AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL...

Hello!
And Merry Christmas. I hope yours was warm and wonderful!

Here in Brunswick, Ohio, Christmas Eve. was in the low 40's... and only "leftover" Snow clung on the grass. Over night, the rain came, and the wind picked up. Christmas Day was "green." Every speck of snow had melted, and the sky was shades of grey. The wind whipped all day. I love a White Christmas like everyone, but was glad the weather was not an issue for my kids driving.

I had a most enjoyable Christmas, spent with my kids, and best friend Gloria.

Our family, has traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve. When I was a child, Christmas Eve, meant Family and friends, "traditional" food, and midnight mass. Then opening presents! Christmas day, was a day to relax, eat and play with all my new toys! Then visiting friends.
When I had my own kids, We still celebrated by visiting the grandparents on Christmas eve, then home to put the little darlings to bed. And presents Christmas morning.

I remember one Christmas eve. staying up to 3 a.m. wrapping gifts... lots of gifts for my kids. they were small, about 4, 6, & 8 years old.

I finally got alllllll the presents & toys under the tree.. sat down.... and here they came! "Santa was here!".... I couldn't get them back to bed.. so... They started tearing into them....barely wrapped for 1 hour.. oh well. They had a ball!
This year as always, I made our traditional family pizza, Breaded Pork Cutlets and my favorite..... Christmas cookies. These foods are a lot of work... but truly a labor of love, when I see my kids faces, like an old friend has just showed up!
The table was full. Also including Italian Sausage & Peppers, and a Ham.
Gloria brought some yummy Christmas cookies and "the dip"... (my most favorite dip in the world, and simple: 1 pint Sour Cream, 1 Cream Cheese and 1 envelope of Lipton's "Beefy Onion" soup mix..... This dip is delicious! great with vegetables, and assorted chips, pretzels & crackers. Try it, you'll like it!)
Allison brought homemade meatballs, Jamie brought "Polish Lasagna"
We "feasted" till we could feast no more!

We played the "Family know it all" game I created last year. For the 2ND. year in a row, Eddie was the winner.

Allison and Andy brought "Rock Band" Beatles edition...... What fun!!!! We all took our turn playing each of the instruments, and even singing.

It was hysterical to watch everyone "jammin"... and their intensity, trying to keep up!

We laughed a lot, ate some more!

The kids all made themselves a "goodie bag" .. and They left around 2 a.m.

Even Gloria left "early" We are famous for hanging out and drinking coffee till the wee hours of the morning, but she was wiped out!

I was wired from the coffee, and didn't get to bed till 6 a.m. And slept till 2.... oh.. shame on me!
I got up and "grazed" alllll day... Cookies... Potato Salad, Ham.... REPEAT...

So it was another great holiday with my favorite people!

The last picture is of my daughter Allison wearing... (trying to steal)... a gift from my friend Teri.

The most gorgeous, colorful hand crocheted scarf! That happens to go perfectly with my Red coat!

Thanks so much Teri....I wrestled it back from Allison.. Fewwh!

I am off for the next 5 days, work New Years Eve. then off for 3 more days. So including Christmas Eve & Day... I will have a total of 10 days off.. AHHHHH BLISSSSSS!

I am trying to get my art room cleaned up, so I can actually sit and do art during my "vacation".... and be creative!! As I wrote earlier, my "MOJO" has been missing. I'm hoping it will show back up, and I'll have something wonderful to show you all next time.

It's a beautiful sunny day, and I'm enjoying the "cloud show" out my art room window.

I better get to gettin'....and stop "playing" on the computer!

Enjoy your weekend! and

I wish you all a very Happy, Healthy NEW YEAR!

love, MaryEllen

T'was 2 nights before Christmas....

....And all through the house, I'm the only creature stirring with my computer mouse.

LOL.

Well.... here we are 2 days before Christmas. I've got things to do that can't be done till Wednesday. Cooking. Making homemade Pizza, our family tradition. Mmmm.. I haven't had any since last Christmas! and I can't wait!

I got out of work early both Monday and Tuesday. I tried to take advantage of the extra time, and I got some things done at home.

I'm absolutely thrilled, that we haven't had any substantial snow!! This is sooo rare!...

I think I may have mentioned that in my last post.. but still worth mentioning again.

