Party likes its 2-0-0-9

The song in my head worked better... ah well. So far the last day of the year hasn't but much different from any other day at home... oh we started with snow, and ice and wet all mixed together in a jib-jab of sloppy, cold messiness... but on the up side Bubba shoveled out the drive way before I was out of the shower this morning and he's at work all day...

Me? I got logged onto work, did that for 10 minutes, some girl group paperwork, then headed out for my appointed (Bubba approved location) oil change, grocery shopping for dinner tonight and company dinner tomorrow night, and a quick trip to the post office (paper back swap has been busy last couple of days... women have had enough cooking and family) ;-)

Got that all done, picked up some lunch and made my way home, got it all packed away then began to panic as it was getting later in the afternoon and I didn't have my annual review done for work... and it was due today... But it is now several hours later, pups are happily sleeping - well they are sleeping and my review is done, spell checked and once again I saved the world from crappy code - well as much as I could... I don't work for Microsoft.

Of course it is that special radar that only Bubba has to call repeatedly at the most inconvenient time possible (trying to each lunch) with multiple stupid questions... we are adding one for dinner, we have set the time - and HE has to call his mother... None of this are major issues but if you could think of everything before you call it would avoid 3 phone calls inside of 1o minutes and the indigestion that comes with that... Of course after all that his mother calls me... go figure.

But that is all set and ready to go, I have our New Year's Eve dinner defrosting... relax people the folks who Bubba works for were VERY generous with the holiday goodies. Omaha steaks, lobster tails and twice baked potatoes with chocolate cake for dessert - AND I've got more in the freezer!! I gave a passing thought to using the dining room table tonight -but then I remembered what a slob Bubba is and I will not do any laundry tomorrow!!

So my list of things to get done is longer than my leg - which isn't saying much but hey - it ain't that short - the list AND my leg. Any who I best get to it...


One final note to everyone and anyone: 2009 was a darn sight better than the previous year and I am eternally grateful for that small blessing. But I am also reminded on a daily and regular basis how truly blessed I am, all members of extended family and friends are generally healthy and hanging on to what they got. All nieces and nephew are healthy strong and vital people, and while I may not agree with choices made - I love them all regardless.

I celebrated a major milestone with Bubba this year - and in spite all the foolishness written here he is a good person who works way too hard and thinks back-asswards. But we love him anyway.

And as always I am grateful for it all - every laugh every tear, every scream of frustrated stress and every pounded keyboard to find the small release to the universe. So tonight as we stare into the dawn of a new year, a new decade, please stop for one minute, reflect on even the smallest gift you've received this year and remember all those who don't have as much - make it the one resolution you keep to do one nice thing for someone else - you will be rewarded.

Happy New Year Everyone - Big Hug. Aunt Ing.

Christmas Story #2 - Picture day...

My mother's Christmas gift this year was family pictures - I sure as heck hope she liked them because it will be a cold day - well it will be a while before I decided to do this again... (cue the way back music)

It's Sunday - it's the holiday season - all should be shiny and bright... yeah well. Not so much. First we go back several weeks to our hero Aunt Ing stuck in yet another DC traffic mess - but do not fret gentle reader for she had the technology to reach out and peck at her fellow family members... First the brother - which should have probably been the sister-in-law as we all know that women of the household set the schedule... but I spoke to my brother because he was home... we set a date set a time, I called the sister - confirmed good date and time - all was well...

Sunday morning - 6 adults one small child - one bathroom. Not exactly a recipe for success.. but we made it. Then the fun began... Brother and family arrived - a few minutes late no stress no worries.. OK yeah there were some as we were about to call and get an ETA but just as phones came whipping out - they were pulling up. We were all dressed in our required finery... first issue, my brother in law didn't have a jacket - he was the only male member of the family who didn't - BIG FARTING DEAL - he's got a tie - moving on. My sister tried to accuse me of not telling her what the requirements were - oh yes I did but I didn't have the written transcript of our phone conversation handy... I say "al-keda" every now and again it keeps the trackers on my phone so I can call up said transcripts when I need them to win family arguments...

OK - so everyone is here, hug hug kiss kiss first surprise of the day from camera lady... "WE don't guarantee pictures with over 8 people in them... when I made the appointment I said 8 adults and 3 children -was the math too hard for the girl? When were they going to tell me this bit of news? I wasn't pleased - and it also started the Bubba (I'm going to be a butthead now) look toward me.... and frankly that was the source of 9/10's of the stress of the day - if he would have sat down shut the heck up I had things handled - right after I got my sister to put a cork in it as well - but I'm getting ahead of myself...

We got the pictures taken - with 3 small kids it was an interesting thing but I must credit the camera lady she worked hard...

Now we get to fun stop number 2 - looking at our pictures deciding what we all want and keeping within the Bubba budget... (insert cranky face number 2) We have a coupon then discover that the sitting fee is PER PERSON - and amounts to over $100!!! Are you freaking kidding me? Now my sister is in the act - and she's in my face about how I should have read the coupon which came into my possession that very morning - and I had better get the CD for free so I can print what I want... bla bla bla ... insert Bubba growling in the other ear that I have a budget and why didn't I know about this that the other and 12 other things I had no clue to even think about asking... What do I do? Defensive crouch? Yelling and screaming? No of course not I wasn't home - I badger the woman setting this up - she then gives me an out - we buy a 2 year membership which thanks to the coupon is $10 bucks off - we're down to 20 bucks for JC Penny overhead then we select the sheets of pictures we want wrap it up and wha-la - we are WELL within budget - everyone except Bubba is happy and we are outta there...

But wait - it gets more funny as you all know Bubba wasn't going to let this go!! Plus I had to ask the question if we wanted to do lunch at the mall together. You would have thought I asked Bubba to remove his favorite body part... but we do lunch - after taken the Bataan Death March to the food court to avoid the playground for the kids... hey what did I know? I thought avoiding the crying and the wailing was a good thing - who knew it took us 6.3 miles out of our way?

We arrive we eat lunch, and I am mad, tired and pretty much had enough of Bubba. He's cranky because he wants to go home and watch football - I want to play with the kids... you see the problem? Well thankfully Mom stepped in, sent Dad and Bob home to watch football I got to play with the kids, take pictures and basically cool off...

Oh - the formal pictures turned out pretty good - better had I not been the chubby chick in the back looking like I had to be prodded into smiling - but hey. No one is happy with any picture they take of themselves - or is that just me?

I wonder if Pap liked his girls only picture? I thought that would be fun... even though I didn't let him bring his clown wig with him...


One final note on picture day? On our way home 24 plus hours later - Bubba starts in again on how I should have asked more questions. I relay the entire conversation and then pose the question, "what mental telepathy should I have used to ask questions about something I had no prior knowledge of?" I'm still waiting for an answer.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve - its just me and Bubba - stay tuned.

Christmas story number 1... How to shred glass...

Now you may be asking yourself why would I want to shred glass? And that boys and girls is a very good question and as a rule you don't - especially in your mom's garbage disposal with a house full of people.

Now of course the question is now - why would you do that? Well - silly goose - one does not do this with forethought and intent - no. We do this without thought and unconscious movement...trust me. We can also put this under the title, "Good deeds do not go unpunished."

Let me tell the tale... Breakfast the morning after Christmas, things are mellow, nothing scheduled generally a good vibe going, in a fit of being helpful I decided to load the dishes into the dishwasher... and the task was done with the last step dumping 9/10's of the uneaten oatmeal (ick put-pooie!) that the niece decided she didn't want. Now before I dumped it I checked the garbage disposal for silverware as I am guilty as the next of chewing up all manner of eating instruments that have slid down the happy slide to the chewing blades - aka the garbage disposal.

