Kingfisher Cove

It's.......Santa!

So, in keeping with Margaret's suggestion that we show off some of our favorite Christmas stuff (as well as pictures from Christmases past), I thought I'd display some of my ornaments.  I guess I do have a thing about Santa, hmm?  Huh!  Just you wait until I show my non-ornament Santa collection!  It's pretty....eclectic.  (OK, it's weird).

I acquired this one the year I got my very first computer -- that would have been in 1992.  It was a little 286 -- and I had Prodigy back then and the text would load line-by-line.  Very very slow.  (But I though it was way cool anyway!)  Forget about graphics of any kind.  Those were the days of bulletin boards, and I belonged to a poetry board and came to know a number of very interesting and unique people, mostly from the east coast.  We didn't just post poetry -- it was a chatty type thing as well, but you had to wait 24 hours for any kind of response to your post.  And as I recall, Prodigy charged PER POST.  (Also per email!)  And being on the internet was considered "premium time".  I had months back then that cost me well more than it does today!

1992:  Nate was 6.  I was recently divorced and money was very tight.  Finally had to drop Prodigy, which was really hard to do, because I was hooked.

Travel Warning

A local (Seattle) talk show host, Dave Ross, ran for congress and lost which is really a shame, but in a way I'm glad because now he's back with the radio station and I believe he has more of a "voice" there anyway.  I honestly don't like his talk show all that much because I just can't STAND listening to the idiots who call in and take forever to get to their point and ramble on and on (like I'm doing now).  But each morning he gives a quick little commentary on my way to work, and I really like that.  I look forward to it almost as much as getting my latte at Auntie Irene's.  The radio station's website keeps a running written collection of his commentaries, and it's fun to go back and read them, especially if I've missed one.  Here's one from the day before Thanksgiving:

"This is the busy travel season, and to help you get through the airport, the government is offering these travel tips:

Guns and ammunition cannot be carried into an airplane cabin. Don't make any jokes suggesting a threat to security. Remind older children especially not to say things like, "Do you think I have a bomb in my coat?" Do not wrap presents, because if they set off an alarm they'll have to be unwrapped anyway. And finally passengers have a right to be screened a second time in a private location.

That last one is a little vague. You actually don't get a choice about the second screening, just the option of having it done in private.

But notice here -- it's one of the ironies of modern life that once you step into an airport, all the rules change.

The First Amendment -- doesn't apply. You can NOT say whatever you want, and you must keep your older children from saying whatever THEY want.

The Second Amendment -- doesn't apply. You have no right to bear arms, and the NRA is powerless do a thing about it.

The Fourth Amendment -- doesn't apply. Because not only can your luggage be searched, but YOU can be PATTED DOWN.

And all that stuff about not letting a stranger touch your private parts? Doesn't apply at the airport. You -- and your children -- must submit to the kind of touching that if it were done OUTSIDE the airport, would be on the front page of the local paper.

You know -- someone doesn't want us to fly.

I think maybe this is all God's way of telling us we've moved too far away from our relatives."

In Which a Good Amount is Accomplished

My kid and and I had a ball today, setting up and decorating the tree together.  I really thought he'd pull the "grumptitude" and I'd be doing it all by my lonesome, since JDub had to work (all weekend!)  [Not that he's all that into "decorating the tree" anyway, which is fine].  I have a gazillion times 10 ornaments, which would make, uhm, well, 10 gazillion.  (Math!  Yech!)  I've been collecting them for many, many years, and they are all very special to me. Lots of history and memories, and it was apparent today with Nate that these ornaments mean a lot to him, too.  "Oh my GAWD!  I remember this one!"  There are a couple that he made while he was in daycare, around 3 to 4 years old, with his photo, and they are just adorable.  He pulled one out and he said, "Do you really want this one anymore?"  And when I peered at it and saw his baby-face I said, "You bet your ass, and I want it front and center!"  And there he put it, with a cute little grin on his current 18-year-old face.

It was such a wonderful time!  This is a pretty good-sized tree and we were running out of branches to stick the ornaments on.

One ornament from 2000 was a little replica of a champagne bottle that I'd received at a company Christmas party and it was full of soap (and the lid was a bubble blower).  So Nate, ever the kid, had a good ol' time blowing bubbles at the weenie dogs who were lounging on the couch.  Let me tell you, I took a LOT of pictures before I captured both weenie dogs and bubbles!  There's a bit of a delay on my camera, which drives me nuts!  So... by the time I finally got a pretty decent picture, the dogs didn't give a shit about the bubbles anymore...

