Translate

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas is over.....

I love Christmas.
But I also love when it's over.... Is that wrong?
I love that normal life can resume. No more watching the time tick down, trying to "get it all done"
No obnoxious, non-stop Christmas commercials, that start just before Halloween. Don't get me started on the Hallmark channel. Yes, they're lovely, wholesome  and heartwarming. But 24 hours a day?... starting on November 1st?......
Oh.. wow.. I know I'm an awful Grinch!.... but I'm not.. not really! I still LOVE watching, "It's a Wonderful Life" "A Christmas Carol" and all the old classics. I love "A Christmas Story".... which, by the way, was filmed right here in Cleveland!
 But, I've become very jaded, and numb to all the "Christmas Crap"..... (sorry!).... Leaving Thanksgiving Dinner with your family, to "SHOP EARLY & SAVE!... and .. by the way.. I have NEVER DONE.. nor will I ever.

I remember when Christmas was good..... ya, there were Commercials and sales.... but it wasn't all about the $$. It was simpler... it was more special..... or.. I was just to young to realize...

Anyway..........
I did have a great Christmas!.....really!

My first day of vacation, last Thursday... after a couple hours of........ shopping...... ,
I decided to go to KFC and pick up something for Dinner. I slowed down to turn into the parking lot, and a car coming from the other direction, pulled into the turning lane, to turn into KFC too, I looked in my mirror and saw a long line of cars, so I waved for the  Woman  to go ahead. She waved and pulled in.  She was now in front of me. She placed her order, got her order and it was my turn.  When I got to the cashier, I had my money in my hand. The Cashier was smiling and said "You don't owe anything, that Woman just paid for your order!".... whaaat?........(my order was almost $9!) I started to tear up and almost started blubbering right there in the drive thru! OMG! My first thought was to chase after her and say thank you!! and give her a big hug! It's weird...because, someone I didn't even know, just did such a nice thing and I couldn't even say thanks!
I decided I would pay for the person behind me!....but there wasn't anyone behind me.... so I gave the cashier $5 and she got all happy too!
It was such an amazing thing. I was instantly uplifted and happy.
I will remember to do this for someone next time I'm in a drive thru!

This Christmas was really very special.
It was my Grandson Garrett's VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS!! Garrett will be 6 months old on the 29th.
So, my Son brought him over on Christmas Eve. (when my family celebrates)
It was so awesome to have a baby in the house! Even when he cried.. it was music. Just watching him looking at the Christmas Tree, so wide eyed... awh!



What a face!!!


 



Daughter Jamie, Son Eddie, Garrett and best friend Gloria

 
 

Visions of Sugarplums??
 
 






I made him a "First Christmas" ornament... and will make him one every year now.
My Christmas was a little quieter, since My Daughter Allison and her husband couldn't make it.
I missed her!

So... I'm on vacation for another 8 days! ahhh. I plan on.... (plan is the key word here)..... Doing some ART.... or.. wait.. cleaning the ART room first.... ya right.
I plan on...... going to my favorite craft store "Pat Catans"...... and taking advantage of their "After Christmas Sales"... .(is that hypocritical?) lol... I'd like to organize my walk in closet.. aka: "dump site for everything"
...BUT..... I think..... my artroom has been invaded by "STINK BUGS".. omg!!! I had never seen one before. Last week, I was digging through a box of scrap stuff and tipped it over.  1/2 hour later, sitting here on the computer.. something goes whizzing past my head! and out loud I said "what the "HELL" is that?".... I looked.. and there IT was.. this creepy little thing, that looked like it had a shield on it's back...... omg..... eeewh! If I sprayed it right away.. it would fall right into my pencil cup...... so I start carefully moving stuff........ and got em! I looked "Stink Bug" up.. and sure enough, that's what is was. I kept thinking... "It's Winter!...why are there bugs!?"..... well.. Wikipedia says:
They come into homes in the late fall when the weather changes.. and hibernate....but sometimes, the warm home makes them "wake up"... they "clumsily fly" around towards light....... YES! THAT'S WHAT THE FREAKIN' THING DID!... and the next day?... an exact REPEAT!!... same spot!.. OH HOW I HATE BUGS!.... today?... I go to close them blinds.. and there's a "dead one" on the window sill...... so now.. I'm afraid to touch anything.... and afraid of what might come flying out... !!! I'm going to tell the apartment management, to PLEASE... put some kind of calk or sealer outside, where the siding meets the cinder block... because I know that's where "THEY'RE" all coming in from. Eewhhh!... enough bug talk....ewh.

I have no plans for New Years Eve. I haven't had a party since the Millennium! sounds like 100 years ago lol.. but hard to believe it's almost 14 years ago!
My best friend, will probably come over and we'll just hang out, drink coffee and BS...
I still miss Dick Clark.

That's pretty much everything for now.

I wish you all Peace and good health in the New Year...
and..... to do a random act of kindness.... 
                           


 

Sunday, December 22, 2013

"Crescent Cookies"
...to me... this is what Christmas tastes like!

I literally grew up eating this wonderful cookies and can't imagine Christmas without them!
 makes 5 dozen.

 RECIPE:
2 sticks Butter softened
1/3 C Sugar
2/3 C chopped/ground Walnuts
1-2/3 C Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
 Powdered  & Colored Sugar

Cream softened butter and Sugar. Sift together Flour & Salt. Add dry ingredients a little at a time to Butter and Sugar mixture, add nuts. Mix together well to form soft dough. Chill 1/2 hr. Roll  1 inch balls. Press thumb in center of each cookie. Bake at 325 pre-heated oven for 14-16 minutes or until set NOT BROWNED. Gently transfer cookies, using a spatula, to sheet of foil  While still warm, sprinkle with Confectioner Sugar, top with Colored Sugar. ENJOY!