Dumped the oatmeal - turned on the water - flipped the switch to get ride of the water soaked oatmeal and suddenly! GRRRGRGRGRGRGRRR - hit the switch, father yelling, then mother yelled from upstairs "You're sister is in the shower - quit running the water!" She didn't hear the noise... we'll get to that later...

Now father rushes over and I start checking the (what I am now calling) the port of doom... between remnants of oatmeal I feel around and pull out - a shard of glass - wth? I dig around and more glass pieces, (getting the gist of the story now aren't you?) So I keep pulling hunks of glass out and then Dad tries to turn the disposal on again - now we have stuck gears sound (grrrrrr - oh so not good) so we dig around more between me and Dad and dig out more glass fragments.

Now at this point neither one of us has a clue what the heck WAS in this disposal - then I open the dishwasher and count... 1, 2, 3, crap. One of the shot glasses was missing - well not any more as it was in 6 billion little bitty chips embedded in my mother's garbage disposal - and it was clogging the works. What joy. So we dig around, we use the end of the plunger to try and unjam it - my Dad asks me to dig around more as my hands are smaller and I won't mention what this is doing to my Christmas manicure... but as I stand there digging out glass in muck down comes my mother and what to my father and my husband do - the finger pointing Benedict Arnolds? Yep - point their fingers right and me and say - in unison no less - "SHE DID IT." I will remember that boys - just you wait - I will remember...

Now we have to go through the entire explanation - then - good ol' mom she blames Dad for not putting them in the dishwasher or the other side of the sink or whatever... I was almost in the clear - almost until the dreaded - "did you check it?" Well - yeah for metal sticking up things... not glass sitting at the bottom of the muck things... sheesh.

But after a few choice football words hurled at my beloved husband and father, more glass plucking, more shifting and goading and praying it finally clicked back on and we all went on with our day - My father and husband laughing and pointing to the tune of "She did it" and me to the tune of I wasn't going to turn that darn thing on again... ever.

I will report later that day I broke off a nail that had been cracked previously... I wasn't happy and proceeded to show my father that broken nail at every opportunity... why yes it was my middle finger why do you ask?

More on picture day tomorrow... I need my beauty sleep.

And we're back...

Home in MD that is.... the trip by all means was a success - and as we now speak Bubba is off getting a massage - too much time with the in-laws I suppose... but then again what did he do but sit around and eat? Heck what did I do but sit around and eat?

Let us recap the days that were shall we? First we have already documented the trip to PA - we will get to the trip home to MD... Let us begin with Christmas Eve... (here the drippy way back music - ) and cue our herion dressed in work like clothes and ready to head to the in-laws for merriment and gift giving... and there is our beloved Bubba on his computer and cell phone trying to get work done - on Christmas Eve... but the techo gods were with me - or maybe not as he couldn't log on neither could his counterpart from the wilds of his Christmas home so that idea was scrapped for post holiday. Which means it got us on the road sooner - whoopee! Off to the in-laws we lunched alone as they didn't want to wait for our arrival and we ended up at the new version of the hot dog shop - yes boy and girls I ate Butler hot dogs on Christmas Eve with Bubba. He's a romantic isn't he?

So off to kill time with the in-laws until we went to Sis-in-law's house for food and presents. Now there is a rule with my mother and sister in law - one is not permitted to wear shoes into their homes... I don't get it either but you end up with this big pile of misplaced shoes by the front door and you spend an inordinate amount of time getting in and out of this confined space with the doors open to either winter cold or summer heat. In what I thought was a smart move I wore shoes I could easily slip on and off - therefore eliminating the need to stand, bent over tying my shoes in this 1 foot by 1 foot space of cold and wet trying to get in/out of this house. All this bought me was cold, wet knee highs and the need to bring along an extra pair of socks. But - again I digress...

Gifts were exchanged, things went well, we met the eldest niece's newest Baby Daddy... he said Hi and didn't exchange another word to me or Bubba for the rest of the night. No matter - the last one didn't say much either... we'll see what's what at a later time. I do have to make one fashion comment here - girls if you find yourself pregnant - hoodies of a bright hue with a pocket in front of said prego belly is not the place to store your cigs - it creates this big shining square bump in the middle of your already protruding prego belly. Just saying - you might want to stash those in a back pocket or a handbag-- just a thought.

Also learned that night that NO member of my husband's family can carry a tune in a bucket and this information was gained in painful fashion by a game called "Rock Star" or something to that effect. Now the object is to play along with the guitar and sing along... I had a throbbing headache well into round three... ouch.

But we stayed played cards, headed back to my folks place late into the night and awaited the arrival of Christmas... oh - and the reason we don't stay with the in laws? Neither sis nor Mom allow my pups in their house - plus there is no where for us to sleep - so... we stay 50 minutes away at my folks house. Its a life.

Now as I started to post Christmas morning as it was just mom, dad, me and Bubba (and the pups) we got dressed and made out way to church - as the place didn't fall in when Bubba and I walked in - I figured God forgave and made peace on Christmas. The rest of the family arrived about 2:30- 3:00 PM and chaos quickly ensued! Paper and boxes and shrieks of excitement and puppy barks and gasps of oh -boy and then a child's name "Martina - come open this!" "Emma - calm down!" "Has anyone seen Zoe?" (she was temporarily buried under the piles of paper and ribbon - but she didn't notice she was playing with her new toys).

So gifts given, dinner eaten, dishes done, children played and it was all good. That boys and girls is what Christmas is really all about. That small slice of time with family and friends where everything is good and smiles and laughter is all you have to worry about - that and the occasional buried small child. I am truly blessed with all this family - both sides. We'll just see how blessed when we get to the adventure known as "Family Pictures"... stay tuned.

Oh yeah - and stay tuned for the story of how to shred glass in one easy step...

Merry Christmas Yinz* - en nat...

Merry Christmas - we are awaiting the arrival of the rest of the family and as we wait - I thought I would post a few thoughts on the day was that Christmas Eve. It began in the usual manner up with the dogs - they were fed, watered and emptied. All was right in their world... I got breakfast, bathed and dressed, Bubba got dressed and attempted to log on to work (I know - but what can you do?) As that was unsuccessful he let it go - (I know!) and we prepared for the trek north to the land of the in-laws (insert evil organ music here)...

Now as we headed that way after only one false start, I was informed that we were doing lunch alone then making our way to mother in laws to enjoy some quiet family time - then we would proceed at the appointed time to the sister in law's home where Christmas would begin in earnest!
And we did - all proceeded as planned with only minor glitches of harsh words from Bubba after being told he was parking on the grass covered in much less snow that we got in DC... but hey...


===
Now about this time family arrived Christmas Day and all heck broke loose... let's put it this way... 3 kids 6 and under... 3 dogs, one old, one not and one puppy... boxes and paper and everything everywhere - it was super fab. We ate, we drank, we laughed and laughed, and sighed and enjoyed every minute.

We are now at Christmas Day minus one... and we have stories... but they will have to wait as I've got time to spend with the family - and family pictures to deal with tomorrow. that will be a post unto itself...

Merry Christmas y'all...

*yinz... (Pittsburgh speak for you guys, y'all etc.)

Ah the Travel day...

Ok - up at O-dark 30 and "moving" trip home was wonderfully uneventful - oh there were moments of annoyance when I came downstairs and there was Bubba with his nose in his computer... and yes I loaded the truck so we could get on the road - there were a few choice (non-football) words exchanged and away we went...

Arrived home to Mom's and we have invaded. Christmas presents, suitcases, dog bag, dog beds, dog food... dogs- almost as bad as having a kid. Almost.