Yayyy! We've dodged quite a few "bullets".. Like the fierce storm that hit NY, last week, and the storm that went North... and side swiped Ohio. fewwh!

It wouldn't bother me if I never saw another flake!

the forecast for this Christmas.. RAIN!.. and highs in the low 40's... I love it.

So... I will be celebrating with my kids and friends on Christmas Eve. I'm going to give the game I made last year, "The Family Know-it-All".. another go.. it was a great success last year.

I'm working on new questions!

I'm just passing time right now.

I love the holiday's but I'll be happy when they're over.. and things go back to "normal."

Wishing Twyla, Lindsey, Marsha and all of my blogger friends, a wonderful Christmas!

YOU KNOW DASHER AND DANCER AND PRANCER......

But do you know these Reindeer??
It's the PSMWG's of course

P-PATTI, S-SHEILA, M-MARY ELLEN, (ME), W-WINNIE, G-GLORIA.
Saturday, was another fun gathering of my best buds.
We went to Cozumel's, a local Mexican Restaurant. And we had a "couple" of
Margaritas.... okay.. it was a couple of pitchers!.
Gloria, brought us Reindeer Antlers. Another fun thing to add to my growing "PSMWG" collection.
We headed back to my apartment, just about a mile up the road. And sat, had desert and coffee. Lots of fun as always!

I THINK I LOST MY MO JO....
My ART Mo Jo..... I haven't produced anything since last February. yes.. I've done some doodling, I even made 2 Prim dolls. But It seems my creative juices have all dried up.
Today, I sat at my art table, anxious to spend the day doing ART. I couldn't think of anything exciting to make. Everything I thought about making, didn't thrill me. Or, I wasn't in the mood to start the process whatever it was.
help.
I think the fact that the clock is ticking, and the day is slipping away, made me feel anxious, that I wasn't taking advantage of the day and I needed DO SOMETHING QUICKLY! before the day was gone, and I regret not making SOMETHING. I pulled out some paper, and colored pencils, and a technical pen... More doodles.
Now it's almost 5 p.m. and the "meat of the day" is pretty much gone. My "window" to sit and leisurely do art, is closing.
I don't have much creative juices during the week. When I get home from work, I want to do nothing. It's like my brain is fried from work, and can't focus on ART. So 5 days a week, are usually ART-less.
leaving only the weekends.. or just one weekend day, if I have to work the other.. to do art.
I have so many ideas but I can't focus on which to do... and end up doing nothing!
I wanted to make some Christmas ornaments, or gifts. But I have no good ideas.

The daylight is quickly disappearing. I sit and look at all my art supplies.. hoping one will "speak" to me.
nothing.
Okay.... I will just let another perfect day go by, and hope that my Mo Jo comes back soon.. : (

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Hope your Thanksgiving will be just the way you like it!

Mine, will be spent at home with my kids, Eddie, Jamie & Allison, And friends, Gloria & Laure.

I'll be cooking (our family's) traditional Dinner:
Turkey, Italian Sausage Stuffing, Mountains of Mashed Potatoes, and a Gallon of Giblet gravy. Corn, Candied sweet Potatoes, Crescent Rolls & Pumpkin and Cream pies.... and
a few extra goodies!




One of my most favorite smells, is my kitchen, when I'm making Thanksgiving dinner. I also love the way the windows steam up.
(I read last year's post.. and mentioned the very same things..yes.. I really love it that much!)

The Thanksgiving weather forecast for Northeast Ohio....

Temps. in the low 40's with a chance of rain or snow showers. November has been unseasonably mild!.. in the low 50's.. we even had a couple of 70's in the beginning of the month! We've actually made it thus far.... with nary a snowflake!... this is remarkable! and almost unheard of 'round these parts this time of year and I am very THANKFUL for that!! I just looked at last years pictures...... We had SNOW right before Thanksgiving....ugh.

I love this picture of my mom, Mary, carving a Turkey.

Her maiden name was "Cook"... and she certainly was an awesome cook! The family recipes we all love so much, were hers. And her Italian Sausage stuffing recipe is "coveted" in our family! For the record, and in case my sister Susan is reading...... SAGE GOES IN THE STUFFING.. NOT PAPRIKA.... : )....yes... it's an inside joke.

