Thanks. Maybe we should send you the damn bill when we find a groomer!!

~If you're actually getting paid to do a job, howz about actually doing the job you're assigned instead of leaving the rest of us to run your shift for you????

~I really loved getting my break 5 hours into a 6.5 hour shift last week. If I had passed out, you peeps would've recieved the hospital bill if I'd been taken to the ED.

~Why do you insist that I am your "daughter"? You've never treated me like one, your kids never did wrong, even when they did worse things than me. My MOTHER lives nearly 3 hrs. away. It's only an image thing for you, and it pisses me off beyond any reason.

~You broke my sister's heart for no reason, you spineless fuck. You better hope and pray to whatever, if anything, you believe in that I never see you again, because I will be somewhere in that long line of people to kick your ass from here to where-ever we deem you lucky enough to land.

~For your animal's sakes, stop leaving them in your car on the hottest or coldest days of the year!! It doesn't take long for them in worst cases, to die. Why do you think we had the PD @ the store looking for you? And to the idiots that say "Well, it's only for a few minutes"... we should take your info and A. Take any and all animals you currently have away from you, and B. Not allow you to ever own another animal again.

~Closing time does not mean wander the store for another ten to fifteen (plus) minutes. It means bring your shit to the front and check the fuck out so we can go home! We do have lives that don't revolve around work!

Done. Much better!!