Phooey on Blogspot

Well, again I wanted to post a photo but cannot figure out how to do it with the changes here. I have clicked to connect with my phone so that I can download photos from my phone....and all it keeps saying is "downloading" but doesnt ever do anything. And there is no way to choose to download from my computer anymore...

I won an awesome prize package from the blog of a person I read from England.....and I wanted everyone to see how awesome she is!

Anyway she sent the handmade mug cozy that she promised....but then she added some adorable little scissors....a mini Christmas crochet book....some great buttons....a stitch marker....wonder if I forgot anything????

Weekend wrap up

Saturday on our way out to Market, later than usual, I went to put something in the garbage can - yup, that little bit of rain Friday night caused the lid to be frozen shut! And this is California folks - as my hub loves to say - all of California is NOT Baywatch!

Today we did some gardening - this was late morning - and I dumped some standing water out of a saucer under a pot - and dumped out a couple of chunks of ice! And hour later, when it was around noon time, that ice was still intact on the ground!

Our little winter garden is looking good. Dug up a couple of potatoes we didnt know about - one was already rooting. I think - well, I am pretty sure, I lost both my little jade plants but a lot of the other succulents have made it.  And tomorrow morning is supposed to be even colder than this morning was! Brrr....

Well, I was going to include some photos from my new sidebar - the completed items of 2013 but blogger has changed and I cannot figure out how to upload from my computer, so those will have to wait on other day.

Can we just hope for some semi-decent weather for this upcoming Saturday please????

I Just Cant Figure It Out

So many changes in the last few months.....no clocking in and out - just show up, do your work, and go home....kinda like an honor system. After so many years of being married to timeclocks, that is hard to get use to - wierd to walk out without doing anything to clock out!

And commuting. Whew. I cannot figure out rhyme or reason as to the traffic issues.

For instance:
Monday I expected it to be bad - so I left at 0722 - and it took me an hour to get to work.
Tuesday I left slightly later - at 0730 - and it took me 35 minutes to get to work!
Wednesday I had to leave at 0700 - and it took me 45 minutes.
Today I left at 0705, and it took me 40 minutes.

Coming home it usually takes about the same length of time no matter what time I leave for home...

But everyone told me - you will get the rhythm of traffic (for instance, Monday is worse than Friday but there have been Fridays that have been worse than MOndays!) but I dont think there is any rhyme or reason!

I just now that it takes longer for me to get from my house to the freeway than it does for me to get to work once I get onto the freeway and yet the distance is about the same.

That is because the little road I use to get to the freeway should be used only by locals but lots and lots of people from the Valley use it as a short cut to the freeway I use rather than the other freeway they should be using. And the trucks! They really need to be banned from this road - they are slow because of traffic and because it is a hilly road that is 1/2 one lane and 1/2 two lane.

Ok, enough whining for now.....next time I will be whining about types of cars and the personalities involved (no insult meant, but I really am starting to hate Lexus drivers!)

Merry Christmas - Happy Solstice - Blessed New Year!

What a winter it has been....nice and wet so far! And pretty darn cold too!

Christmas Day was noisy and busy and lovely. Son and granddog were here - along with daughter and her family. Now we are awaiting other daughter and her family to come up - and to have New Years with us! That will involve lots more lovely noisiness!

 From a swap partner extraordinaire - Jennifew was wonderful! I have already made and gifted the bootees - worn the mobius/infinity scarf (so warm and snuggly!) and used the mug and the bowl (for those of you who cant tell what it is - is a yarn bowl - something I have longed for but wouldnt buy for myself AND it was made by her niece! Super special!!)

 I like to think this scarf sums me up - at least most of the time!

And these? Yum! Saving them for my work lunches - not pictured is the jerky that my husband ate well before Christmas Day and the apple butter - which reminds me, I need to make some bread to eat the apple butter with....maybe tomorrow!

 

New Years resolutions - this year I have a ton of them - wonder how many of them will make it past a month?

 

1. No more stockpiling/losing/forgetting presents - that has been very humiliating and humbling this year as I have been unearthing many from years gone by [and jsut found even more today] - been giving them out too rather than taking a chance on losing them again! And yet I just placed an order for some for 2013 cause the sale was too good to pass up! But this time they are immediately going into my database that lists what and for whom - and WHERE THEY ARE!!!!

 

2. Time to declutter - got piles of things for a yard sale already, and others are going on freecycle and to the thrift shops. Organize organize organize - and even more importantly - stay organized!