Put the gingerbread houses together and let them set up so when little fingers got to them they would stand up without much trouble. And they did... I made them - of course they would... (she says now)

Back in the car - an hour ride to my brother's, call from my sister, we were running behind - we arrive, invasion number 2. Only this time I came packing gingerbread houses, icing, candy and goodies... loaded up the girls with icing bags and candy at the ready and for 45 minutes it was pandemonium... the good kind. Then we had 3 little girls bouncing off the walls on all that sugar - OMG - what fun. I think my brother's dog may have developed a new twitch but then again that dog lives with my brother and his two children - that dog is bullet proof.

then after a short period of time to allow the bulk of the sugar to burn through their system we went to dinner - and between you and me it filled the hole but wasn't the greatest dinner ever. Mexican in Western PA - yeesh. Next time we'll do wings - go with the speciality and Western PA knows wings.

Everyone had a good time, we took a ton of pictures and it all in all was a good day... now I will hang on to those feelings - because tomorrow (insert dramatic music here) we invade the in-laws... but just me and Bubba the puppies get to spend the day with Nana. Tomorrow's post will be sometime Saturday - it will be a busy couple of days...

Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the family and friends you are with no matter how or where they are...

So this is what the outside world looks like...

I'm ready to go back in now.... ;-) Kidding. So I ventured out today, no big deal. I have the day OFF and I took it - well off from work. I picked up the ham for Christmas, quick deal there, picked up my contacts which I had neglected to do for a week, picked up some cash for the trip home, got my nails done all pretty and red for Christmas - AND ran to the wine store and picked up a nice Italian red for the neighbors next door and a nice Aussie red for the trip home - which I may start drinking as I leave... if not before.

With that said I've got the last load of laundry in the dryer, the rest is folded and done, I cleaned the kitchen BEFORE I had the nails done (smart I kn0w) and wasted 100 minutes with a stupid movie on Showtime... because I could.

Bubba arrived home last night - he called from the airport announced he had a conference call - asked ME for the time and then said he had to go into the office. Whatever... oh and Bubba it's called a watch for those times when you're on the phone and want to know the time... idiot. I digress.. so 45 minutes later he calls talks to someone else - then gives me some half story about what do I think about waiting for his bag... its due in later... um - dear unless you're asking me to drive to flipping Baltimore and get it - I really don't have a dog in this hunt - and NO I would not drive to Baltimore to get his bag - he's there!!!

So... he calls about an hour later - mumbled something about conference call, and now he's heading home and I should hold dinner - or did I want him to call so I could plan dinner accordingly. No I didn't laugh in his face (I did that after I hung up the phone)... but I state clearly that "dinner is done - you were going to work". His pithy reply? "Uh - oh yeah"

Now in Bubba's defense he did just jet set across the country on 4 (count them) 4 different flights, and his last connection apparently didn't include his luggage. It arrived 90 minutes after he did... so good thing for the conference call that he said he took at the airport, he got his bag, and then decided to come home to his loving family... which included me now just ticked a the whole mess and his dog - who didn't leave her warm blanket until he called her - the other one raised her head and looked at me like, "I guess this means no big bed tonight".

Now Bubba had stated on his way home that he was hungry, I said fine dinner was done all he would have to do is reheat it when he got in. Now most people when faced with dinner after basically not eating all day would forgo the unpacking, the pacing, and the complete mail sweep including the interrogation of which bills had yet to be paid (none) and just sit down and eat. Not Bubba for his arrival included all that and two trips to the car because he needed some cords to plug something else in. It just makes my head hurt....

So he arrived home, flipped on the Penguins game - and promptly turned up the volume and found something to grump about... me? Had a stack of reading materials at the ready.

Now the other fun thing today? My family - last week I spent my quality traffic time on the phone with the family coordinating and arranging for gingerbread house making (decorating) to be done with young nieces. We are meeting at my brother's house, great, he also said he was going to call my sister and arrange a pick up and drop off kind of thing. He didn't. Had my mother not called and asked I would not have known this information - and frankly I didn't ask for details because - well just because. So thanks to Mom and my own internal head slap - she is coordinating pick up and drop off and all will be well... I hope.

We pack up and head north tomorrow morning early, which means if I am smart I pack up everything I can tonight - but it would work better if the suitcases went first then the presents - maybe I can do a side by side thing - ah screw it I'm going to get some aspirin. We'll pack up in the AM meaning Bubba will putz for 20 minutes with light switches and I will have the car completely loaded in that time - trust me this works better than us doing something together.

Its amazing to me how two people can be married and approach things so differently - which is what comes when you marry -- a man. ;-)

Stay tuned will do my best to post the fun at home - or maybe just the drinking. ;-)

I could leave the house....

But why aren't I? Simple reason the 7:15 traffic report - "outer loop of the beltway is down to 2 lanes into VA and the backup is past the 270 divide and up 270 Southbound.... " any guess what my commute roads are? See above... They figured it would be several hours of snow removal before those other 2 lanes were open... oh so not fighting that mess.

So - with that happy news I said screw it I can get more done in the 2 hours I would be sitting in the car, and I don't have to wonder what the back roads near the office look like. So I'm home, up showered, dressed - with hair and makeup and working on line. And I'm working! (shocking I know)

I also know that tomorrow I will have to bank 2 hours working as I've got 2 calls I should really be in on, plus that will get me up and moving, then I can pick up the Christmas ham, and get my nails done so they look all nice and sparkly for the holiday.

My one conference call for today is done, minutes are done, so that is one less thing. I started to complete my required course for my annual review, but after the first chapter the stupid thing just hung there so I will do next week when nothing else is going on and I'll be in the office so I won't have VPN issues.

Now on the upside, the driveway is clear all the way to the street - with help from the neighbor, I finished wrapping all the presents so now I have to put the paper and extras away, I've got family presents parsed out, just to just move them out of doggy - path. Apparently it is a hound trait to chew corners of presents... Violet! No! Shelby just stands on the paper I had rolled out to wrap a gift - thanks Shelby - please stop licking the tape. And I wonder why it took me so long to get that done.

I actually found the dining room table last night, the Christmas cover is on it, my kitchen is clean, the dishwasher needs run, the sheets have been changed from puppy sleeping with mommy to nice clean sheets for Bubba's anticipated arrival home today... right now it's even money if he'll make it.

We spoke several times yesterday - he actually called during the football game to discuss it - but as I wasn't seeing it... he did call after the game, stating he couldn't believe they actually won the darn thing -I was surprised the radio had seconds on the clock and they were down by 6 points I figured they were done like dinner... of course then had to flip over to the NFL network, slog through their self-aggrandizing of the two games they broadcast - then finally I got to see it... perhaps they will be on NFL replay this week and I will be able to see that. If not I will just avoid the stress of watching the once mighty defense fall apart like my biscotti cookies. It ain't pretty people trust me.

I did log some quality Facebook time, uploading pictures of my snow bound house, and dogs, and the hint of my driveway... and should I tell Bubba that I have shoveled my last snow for the year? He managed to miss the "big" snow of last winter too... not nearly as much as this one - but still... "I was traveling" excuse is wearing really really thin.

I will be nice to him if he makes it home tonight - he said he as flights bouncing him across the country and he's got some pretty tight connections. Not to mention when he finally gets home - he's got to dig out his car buried under 2 feet of snow at the airport parking lot... oh yeah Aunt Ing will be very nice to him... and it's Christmas... we'll see what January holds won't we? LOL

Can you tell it's been 3 days since I've talked to anyone? Lookout family chatty cathy is coming home... now what's for lunch?

Day 2 trapped in snow hell....

I have seen the pavement of my driveway I will not see the edges of the driveway until I think May. It is taller than both dogs and frankly I think if I fell the wrong way I too would not be found until spring-- maybe.

I did go outside and dig out 9/10's of my driveway, I left the 4 foot wall of plowed snow at the end of my driveway. I just couldn't face it. I will go back out and deal with it - the neighbors also said they would lend a hand as well - many hands and all that... I am grateful.

