2006

I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.  May your year be blessed and wonderful, may you have the strength and wisdom to get through the hard times, may you have the joy and laughter to get sail through the good times. 

Live life to the fullest.  Laugh whenever you can.  Love those around you. 

And go have another cup of coffee....it's a holiday!

 

The week between the two

So here we are, the week between the Christmas and New Year.  Yesterday was an odd day, but able to watch Scrooge with my siblings and parents....all of us curled up on couches or the floor, most still in their pj's (and it was 3pm), fire in the fire place, dog chewing her Christmas bone, cats stretched out under my brother's wheel chair.  Watching Scrooge (with Albert Finney) is a family tradition. 

i love such traditions.  They give one the feeling that all is well and everything is going according to plan.  Maybe that's my need for order and love of 'lists'...maybe it's just the time spent wtih family doing something we all like.  Whatever it is, this week is another one that makes My Favourites list.

So this is Christmas....

...warm, rich scents fill the house - cookies and lemon cake cooling on their racks, wood gleaming and lemon oiled, windows sparkling with the electric candles shining through for all to see, and even the toilet is clean.  she is ready for her guests who are due to arrive tomorrow afternoon, presents all wrapped and the tree trimmed in gold and ivory. 

she is almost completely content....not quite - but that can't be helped, so she will welcome her guests with open arms, stuff them full of good food and sweets and celebrate this very wonderful holiday.

What Not to Wear...

...love that show - and heard today:

"Elegance is the art of doing simplicity well."

A Mouse or Three

i think there are mice residing in the wall of my sitting room.  i don't mind mice- when they are outdoors and running wildly through a meadow, or darting under a mushroom to take cover from the rain.  i don't mind mice when they are the cutest characters in a children's story.  i don't mind mice when they are in someone else's house.  i DO, in fact, mind mice when they are in my house.  i've never had a mouse problem before and certainly don't want to start now. 

Maybe i should just tell them how i feel and then maybe they will just pack up their little family and move on down the street.

Where's the pied piper when you need him?   :::sigh::::

Thank You

i've just realised that there have been 1002 readers of this blogs since it's 'birth' in July 2005.  Thank you to all who stop by and share my ramblings of life.  Thank you also for the witty comments and encouragement.  Hugs to all.

What a way to start the day...

On my way to work every morning , i take a back road or three to save some time.  The road winds through some farm land and also along a rather large creek, a horse pasture, a sheep farm and some neighborhoods.  It's a rather lovely drive. 

This morning, as i rounded one of the corners near the horse pasture and creek, i gasped in sheer bliss.  During our very cold night (of about 6F), the brush, trees and tall grasses along the creek were covered in deep white frost - which gave it a decidedly pure and lovely look.  As the sun was just coming up over the hill, the rays of that glorious ball of light played off of the frost and glistened as diamonds on each branch or blade.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  If i would have had some extra time, i would have stopped and just gazed for a while.  No matter how i looked, the 'diamonds' sparkled and twinkled quite brilliantly.  Absolutely gorgeous.

A very good way to begin the work day.

Spelling Habits Explained

i have a terrible habit of switching between British English and American English when writing.  For instance..words such as neighbour,Saviour, realised...just a few (and please don't even ask me the correct way to spell 'youghurt'...i'm not sure if it's British, American, Austrailian or French...grrr).  Blast it all!  i think it comes from reading a great deal and as i'm a visual learner, those spellings stick in my head. 

my sincere apologies to anyone who gets confused. Hopefully, it will come across as charming instead of sheer stupidity.

Ok, that's all..carry on.

All things for a reason

i'm typically a person who thinks that most, if not all, things happen in my life for a reason.  Good or bad, happy or tragic, the situations and the way i choose to handle them all continue to mold me into the woman i want to be.  Sometimes i come through such situations with flying colours, sometimes i fail miserably. 

i want to be a woman who can look back at her life and have no regrets.  i once asked my grandfather (the Irish one) if he had any regrets in life.  He said that he only wished he had gone on with his education (meaning college).  Things were different then, though.  World War II...Marriage..children  = all came at a relatively early age for him.  He worked for the Navy Yard in Philadlephia for years and years and earned many certificates and other acknowledgements for engineering - without a degree.  He used to build things - after watching something on TV or seeing it in a magazine - all just figured out and plans drawn up.  He still does cross word puzzles every day.  He had subscrptions to National Geographic and read them cover to cover.  He has traveled.  He has a sense of humor.  He can cook.  Yet, he watched my grandmother die when she was in her mid 50's, he cared for her, he retired early so he could be home with her and to this day, he misses her greatly.  He's never remarried.  He lost a great deal of money in an investment that failed.  He broke his hip a couple of years ago.  He recently had that same hip operated on.  It hasn't been all roses - there have been thorns-- but hes' had a full and wonderful life - and his only regret is that he didn't have more education!  What a way to live - such a good example. 