3. I would like to keep the dining room table cleaned off and useable...

4. Really need to get around to organizing 'my room' so that I can locate all my craft needs and supplies and USE THEM UP!!! (I have been trying - making small things from stash yarn and sending them to charities but it is slow going - have 6 teddy bears made for my friend to take to Africa with her next March - need to get some done!)

5. Become more social - stay more in touch with friends and not just be the usual recluse that I am (am looking forward to a get together Jan 19 with a lot of friends!)

6. Keep going thru more books than I buy or accumulate - read them and get rid of them before I get more!

7. Get more done on the house that needs to be done - and on me! - including exercising! Cant wait for the 24H Fitness to open next to my job (March they are saying) cause then I could at least do 1/2 hour most days! Better than what I am doing now!)

Busy Week!

Monday was our son-in-laws birthday - happy birthday Earl!

Tuesday I gave my first lecture...

Wednesday was oldest daughter's birthday - happy birthday Jessyca!

Thursday was the 4th grade class's presentation of The Nutcracker; The Musical with oldest grandson (the ones fripping his sword with great intent!) as a soldier - this is one of the best grade school shows we have been to!

 

 Friday was hubby's birthday! And oldest daughter, and her 3 boys, picked him up and then me, and we went to the Winter Wonderland whatever at Great America in Santa Clara. The boys had a great time - personally, altho the lights were fantastic, it was a bit lame...

 The peacock was absolutely awesome - especially when all the colors flashed!

 Note the car Mom chose when the 2 oldest boys and PaPa joined her in Bumper Cars!

Saturday was rainy and cold.....today we went to Berkeley and checked out some of the dogs for adoption at the BACS and Bad Rap...came very close to 2 totally different dogs, but we are still dogless....sigh....

Feeling Happy About the Little Things

I have finished 3 projects for gifts this year. And I only remembered to take a photo of one before I packaged them up...

Not that I could show them to you until after Christmas anyway.....but I can tell you about them....

1. I finished a %^#%$&#^$# for a friend - something I started a couple of years ago - something easy but not my usual cup of tea so I quickly got bored with it, put it away, and of course, forgot about it. I am very pleased with how it turned out and I hope she is too!

2. And then there is the ^%#&%#*^%# for my swap partner! Something that turned a little bit more challenging than I expected - did not come out quite as well as I had hoped but still, it is done, wrapped, and close to being ready to mail!

3. And then there is a kit I recieved for Christmas last year - a cute little $#&%@#$^@ for ^&$%^#&%$#......just finished it off tonight. Will wrap it up later this week....

See? The little things can make you happy!

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Well, I thought I had some Thanksgiving type photos saved, and I dont. So will use this fall one from the Liverty Tavern in WDW and my beautiful granddaughter - this was a rough Thanksgiving for my daughter - but she says it is countdown time until she sees her family again - one month!

 

We had a lovely dinner at my daughter and son-in-laws house. She did most of it - we brought pies, 24 hr salad, and stuffing. Her SIL brought a salad and french bread - and her MIL brought her special stuffing. But the rest they did - and it was lovely! 

 

And not - there was no shopping on Friday - oh, I take that back, we did go to the grocery store! Also went to the movies - 3d time in a week - and all 3 were good!

 

Last weekend we were in Monterey area for a wedding. Rained on Friday and Satuday - all the way up to 2 hours before the wedding! It was a nice time.

 

Spent time yesterday and today rearranging the living room in anticipation of decorating for Christmas. Did some shopping on Small Business Saturday - local donut shop! Farmers Market, library bookstore, and went downtown and spent money at one store.

 

Came home and sewed the %%%^#$*&^ for the hand knit %$*^^$ that I made for a swap partner! Sorry, photos and info will have to wait until after Christmas. Can I just say tho, that I hate sewing. My mom did not instill that in me (and she was great at it!)

 

 

 

Now, whoever reads this blog, please send some prayers, good thoughts, healing powers for this guy. This is my granddog who just last week was diagnosed with lymphoma. Altho Hyde is 11 years old (so hard to believe) the vet and my son have decided to try chemotherapy. It is expensive, but as my son says - this is not jsut a dog - it is his best friend, who has been with him thru bad times and thru good - has helped my son survive some of those bad times. And the vet said he is otherwise in such great shape that it is worth a try. Had his first dose last week - and my son was warned that that evening and the next day were going to be bad. But they werent. Hyde only thru up once - otherwise was tired but that was about it. This Tuesday he gets labs and hopefully his next dose on Wednesday. So yes, even with all that is going on in the world today, I am asking this for a 4 legged animal. We couldnt save our Jack, or our granddog Althea, so lets hope we can save this guy - at least for a while longer!