So, plans for today? Won't be seeing any football from Western PA - ah well. Very surprised to report that my road has been plowed as of when I got up this AM - so apparently they found our neighborhood... as I watched the local news this morning the major roads had about 2-3 lanes out of the 4 lane highways are clear - ish. The sun is out and blinding on all the bright white snow... cripes. Which also means there will be some melting of snow and a great deal of the famous 'refreeze' over night which should make the morning commute a real good time... still might work from home - depends upon how much cabin fever starts creeping in. That is a game time decision tomorrow.

I posted pics on my facebook page I've almost got it together in terms of getting pictures from camera to places I want... attaching to email is an act of extreme patience.... but I did it - and send a picture to Bubba living the high life on the west coast as to just how much snow is outside - I used his dog as a guide - the back yard doggie tunnel is taller than his dog. Shelby presented a present on the driveway this morning because it was below her nose... thanks Shelby not only do I have to move the additional 6 inches that fell after the neighbor kid moved the initial 2 feet, but now I'm dealing with brown snow - and thanks Violet - yellow snow.

And the stupid statement of the weekend? Bubba in his wisdom told me that that I should move the snow away from the sliding glass door - seriously? The snow is thigh deep - on the deck - I wasn't going to find the freaking stairs much less be able to make my way to the sliding glass door! He wants it dug out - here is the shovel travel-boy - enjoy. Aunt Ing is done with digging out.

All right - gift wrapping right after another cup of coffee and standing inside looking outside and enjoying how pretty everything looks... out the back door...

Winter wonderland my fanny...

There is currently 6000 pounds of snow outside my window and I am typing on the computer my window is at ground level - all I see is white and grey - white snow and grey sky. The radio has said nothing but stay home - don't go out the Dept of Transportation can't keep ahead of the falling snow... panic panic panic...

I am home, I have dug out the stairs outside three times today and will probably do it a few more times tonight and tomorrow too... the dogs have a tunnel - from where I stopped shoveling to the gap between all that snow and the deck - all the yellow and probably brown snow will be in that gap - with any luck I won't see it until spring - at this point I don't think I am going to see the back yard until spring. The snow is taller than Shelby - it's up to Violet's chest... people this is serious - that is a lot of freaking snow! AND ITS STILL COMING DOWN - I AM NEVER GETTING OUT OF THIS HOUSE! Ahem - well now. I'm fine really.

On the serious plus side? The kid next door apparently needs gas money so he's shoveling my driveway - I love that kid because I was done with gingerbread and icing and figured before the light really disappeared I should make a half hearted effort to clean off my driveway - then he arrived. (Did you hear the angels sing?) He's about 1/2 way done and looking a bit forlorn - I feel for him that's a lot of freaking snow! He said one price I upped to get him on his way home to clean off my TV dish - I can't get HD - which will suck for the hockey game tonight. ;-)

Let's face it the snow is up to his knees - this kid is about 5 foot 10 inches tall - take 7 inches off for me and I trudging waist deep in snow - that will suck times 12.

I took some pictures - now I just have to figure out how to get them from the camera software on my computer to someone else. Give me an hour - or so after all what else do I have to do for the next two days? Nothing - I may do a load of laundry just so I have some clean unmentionables - Bubba is on the West Coast and on his own. Actually I have that answer he said he was going to swing by Target on his way back to the hotel tonight and "pick up a pack". Ah men.

Current Bubba arrival plan - Monday. He said if something hinky happens he will look into rerouting to Pittsburgh - won't that be fun? Another maneuver to coordinate. I'll make his Dad go get him - BWAAA HA HA HA.... ahem - sorry. Seems to be the day for ill timed outbursts. Screw it I'm alone with the dogs - what's the diff eh?

So, Saturday thus far - up, look outside - series of shocked football words, shower, breakfast, rolled out and baked gingerbread house parts, and cookies, icing, wash it all up, thanking the stars for the boy next door, and computer time... next will follow throw something together for dinner, put that dish in the dishwasher and hockey and whatever attracts my fancy on the tube. Followed by bed, and wondering what to do with my Sunday. It will probably be something like staring out into all that white snow wondering if it will ever stop falling from the sky....

There is a rumor of football game tomorrow - now as stupid Baltimore's game as been moved to 4:15 I may not have to witness first hand that other team - but my neighbors are big Green Bay fans - I am in big trouble. There is always the Internet.

Stay tuned I may be back on line soon - like leaving a list of where I have hidden the jewelry and what to do with my frozen body when they dig it out in 2012. ... Not feeling closed in at all why do you ask?

OMG - IT'S COMING ITS COMING!!!

The S-N-O-W!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Panic - mayhem - panic - bread - milk - TP!!! AHHHHHH!

Yes, boys and girls this is the typical reaction from the Washington DC Metropolitan area - the exact above reaction - as witnessed by yours truly this very afternoon. As I awoke before birds, bugs and most normal humans I was also able to leave work at a very early hour - aren't I glad I did... because 1) traffic was already thinking about being crazy 2) the grocery store was nuts and 3) the gas station was already! (at 3:00 Pm) AND out of Plus and Premium gas...

There were literally NO shopping carts available I had to wait for a woman to unload hers and take it - and I had to wait at the gas station for the better part of 20 minutes to fill up my tank - and the only reason I did that - was because I had less than 1/4 tank and I wanted to have a full take with blowing snow.

The weather man is predicted 10-15 inches of snow to begin falling tonight - on through Sunday morning. And thank the stars above which I won't see for several nights - I don't have to go anywhere - which is why I was among the idiots at the grocery store...

Now for those of you who live in a area where this is basically called "winter" this amount of snow in DC is cause for major league panic. There were empty shelves in the milk container, every line was open, and there was no place to park when I got there at 2:30 this afternoon. I cannot even begin to imagine what that place looks like now that most folks have gotten off of work. The reason for this reaction? No one around here can 1) drive in this stuff and 2) the State Dept of Transportation is not really equipped for this kind of volume. I guarantee it will be late Sunday, if I'm lucky, for the county to remember that these back and neighborhood roads exist. I did remember my computer so if I'm stuck I can work from home. Plus unlike Western PA we do not have enough good- 'ol boys down here with big trucks and snow plows on the front - we must rely on county and state government - where there motto tends to be - "God put it there he can move it!"

Now the funner part? Bubba's had two flights cancelled on him already, the first which was supposed to bring him home tonight about midnight - and the one that was going to bring him home sometime Saturday. I already knew the Saturday flight was a no-go it's supposed to do nothing but snow on Saturday. Good money is on a Monday arrive - if he's really lucky Sunday - but it will take until Monday morning for him to dig out his car... parked in Baltimore.

The Not-to-funn-er part? When Bubba finally does get home - are we going to be able to get out of Maryland and get to PA for Christmas - because if I have to spend Christmas home - alone with Bubba - or even home alone - you will hear about it - and I will be drinking. Screw that if I can get out - I'll pack him a suitcase and tell him to reroute to PA. I will talk to him tonight and remind him to work very hard while he is trapped on the West coast so when he gets home we can pack up and go - and I don't care if he's been gone and wants to stay home - fine I'm leaving. And Merry Christmas to you too - butthead. ;-)

My plan for the weekend? Making gingerbread houses for my nieces so we can get together and decorate them (again provided we're getting out of here alive) and finishing the Christmas wrapping... that should keep me busy - let's just hope I don't have to go out and clean the dish too often - that sucks.

Did I mention they are predicting 10-15 inches of snow?

MOM!!! Keep the fires burning I'll be home sometime.... help me...

Frogger - the morning commute.