I miss my mom.. and her cooking. She passed away at age 57 (yes, very young) in 1983

I also miss saving the Turkey Legs & Wings for my Dad. I think he was the only one who liked the dark meat! and I miss my dad. He passed away at age 74, in 1993.

But they're always in my heart, and not a day goes by that I don't think of them.

I am very, very brave.. for posting the last photo... gulp... of me..

dressed.. as a PILGRIM........ omg.. I need more wine.....!

My mom, thought it would be "just adorable" to dress me up... take pictures of me basting the turkey.. and posing at the table.... omg!!!

lol.. She wanted to send the photos to her mom, who had just moved to Alabama.

It never dawned on me to "object" and say "NOOOO WAYYY!"

My siser Rita hand made the whole costume! Sure.. SHE didn't have to wear the damned thing! LOL..

So, have a good laugh, be THANKFUL it wasn't you.

I am up wayyy too late as always....... I was in bed, till Jamie called.. and now I'm wide awake.

She and I will be making the stuffing Wednesday night. It's "our" tradition! and we've been doing it together for about the past 10 years.

So... I have a lot to be thankful for. Family, friends, health a job.. (even though I hate it)..... I am blessed in so many ways.

I hope you have a wonderful day, with the ones you love, wear "stretchy" pants, and enjoy your leftovers!.. Bless you!

LEGAL AGAIN... :)

Hello out there!

Hope all is well.
I've just been doing my usual nothing. Work, sit, eat, sleep.

My friend Teri, turned me on to ZENTANGLES.
What's a Zentangle?... I think they're little doodles, with repetitive patterns. I've been doing this kind of doodle art my whole life, never knew they had a name. There's a cool Zentangle group on Flickr, and a whole Zentangle.com website.
They're fun to do, and relaxing too.
I guess most, are kept in a small format like a tile size?.. but I think you can do any size you want!

The top one, I did yesterday at work. No.. I don't get to just draw at work.. I wish!... but I usually have paper around, and while my dear.. sweet... kindly.. elderly phone customers are busy finding credit cards, catalog numbers, and eye glasses... I doodle while I wait. Keeps me from shouting "HEYYYYYYY!!!!! can we move this along????"lol..
So... I've done a few, but I like the top one the best.



Here I am.... A CAT. Our company Halloween "party"... not really a party party... like we dressed up, brought stuff for a potluck.. then worked like always. God forbid, if they actually let us off the phones for 10 minutes!! Anyway, it was fun dressing up. I haven't worn a costume in awhile. I made my ears, and tail, Safety pinned on some fake fur, made Goldfish earrings, and painted the cat eyeballs on my lids. Always a big hit. Harder to do now, that I can't see without my glasses, and had to paint them on at 8 a.m. still sleepy and bleary eyed. I had looked at lots of pictures online, mostly of the cat makeup from the CATS play. I wanted to do more details, but decided not to bother. RRRrrrrowwrr!

So that's about it.
I can't believe the Holidays are almost here! I'm thinking about my Thanksgiving dinner, and how I'm looking forward to Giblet gravy ahhhh mmmmmm!

I'm thrilled to say, we haven't had any snow 'round these parts...................yet.
Yes.. I know it's coming.. but everyday without snow is fine by me!

My BFF Gloria, has been in Las Vegas, visiting her sister, for the past 3 weeks. She'll be back tomorrow.