So, i still hold that all things - whether good or bad - are done for a reason.  How i react to them shows the true woman.  No regrets. 

Let it snow, let it snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful

And as long as you love me so, let is snow, let it snow, let it snow

(your love plus a snow day tomorrow - both are equally important. <grin>)

Here's hoping for a good snow fall - i have a ton of things to do in this house before the big party on Saturday! 

 

6:44am Edit:

it is indeed a snow day - snow falling at a great rate = fast and furious.  i'm so excited - a full three-day weekend.  AND i can get everything done this morning that needs to be done for the party.  Lovely!  But for now, i'm going back to bed and enjoy another hour or so of sleep.

Just another manic Wednesday

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, i actually have been busy at work thus far!  My lands, but i might fall over in a heap!  W-H-H!!!

And i have an extremely attractive hive on my neck - grrr (which itches to no end)

And i declare that it's a rather nice and glorious day outside -brisk enough to make you walk very quickly and make your skin tingle but not so bitterly cold that one has to dash in an unsightly manner from place to place.(i say that but i have to get gas for the car after work and i'm sure to be frozen (or at least complaining that i am) when finished.)

And here's hoping for a good choir practice tonight.

And there's the tease of more snow on Thursday - which would be a welcomed thing.

And our neighborhood Christmas party is set for Sat. night (i'm not prepared one bit and am sure to be frantically running around on Fiday and all day Saturday in preparation as it's a big to-do and my house is the last one visited - as i have the piano...for caroling...)

And...well that about covers this crazy, wonderful Wednesday.

Sunday Afternoon Critique

Sunday's performance went much better.  Everyone seemed more relaxed and then were able to enjoy themselves as well as do a good job.  Even the orchestra did a better job.  It was great fun and frankly, i'lll miss the vocal work-out that i got every week.  Such an undertaking provides a sharpening of skills once learned and reminds me of my love of music, that it is in my blood and that it must always be a part of my life.

i loved watching the face of our director.  He is very animated, in a good way...offering encouraging smiles when all goes well, or an understanding look if someone didn't do quite as they ought.  And when he was moved by the power of it all, his face showed it - which made us sing even better.

T'was a good weekend.  A very good weekend.

Saturday Night Critique

Well...it didn't go off without a hitch but at least no catastrophy.  Personally, i made four mistakes, two of them being when i was so enthralled by the sopranos power on some of the high notes that i forgot to sing, once i wasn't counting properly and once i sang the wrong word.  Not good.

Another chance to redeem those mistakes tomorrow and hopefully all will go well.

The orchesta wasn't bad - for a community orchestra, although there was one violinist who was consistely off by a bit - just enough to make my spine react.(not in a good way)

And once, Dr. Sidebothom had us stand for no reason - his face showing horror as he realised his mistake...was somewhat priceless.

All in all - not a bad night. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Concert..

Handel's Messiah is set for tonight @ 7.30pm and Sunday @ 2.30pm (EST)...i'd rather not break a leg - but if that what it takes....:::grin:::

Going to be a busy but good weekend, i think.

 

All Things Girlie

i was talking with some of my co-workers the other day and we realized that in the last 10 weeks we've all been to the same home parties.  First we went to a Party Lite party (candles), the a Beadalicious (a friend's new jewlerly business), two Tupperware parties, another jewerly party and just today got an invite for a Mary Kay party!  AND somewhere in there was a Pampered Chef party but none of us can remember when.  Now i think we need to have a lingerie party and a book party...or just all go to Barnes N Noble - though i'm more inclined to enjoy the quaint used book stores rather then the big chain.  However, all that being said - we all are just lil party goers and it's quite fun, truth be told.  Most times you don't have to spend much if any money and it's just nice to see products and have a good time with the girls.  The Mary Kay one ought to be a hoot - all the girls invited are 'girlie girls' and will "ooooohhh" and "ahhhhhhh" over each product and will be a grand time, i'm sure.

And when i think of men going to such parties, i LOL...seriously out loud.  Imagine. 

i do love being female....

Dreams...

Last night, i had the oddest dream.  i was living in Paris, but not in the flat i had while living there before, no, this was an older building close to the British/American bookshop where i shopped frequently.  There was a doorman to this building, named Phillippe but he looked like one of my brothers.  i had a dog, named Moses, who would change into a cat in a moments notice.  i don't know what i did for a living  but somehow i found myself on the train to Switzerland.  i was going to meet a Man, and in preparation of that meeting, i was uh..well without clothes or shoes.  And wasn't embarrassed until the conductor asked me for my ticket and i had to get up and reach up high for my bag.  However, when i arrived in Suisse, i was fully clothed in a ball gown and impossibly high heels.  i awakened as i was getting into the limo...

What on earth caused that?

(ps.  no pants today.  One day was enough.  ugh)