Left in plenty of time this AM I had a 10 AM demo, not a problem. Then problem, hit the beltway - and 4 cars decided to meet each other in an up close and personal manner and took 2 left lanes to do it - and just as you got by that meet and greet 1/2 mile down the road 3 more folks thought the first folks had just a good idea they tried and tied up the 2 right lanes.

I mean what fun! 90 plus minutes later I'm in my meeting - and stuck until almost lunch time, no coffee no nothing. That - boys and girls is torture - not to mention painful. No need to water board - just make those terrorists drive a commute in DC - they will spill their guts!

The rest of the day has been SO uneventful that it's taking me 8 hours to get this much down "on paper"

So, home, check the weather report, threats of snow this weekend, try and wrap another gift without puppy love, steps, licks or tears on it, and we'll see what Friday brings.

Besides an early morning...

Exciting ain't it? ;-)

Hump day...

I am being selfish today... I am working from home again today - Why? Because I can. And because my pups deserve it. Yeah yeah - that's the ticket. ;-)

So I got one gift wrapped last night because I had hound licks, and puppy feet standing on paper - and boxes -licking the tape - yeah that's helpful - and barking and playing and more - pay attention to ME! So I bagged the wrapping and played with the pups who then promptly moved blankets around the family room and went to sleep. Must have learned that trick from Bubba - annoy her until she pays attention to you then when she's tired and annoyed do what you want so she won't get her stuff done. Oh yeah -thanks girls.

So I've got a few errands to run today I guess I'm going to have to go early as I've got a meeting later today and then more of not a whole lot going on. I will have to go into work early Friday but on the upside, home early, and then one working day next week, a day off with Bubba working then home for the holidays - all good things.

But first, I must make gingerbread houses for the nieces so we can make a big mess at Nana's and decorate them, and I've got to make egg nog for the Ladies' group dinner BUT!! this year I have the BIG bowl to mix the final product. I used to use my roasting pan as it was the biggest thing I had to get all that stuff in there - and that was a half a recipe. Go figure.

And another thing - why and how do the dogs know that you finally get to talk to the tech support guys THAT is the time to start growling over a toy then yapping at who knows what then ringing the bell to be let out, then run upstairs and start barking at the leaf blowing by... I shut the door - then they scratched on the door to be let in. Only when I'm done girls - deal with it.

They take over where Bubba leaves off. On the up side - they sleep more than he does - and I can tell them to go lay down.

Sorry life has been so quiet lately, but you've got to take the down time with the crazy times and I'm sure when Bubba makes his way home, we get into the thick to packing for home, and the trip and then home... and family and in-laws and all the rest... these thoughts will take on a whole new slant.

All right off to tend the things today... stay warm!

He's planning what?

Welcome to the call of the day... from my beloved Bubba - "ah - my friend is seeing some good airfares so we're talking about the Spring trip to Vegas" Yes he's planning a trip 4 months in advance - THAT he plans ahead. I simply shake my head and wonder how he gets to go and play-- oh yeah 4 days of peace and quiet - I knew there was a good reason.

That was the highlight of the day - got to work without much trouble, suffered through the morning telecons, and have basically killed time this afternoon. We've done some stuff to get ready for the deliveries tomorrow but since we've already done this once we don't have much to finish this time around.

The boss is in lovely Ft. Wayne IN - better him than me.

Bubba is on the West coast so - no need to cook, and control of the remote - its all good.

Everyone liked the cookies I made, I know they aren't as good as Mom's but I have learned some valuable lessons with those cookies. I brought the rest into work, better than sitting at home with me alone - very dangerous.

So tonight I have gift wrapping on tap - should be fun with two pups wanting attention. Every gift I have given in the past 10 years have had dog hair on the tap, the occasional doggie nail hole in the paper and the rare chewed corner - and various other dog-related dings, bumps, licks and sniffs - if it comes from me - it's got the doggie seal of "what's that?"

Penguins hockey tonight - but its on Versus - so I ain't going to see it. Cable Vs. Satellite and that means I don't see hockey....

What's on tube tonight? We'll have to find out - and I'll probably end up on the food channel.

So we'll end this excitement for tonight - have a good day and perhaps tomorrow we can come up with something more fun. Or not.

The house is still standing....

Can't quite find the kitchen but I'm sure it's still under all that mess I left behind... I learned several things football words work just fine with baking, and I am not my mother. I swear there is some secret something I am missing in order to do this right - or some critical step she just knows and didn't put on paper. Or maybe I'm just a rotten baker. My biscotti logs were too large and crumbled, the edges got a bit darker than they should have... my cups didn't bake up with a nice well to hold all that good caramel... I loaded them up anyway - they leaked, I will ice them today. I reached a point of no return and bagged it for a night.

Bubba was up and gone super early this morning, he is off to the west coast for the week - peace will reign.

I woke on time, tended to the AM issues - and then sat on the highway for the better part of 35 minutes going no where in a big fat hurry... so I debated my options and if I wanted to make my 10AM staff meeting I was going to have to turn around and head home... and I did. Called into work said I will be on line in 30 minutes. And I was. Stupid traffic.

So I am home, dressed in my comfy warm woollies the pups are snoring happily outside the crates and I will spend my day being busy with work and home stuff. Not a bad way to start a week no? Plus it will be a full day and then some as I won't have to leave early to finish cookies and get home in time to deal with the pups and like - and I won't feel guilty when I leave them for a meeting tonight. Win - win - win in my book. The boss in is or on his way to Ft. Wayne Indiana - from FLA - (lol) sorry - he's going to need a parka and 12 layers to even begin to feel warm - I would!!

So boys and girls the lesson for today is... 1) Caramel Tassies are a 2 day cookie, 2) check the traffic report before you waste the lipstick, and 3) a good day working at home is still a day spent working.

That is all. There will be no discussion of that - team... none. I have a week not to think about it or do say anything... oh and did I mention the 3-9 Washington Redskins managed to beat the Oakland Raiders - IN OAKLAND? Just thought I mention that - stupid Steelers.

How are the Pens doing? Need to get their schedule on my calendar.

Its just the smoke alarm - relax

I'm just baking - sheesh. ;-) Yes boys and girls I am about to embark on a holiday tradition of some note - and make a big a$$ mess I am sure... Going to try and make Nana's Carmel Tassie cookies, the cookies you have to back, melt, ice, chill and heaven knows what else I've read this recipe three times - oh yeah I'm in for a workout.

See Monday for an update - that might be the only working computer I have left...

Today is Sunday - there is no football today -oh there might be for other teams - well there won't be any more football Sundays so what does it matter and I'm not going back there again. Not going to do it. Nope.

Also won't mention watching 6 hours of WINNING -- CHAMPIONSHIP Steeler football over the past week - NFL network did an entire series on the 6 (count um) Super Bowls the team has won - and the last one - just pissed me off.... this is the same team -- Ben didn't do a header into another SUV - WT--- Ahem. Yes as I was saying, football Sundays are done, it's all good, we are calm and we are going to bake. Perhaps I should find a cookie that requires some kneading or perhaps some very strenuous pulling or something ... grrrrrrrrr Perhaps I am still a bit bitter about Thursday's loss, it will pass.

All right-y then... shopping list, waders, parka, industrial strength rain cover... ready to brave the elements and the grocery store. Did I mention the rain? It's 35 degrees and raining, pouring --- what fun this will be. NOT.

So my plan for Sunday is a simple one, survive a trip to the grocery store, bake cookies, pray like Troy Polamalu (not that its doing HIM much good these days) and iron my dining room table cloth - sat down for dinner last night and that was pretty much all she wrote... take 2. ;-)

Enjoy your Sunday - after all a team that isn't playing can't lose can they? CAN they?


Quick update 1: Read entire list of ingredients so you don't have to surf the web to find proper substitute. And the time to clean out the fridge is BEFORE you start all this not during when you need the room... oh yeah and remember it's Sunday before trying to buy liqueur (they are closed) Back to the action...