Oh! the BIG news... I'm LEGAL again.. lol..
Yes.. I finally got my drivers license renewed.
For the 3 of you who read my Blog, you may recall, that I forgot to renew it last year, causing me to have to get a temporary license.. and worse.. have to take a road test and maneuverability test!!!!!! I did get the temp. last December, then dreaded taking the test. I put it off and put it off.. (how typical of me!).. then knew I'd better get it over with, before the snow flew. Reluctantly, I made the appointment.
I almost overslept, because I was stressing the night before, and couldn't fall asleep.
Oh the horror, of sitting in the room with the moms & dads and their brace-faced teenagers. One by one, out the door they went to "line up" for the maneuverability test...each Teeny bopper was told "You can take your licensed driver, and get in line.."... WHAT???? LICENSED DRIVER?? I didn't bring one!!!!!! OMG... I in visioned myself offering money to one of these already stressed parents, to be MY licensed driver. Gloria had offered to go, but because of my procrastination.. she was now in Vegas. Oh man... I'm not leaving.. I'm not rescheduling... Finally, it was my turn, "Okay, you can get in line."... huh?... no licensed driver needed???.. feewhhh!! AGE has it's rewards! It was such a beautiful morning.. what a way to waste it.
I watched as the cute, young (35 years old...he told me...) uniform wearing Examiner, put on his best serious face, and put the first two victims through the maneuverability test. How could 5 innocent looking poles be so frightening!!! I couldn't think about it. I would just wait till it was my turn, then freak out. The car infront of me, made it through, and was off for the road test. Now it was my turn to pull up and wait.......... How could something I've been doing for 35 years terrify me??? I lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, then tried to clear the smoke out. Popped 7 Tic Tacs.... and with safety belt on.. waited .. for the "EXAMINATOR" to return. I was breathing hard now. He was going to be back soon, And I was going to have to go through the "Poles of Torture" next! He came out the door, looked at me across the parking lot... and his whole demeanor changed. He smiled, and through up his arms. "It's too nice to have to work! I should be home in my back yard right now!".. "I'm with you!" I laughed.. omg.. he's gonna go easy on the old lady!!!! Kewl! After checking my blinkers and horn he got in the car. He explained what was about to happen, then asked if I had any questions. "ya... how much do I have to pay you, not to take this test??".. "whoahhh.. don't say that!.. that's the kind of stuff that will land us on Karl Munday! (local investigative reporter)
Okay.. he's laughing.. this is good. I'm not used to parking while wearing my seat belt, and asked if I could take it off. "NO ma'am.. sorry, you have to wear it."... DAMN!... Okay.. I entered the poles of terror... pulled out... now what..?... "okay, back up".... .. omg.. Ok.. Ok.. I can do this..... AND I DID! FEWWWHHHHH!... "Okay, ma'am, you passed the maneuverability test. "I DID??"... YESSS!!".. He started talking like the EXAMINATOR again, telling me we were about to begin my road test. "the test begins now, I will tell you shortly before, when to turn. If I don't give you instruction, just continue to drive. Do you have any questions?"...... "nope."... I was thrilled to know we weren't going on the main road. Traffic is busy, and I wasn't very familiar with the area. Instead, we.. I snaked through an alleyway, and side streets. My road test had barely begun, when he asked what I did for a living. Huhhh??... chit-chat during my road test??... reallly?????? KEWL! I asked him how long he had been an examiner, and how many times he was told he looked like Tom Cruise. I got his whole work history during my test. He said I had taken my hand off the wheel, "Well your old, and old habits die hard..... I'm not going to take any points off for it..... eh.. uh.. I don't mean your old.. I just mean it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.. eh.. no.. I mean...... "... We were both laughing.. "I know what you meant, and it's fine!" Anyway..... we were back to the parking lot. "YOU PASSED".... "Ahhhhhhh Thank you!!! you will NEVER, EVER see me again!"..... "ha ha ha ha...you have a nice day Ma'am."..."I will now!" So "OLD" has it's rewards. I'm sure those brace-faced kids weren't engaged in a friendly conversation with the "Examinator"... ha!!! They were busy gripping the wheel, in the "10 & 2" position, sweating bullets, and fearing the scary "Old" guy in the uniform, that held their fate in his hands.
.... So let this be a lesson to you.... (mostly to me) NEVER FORGET TO RENEW!...... You're going to go check your license expiration dates now aren't you... :D

YA YA! 2009

We held our 7Th. annual Mothers & Daughters Celebration!...AKA: YA YA! October 18Th.

It was a great time as always!

This years host Debbie, Rita and I, went up on Friday as always, to set things up. The weather was windy and wild, and the lake was mean and gorgeous!

My nieces Roni and Becky had to work and couldn't be there, and poor little Isabella was home sick. We missed them all, but they were with us in spirit.

It was so much fun!

We inducted my new Niece-in-law Alma, she made the most gorgeous hand felted hat!

Deb set up for the kids to do face painting..... painting the faces of their Aunts! THAT was hysterically funny!

Rita taught us how to make our own bath salts.

Of course.. their was so much food!

I love our celebrations, and look forward to next year!