Deck the halls...

And the living room, and the dining room, and the family room, and clean up the basement, and realize the dining room Christmas table cloth needs ironed, the one on there needs washed - and then it will need ironed... ho... ho... ho....

Welcome to Christmas pooped. All without a trip to the mall.

Last night's Nameless Corporation Holiday Gala extravaganza was nice. Frankly better than I expected, dinner was good company was good, DJ was too freaking loud so you couldn't talk to anyone without shouting, traffic sucked getting there drink prices were something close to float a loan, but all in all a nice evening. This was all after Bubba finally managed to get home, he said he had a very tough day (day from hell - were his words) then he arrives home and announces "I've got a flat tire." Now you can't laugh at that point the poor man looked like someone just kicked his dawg. So he got dressed, we headed out -then sat in an hour's worth of traffic, and I enjoyed myself while he wondered why he was there --- but all in all he was a good sport and we didn't see cranky Bubba - a very good thing.

Now this AM we are up EARLY for a Saturday and on our way to the mechanic to get the tire fixed, Bubba leaves before me, I am about to leave when I get the call-- "I'm stuck, bring me the wrench hanging on the wall in the garage -" (See deadpan expression here) Went out to the garage CAREFULLY looked on each wall of said garage, and found only one object that could possibly be the wrench in question grab it and head on my way... I get there "That isn't it."

Insert patient grin here.

Make our way to the mechanic - not as slowly as I would have driven it but hey it ain't my tire. They were able to take Bubba - I didn't have to wait and off I went on my errands of the day.... and all done before 11AM. There might be something to this getting up early except for one thing I have to get up early - and I had to wait around for things to open. But open they did finished my Bubba holiday shopping and I think I'm done! Now it all sits in the corner of the family room waiting for me to wrap it all... I will drag all that stuff upstairs tomorrow.

I came home and trimmed my house with Christmas cheer and snowmen. ;-) I like holiday snowmen - when they are inside and I am warm... don't necessarily want to go out in all that weather and lift and stack etc... sounds like entirely too much work. (joke there folks - seriously I do the hot toddies y'all lift and stack)

So, all in all a productive day, now I am ordering dinner in because I am in no mood to cook, and because I can. We will watch hockey, I will iron dining room table covers and contemplate the greater meaning of life over pan-fried dumplings and enjoy a quiet evening at home.

I'll tell you what this gets any more exciting I'm going to have to slow down before I hurt someone...zzzzzzz wha? Oh sorry nodded off there.

Stay warm and hug a puppy tonight - my two are tired and sleeping - a nice quiet night.

In lieu of flowers...

Please drape your soddenn tear stained, spit of disgust soaked, Terrible Towel over the funeral fire we will be holding at sundown today... it won't burn as it is indeed soaked with the blood, sweat, and tears of Steeler Nation who watched some JV team from South Iowa attempt to play Steelers football last night.

In lieu of flowers we are asking that everyone dig deep, donate what you can, to free the imprisoned Steeler team currently being held in an undisclosed location - we fear somewhere in Ohio has there has to be some collusion between Cincinnati and Cleveland - I mean really people.

That being said I didn't even watch the entire game - it was obvious to me that Ben and company were simply not interested in a post season - they decided it was cold, they wanted to go home - fine. You're done. So overcooked like my mother-in-law's Thanksgiving turkeys. I will waste no more breath, no more worry no more - no more. Kiss my grits I'm going to watch the 6 hours of winning Steelers football stories I've got on my DVR. (see me sticking my tongue out) So there.

On the up side the Pengins won last night - in a much better contest. Well done boys.

And today is Friday - I am happily working from home, I've got the Corporate party tonight and nothing planned for the weekend. Plus Bubba is working one of those days so life ain't all that bad now is it? AND!! Bubba leaves for the West Coast Monday - so we have a nice quiet week to look forward to as well... see it all works out in the end, right?

What? Too calm? Too controlled? No ranting? Nope - when I awoke (yeah I crashed hard at 10:00 PM what's it to you?) flipped back to the NFL network and saw the score I knew - it was over and no amount of yelling wailing or gnashing of teeth was going to change it. Way to go boys...

On a side note - my hero is so totally Heinz Ward - way to man-up and play dude. Wish you could have brought the rest of the offense with you. *sigh* But Heinz on the up side - you've got plenty of time to heal up now... buttheads... stupid... stupid... Ok maybe there is still some anger lingering under the surface... I'm going to run my errands and come home - perhaps a Gingerbread Latte will soothe this savage ache. Stupid Steelers.

---
Didn't get my gingerbread latte but Dad called - Steelers gear is 1/2 off... get it while it's hot. As I told Dad - I'm surprised they haven't just put a sign up that said "free to a good home". There won't be many of those in Western PA - or anywhere else for that matter...

Productive morning, got my eyes checked - not completely thrilled with the new doc but it's once a year so no biggie. Ran to Wal-Mart got a few things, got my nails done in holiday red - which now that I think about it is going to clash with my dress - ah well - and went to the bank and got some ladies' group information done... good morning.

No emails so life is back to quiet - the girls are outside in the cold - we'll see who long that lasts...

All right - I will drown my sorrows tonight with some good folks and hopefully a fairly early night - wow I am the party animal...

Ah... Thursday right?

And apparently I'm not doing well - hit the wrong key and posted just the title... thank goodness for the edit key. ;-)

So -- yeah --- not much going on a work -- really quiet --- the boss is back --- in the conference room -- doesn't need us--- OH! Meeting friend for lunch. That will be nice - and leaving early as I got here so early. Hair appointment today - bye bye - color other than brown which I won't mention in public. Nope.

Bubba was left this AM snoring and all tucked in, his puppy was sleeping in her bed fed and happy, my puppy was downstairs, unhappy. Mommy was leaving... I'm sure as soon as she was sleeping and warm that was all she wrote.

I must say that Pittsburgh Sports Radio has been hard on the Steelers - as they should be. We should take out banners - you people have been sucking wind - get it together! Among other catchy phrases - sans foul language - we save that for game day. :)

And now the boys on skates are getting a bit - ah-- shaky. No no boys - stop watching football - go skate shoot the puck - and score points - GO PENS GO. Sorry got carried away.

I wonder if Bubba realizes that it's a double sports night, Pens at 7:30 and Steelers at 8:20. My goodness isn't the remote going to get a workout tonight? But I don't have to cook - and we've got enough left overs for lunch this weekend - life ain't so bad.

And now for the geek moment of the day... as told by the boss...

The team is working up technical stuff to justify all the bodies and all the code and all the extras on the project. To those of you in the know this is called Proposal time. Now as the management must justify all these numbers, and requirements and assumptions to the folks who pay our bills (aka the customer)- the team has been sending this stuff up to them before the big formal review Friday. This morning one the big "technical" guys from our customer has sent an email back to our senior Tech guy asking him --- wait for it---- "Dear X, What do you think of these assumptions? Are they right?"

Yes, our customer, has asked our senior tech guy if the stuff he worked on looked good to him and if they were right. Where is Dilbert when you need him? And we wonder why this customer can't get it's act together... well actually we quit wondering a long time ago...

Stay warm, and if anyone is near that "lake effect snow" - ah good luck. 1 Foot of snow in this neck of the woods would shut the city down for at least 3 days - and no I'm not kidding.

Random Thought for today....

I have inserted a link to a Micheal Jackson video - it's not all that dirty but there is some 'grabbing' overall catchy tune, great dance moves - vintage Micheal basically.

Now contrast that with this Lambert person with the goofy eye make up and men on stage doing things I won't generally discuss in public.

It is a wonder I have no clue what is "popular" music these days? I watched on the web the topic of conversation about the American Music Awards or whatever he did this 'dance' on. First who told this kid he could sing? Much less dance? No wonder 80's music is making a comeback there was music involved and the videos - there was DANCING not just - well that ain't dancing I don't care how you dress it up.

And that boys and girls is my fuddy-duddy moment of the day.. back to code.

Micheal Jackson Dangerous

It's a cold..

Live with it - so boiled down my doctor appointment... yeah... Bubba was bummed at that news as apparently it's not easy to sleep with a person with a cold... tough it out old boy.

Its Wednesday but I am NOT home - I was hoping as there was ice predicted last night but alas it is just rain... I am working from home Friday so I can get all dolled up for the party Friday night. Now normally I don't go to the Nameless Corporation Mega Holiday Party but several co-workers are going and I like them - so off we go. In VA on a Friday night by 6:00 PM - oh yeah this should be fun.

I have made myself a list of things I must finish today...at work. The AT home list is longer - always is.

Got the Christmas cards done last night - I made Bubba help me. He licked envelopes and put on the stamps - trust me that was enough. Plus he could do it without having to break the TV trance; again it's the little things that make marriage work.

Let me give you another example that happened by shear dumb luck, Thursday Bubba is going out with the big boss so he will be home late. Perfect, I've got to get to work oober early - I will be home early, hair appointment, and I've agreed to help with the Lodge dinner. He's not home there is no argument - life - is - good.

Now I won't mention nodding off at the dinner but hey - beggers can't be choosers now can we?

Next on my list is photographer for family pics Merry Christmas Mom and Dad. Now herding this crew of cats known as my family will prove to be a bigger PITA. I'm thinking later morning will work best as little ones tend to conk out post lunch, plus there is that sporting event in the afternoon - not that I have any interest in it... but I think Bubba and a few other men might get cranky if I schedule pictures for 1:00 pm Sunday. I will contact family members and force agreement and move on from there... oh add to list - invasion at Nana's part 2. Bubba won't be happy we're doing the food after all this is my dumb idea - oh he can get over it.

Oh hey - there is a work related thing here... sheesh really.

Ok off to finish my list - craft another for home and move on to my day...

Stay warm, stay dry and just get over your hump day...

Hi, my name is Aunt Ing....

And I can't make gravy... I did remember to turn on the crock pot before I left but apparently I missed some step that allowed my gravy to be thick and rich, instead I got watery. Oh he ate it - and it didn't taste bad, it just wasn't thick - it was soup. Like it said he ate it... and was happy.

There was a discussion why I don't call my cooking hot line and figure out how to fix this but frankly I was too tired to put forth the effort - and I've spent 45 minutes on the phone with Mom as I crawled my way home last night - a lot of husband bashing.
It was good for us... ;-)

And now today we're waiting for ice and rain to show up tonight and into tomorrow morning... fun!

And I must document my multi-tasking oops of the day... dialed into the big staff meeting, didn't put it on mute - was on hold with the doctor's office - finally got to talk to someone - and it was broadcast to the world... ONLY me. I noted when someone shouted - Angela you're not on mute! Argh. I apologized and muted.

Only me...

Ah well now the rest of the day is quiet and I'm too terribly unhappy about that.

More later after I remove my foot from my mouth...

And it's a Monday... all day

As I did take a nip of night time cold meds they apparently kicked in about 6:30 AM this morning... and as I was still zzz at 8:00 Am - to say I was rushed to get out the door would be an understatement. However, I did managed to yes- shower and dress - in addition I put dinner in the crock pot. I had everything ready to go just tossed it all together add juice turned it on (I hope) and headed into work... we'll see what is what when I get home...

Now off on a side track, I have planned dinners all week - I went shopping for said dinners, I had meat browned for stew tonight, all my veggies chopped and ready all I had to do it toss it all together this morning. Now there are a lot of moving parts to dinners for the week - they are all in the fridge. Bubba opened the fridge and demanded to know "what is all this @#$% in this fridge?" I looked at him and said dinner. "for who?" I shook my head - did you not go shopping with me today? (he did) And yet still he was cranky - who gets cranky because things are planned and the fridge is full? Seriously? DO you cook it? DO you have to deal with it? What the heck are you looking for? If that fridge was empty I could still find something in that fridge faster than you could!!!

And I wonder why I nipped at the cold meds so early last night... makes your head hurt doesn't it?

Of course traffic was miserable all the way in - and apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed it seemed to be a bit more than usual today... go figure.

Boss is in town - we don't know why but he's trapped with others in the conference room, he's bringing others into the conference room-proposal-vortex-black-hole we can only hope to return in tact...

Now I've got a meeting, stuff to finish, and no desire to do any of it. Back to wanting that nap... can't do Starbucks again I will need to get to sleep tonight.

Sports Radio has been interesting today - ain't no body happy. Hey lose 4 in a row you could have and should have won - don't expect sympathy and nice words. We're fans, we're ticked and it ain't going to get any better. That's why you're paid the big bucks to deal with us. Get used to it.

Oh - and Cleveland brownies Thursday night - oh yeah this should be fun. I should start medicating now. Back to work... or something.

Weekends aren't supposed to suck

Sorry could not find another word that could apply to this weekend any more apt than that one... I tried Weekends are supposed to be the good part but it didn't capture the absolute ick-i-ness that has captured these two days...

Saturday started with snow - now according to the idiot weather man at 8:00 AM couple of inches on the ground - should not stick to the roads. Fielded many phone calls - yes meeting is still on, stick to major roads you will be fine take your time - all is well... Of course he was wrong - 3 inches EVERY-FREAKING-WHERE panic and mayhem ensues in DC...still got there got home - no biggie. Meeting went fine.

Fight with Bubba over "lodge crap" ANYTHING dealing with the Ladies or girls' group he absolutely has NO patience for... I cannot effectively communicate to him that he makes things worse with all this bitching and moaning and if he would just let me do what I had to do it would take less time. OH - and let me interrupt by added that he was going to work all day but it was an issue that I was going to a meeting. Figure that one out - and when you - drop me a note there must be a Nobel Prize for that finding - or I can pull it out the bubble gum machine - that's how you get it now right? ;-)

So, breakfast out with the hubbster - he went to work I went home, changed clothes, cleaned the kitchen, packed up my car, made my way to Costco (insert shutter here) got the cake, made my way to the meeting (next county over), we had the meeting, finished up, made my way home, had left overs for dinner and went to bed...

TODAY--- as I am ALWAYS up first - thank you puppies -- I had a cup of tea, folded a load laundry, dried another, of course fed the pups and enjoyed a quiet hour to myself. Then Shelby barked and Mr. Happy and Sunshine arose and harped on me for not doing anything... I'm would keep a list but that is just one more thing to keep track off and I'm too tired to pick that nit - and well I just blog about it now... (insert evil giggle here)

And yes - we did go watch the Steeler game - please don't ask me WHY! But we did. Frankly at this point they should paying me to what this #$%^&. Again no other way to describe that either. Lost to the Raiders lost to Kansas City four in a row - Well on the up side I suddenly have another 4 hours on Sundays I didn't have... which is nice, I can bake cookies, read, meditate, plot murder on ... never mind.

So let me sum up - the weekend sucked.

But the dogs are clean and their beds are now in the washer-dryer- or somewhere in between... just have to remember to clean these again before we go back to Mom's.

OK so I'm off to chug night time cold medicine and with any luck I'll wake up Tuesday.

Screw the nap I had Starbucks..

Just to let everyone know I AM super woman... my Friday night...

Left work
drove 1 hour close to home
Stopped by store 1 got 2 gifts and said a small thank you for public restrooms... had to go...

Stopped by the Post office, holiday stamps in the machine, skipped the line and done

then to the Lodge to pick up necessary stuff for the girls this weekend

Then to the pet store... stood around waiting to find out that the hound dog would have to wait for her food to come in - maybe this weekend. This could be fun as after a few days on the other pup's kibble she pukes... see previous posts for how well THAT turns out...

Then to the grocery store for homemade pizza fixings... yes I buy the crust there is a limit to this super woman crap.

Then to the place of pampered princesses where my toes were tended by fingers fashioned and the hair near my eyebrows was ripped out by the root by hot wax.

Then home, fed the pups, put together pizzas, and fielded phone calls that said... come get me I worked late...

loaded up the pups - AFTER unloading the car - came home with new manicure wasn't going to risk it hauling in packages....

Picked up Bubba from the Metro - cooked his pizza which he is now happily enjoying... and I'm going to pass out soon - I hope. What the heck was I thinking - should have ordered decaf.

Have a good night.

I need a nap

For this I rolled out of bed, and made it into work? Yeah 20 minutes worth of numbers hashing, 15 minutes of rehashing, 30 minutes of other stuff, more number crunching, lunch, shopping, and now I am wondering was this really worth the make up?

Ah - I stayed home for two days and tended to me - I should have been here - and I am. Now things are in that 'quiet-before-the-storm" mode... Monday should be a pip. Boss is coming back up here for a visit... Florida boy just as the weather turns cold... oh yeah he'll be fun.

On the up side I finished a number of Christmas presents today and got Bubba's errand done, I've got another list post work that should take me - about 3 days to finish... but I need to get it done tonight. Perhaps I should go now. And we're back to needing a nap... it's been this way for the last 3 days good until about 3 then the afternoon fad. Now we pushed through yesterday, got some stuff at Costco, went to the grocery store, then went home and pooped out... we had leftovers.

Today I have a plan we may end up with order out pizza we'll see. Of course I have the important things planned - a mani and a pedicure... :-) Hey - the nails are starting to look nice but they have that slightly nawed look right now... keeping them painted helps. I can nap while she's doing my toes... then slide right off the chair and into water and onto the floor - oh yeah great idea there.

Perhaps I'll have her do my eyebrows with wax first that throbbing pain should keep me awake. You men have NO idea what it takes to be a girl - the plucking, the waxing, the painting the shaving, it's exhausting - especially when you're fighting a cold.

Speaking of cold - I want to thank all those idiots who cook up whatever from cold medication! I want to thank you all because I now have to stand in line, show ID, and explicitly try to point out the right box to the non-English speaking person behind the counter as to what I want to purchase so I can BREATHE! But I did because having the front of my face not throbbing and able to draw a clear breath is worth it... it is still a flipping hassle but breathing is so much fun.

Now if I could just get Big Brother Corporate IT to quick mucking with my Pittsburgh Sports Radio stream my day would be complete.

Enjoying the boys of winter - Penguins are looking healthy playing mostly well and since the Steelers are sucking on the oxygen mask of playoff possibilities I need something to hang on to. All right off to watch the world go by for a bit then off to run down all the stuff on my never ending list of stuff to do --- when is it Bubba turn?

Now that I think about! HEY! He looked at me this morning and like a dope I did it! He stands there counting the number of gift cards he needed makes a determination then looks at me. Yeah I did look at him and state, "Oh- I'm getting these?"

What do I get from Bubba? Big dopey grin. So... I did it - why? Well because I'm a dope - and frankly it would be midnight the night before he's due to give these and "we" would be driving all over Montgomery County looking for an all night gift card dispenser... My mother-in-law thinks I'm joking if anyone had to rely on Bubba for a gift - they would never get another one--they wouldn't. Unless you staple it to his forehead and it interrupts something he's interested in- oh so not happening.

All night enough cold-med blathering for today... stay tuned for the Saturday fight of me off doing something no home, cleaning or Bubba related, and Sunday for the pre-football - dear-heaven - now what segment of our week. Stay warm - there is a rumor of gulp s n o w... SHHH!!!!!

Kermit the frog with a pack a day habit...

Has nothing on my voice this morning... so I was lazy and stayed home again today. I had the alarm set to get moving in enough time to make the 9AM meeting (meaning I leave home at 7AM just to be on the safe side) and no I am not kidding. I have left at 7:30 AM and not made 9AM meetings...

But I woke up, coughed, hacked, groaned, turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. Woke in just enough time to shower quickly, boot the computer while I dried my hair, nuke a cup of tea, then sit down all on line and ready to go, only to discover no meeting. GRRRR. I could have slept in!

Ah well - I've got a list of things to get done I will try and get a few knocked out today. Some tomorrow, Saturday is booked with the girl's group - since this was my idea I've got to show up. But I'm bailing on the Sunday foolishness - its selfish but with this cold and all I need a break. They are going to suck me up next year and Bubba ain't going to be happy. We'll see what we can do - drugs are always a good option. ;-)

Short one today - I'm off for lunch and a nap we'll see what the rest of the afternoon holds.

That thud you heard...

...Was me hitting the wall - hard. I didn't post yesterday unusual for me for a weekday but it was a 10 hour work day that started at 6:45 AM and tack on a 2 hour ride home my fanny was dragging so low I'm amazed I didn't have scrape burns on my pants....

It feels like everything came due yesterday - and it arrived in my mail box Monday. OH and tack on a message from the boss - do this first - read 270 pages in 2 hours - wait 1 hour we have another customer meeting and be ready for questions. Shoot me now.

But I have things almost under control right now, stuff that is due is well on its way to done, I am now waiting for others to review, then I can bless it done and deliver.

Now usually Wednesdays are good days, working at home, all is great - unless you wake up at feel as if you have hit that wall going 60 miles per hour without an automobile to buffer the blow. All that go go go of the past weekend has come home to roost - in my nose and voice. yeah!

So I slept in today - until 11AM! Got my stuff together, and managed to get logged in and get things done. Not bad for running about 60% of normal. I've got one more pressing thing to get done then I think I am calling it a day - I am still tired. We will see what Thursday holds.

Of course I have several tales to share with you all... the first I will call the Bubba time warp...

As documented previously I was greeted home from the losing football effort with puppy puke... I did clean it up the best I could given the time of day 1:30 AM and the technology not working I figured I would deal with the rest the next day... fast forward to Monday evening when I was cooking dinner Bubba asked if I was going to take care of the stain. Now I stood there and asked him when exactly I was to do this? The good stain remover requires 30 minutes to apply, rub in, wait, then VACUUM - I was not going to do that a 1:30 AM for any number of reasons. I didn't do it Monday morning because I was up and dressed for work -and again - time constraints. So now we are at Monday evening and according to Bubba I should have it done by now... after pointing out said constraints I nicely asked what space/time continuum he was living in that I would already have this done? His answer was to shake his head and simply say I should have had it done by now... if we didn't share dinner (one pot) I would have spit in it - or at least thought about it hard.

The next story you'd think I'd be popping off... but by the end - you'll want to wuv Bubba a bit...
Now as my day started early so my lunch as not early but it was 12:30 as we got to 7:30 it had been 7 hours between meals and I was getting hungry -- so I cooked dinner, put it on my plate started to enjoy -and the phone rings. It's Bubba he's missed the last bus and I have to go pick him up at the Metro station... *sigh* So I finished my dinner, put on shoes - didn't change out of my sweat pants - and loaded up pups and off I went to the Metro... waited a bit - not long. Bubba loves the pups gets in and makes reference to a rough day - join the club I said. Then he asked if my day would get me fired - nope. Him - maybe the only two paychecks that had a whoops were the man who hired him and his current boss. Whoops! So apparently Bubba had to deal with screwed up paychecks, the employee who did it and the two bosses in his life... yikes -check mate you win.

Ok I've put in a 3/4's day I'm going to sign off and go take a nap before bed... I tired.
Maybe tomorrow..