(Ho hum).

We played Christmas music while we were decorating, and we'd sing along or we'd DANCE!  It really was a magical time, because Nate CAN be such a butt at times.  Like when I tried to wake him up this morning at a very reasonable hour:

Me:  Yoo-hoo!  Rise and shine!

Him:  What'dya want.

Me:   I'd appreciate your help hauling up the Christmas stuff.

Him:  Just leave me alone.  Go on.

Me:   Your attitude is totally uncalled for.  (Slam door)

And then, about 15 minutes later, he's hauling up the Christmas stuff.

Had a ball yesterday, too!  My friend from Oregon, Helen, (whom I've known since the 3rd grade) and her husband, Ron, came over in the afternoon and we exchanged gifts, had a few drinks, and talked our lips off for hours and hours.  And THEN we all went out to eat at the restaurant where Nate is a bus boy (a very nice restaurant) and had a marvelous dinner.  (Nate served us water and made excellent recommendations!)  It was so cool to have some significant time together, and we likely won't be seeing each other over Christmas, so this was very special and such a lot of fun.

Bummer.  Have to go back to work tomorrow.   

It's HEEEEEEERE!

Hey!  It is now legal to play Christmas songs!  (I almost wrote "It is now kosher to play Christmas songs!", but that doesn't really fly, does it?  Heh heh. Hmm.).  Anyway, I know that the Christmas song police haven't been lurking around, but it is a nice feeling to know the season has truly arrived and I'm starting to get in the mood.  I even wrapped a few presents today, and I'm hoping to put the tree up on Sunday.  I like to set stuff out pretty early because the month just goes so darned fast!  Plus, it seems like I can hardly enjoy it because I spend so much time at work. Before I know it, it's New Year's Day and time to take it all down.  Now there's an uplifting thought if there ever was one.  (Jeeze).

I actually did listen to some Christmas music today, in between shampooing carpeting and doing other domestic tasks, but it was from an all-Christmas-music internet stream of my favorite radio station and they played some sort of odd stuff.  (Bob Dylan doing "festive" really isn't, if you know what I mean).  It's time to pull out my favorite CDs -- might even get a new one this year.  Any recommendations?

My son just returned home from driving (his truck!) down to his aunt & uncle's/cousins yesterday and spending the night and having a ball playing X-Box, Play Station, online games, you-name-it.  And now that he's back home to our quiet abode, he's BORED.  And he's GRUMPY.  There's no EXCITEMENT HERE.  Man, I remember those cousins at Christmas when I was married to Nate's dad.  Four young boys high on sugar and mini-testosterone like absolute piranha tearing into their presents.  I remember the surreal feeling of sitting on the couch with Nate (he was little and utterly overwhelmed) and watching a gazillion pieces of wrapping paper flying through the air and adhering to the tree and furniture and people's hair and clothing, and the screaming of banshees as one of the boys opened up yet another toy gun. And just as I expected, within minutes one of them was screaming because he'd been hit in the eye with one of the plastic bullets.

I don't miss that.

I just about have my Christmas newsletter finished, and I'm planning hoping to send out my cards this week. I have some more shopping to do, but it's not even December, after all!  But, before everything's picked over or "out of stock", I'd best get my rear in gear.

I'm still full.  Ufda!

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z

This would be me.  Lordy, I'm full.  Can you say "M-i-s-e-r-a-b-l-e"?  We spent Thanksgiving at JDub's folks', along with his brother, and what a spread!  Roast duck with Mom-in-law's wonderful apple and raisin stuffing.  I can honestly say, since I'm a dark-meat person, that I prefer roast duck over turkey.  (At least the way Mom-in-law prepares it).  Oh, it's so moist and flavorful and delicate!  And did I say flavorful?  Certainly nothing "gamey" about it, which I think most people would expect -- and maybe they do taste gamey if you go out and hunt one yourself.   I'm not sure if there is such a thing as duck farms where they are fed a certain diet to keep the meat mild.

Yesterday morning, Mom- and Dad-in-law discovered that their expecting mare had foaled. (I believe that's the correct term?)  They knew it was due sometime soon, but they were a little caught off guard that it came this soon.  She's a cute lil' thang.  It amazes me that at just one day old, they are up on their feet hooves and taking in their surroundings with highly-developed curiosity (at least compared to human babies, or even puppies and kittens with their eyes closed for a couple of weeks).  The wiener dogs were very intrigued with the horses, but they were smart enough to stay out of the pens and out from under hooves.  My previous dachshund, old Mandy, was rather oblivious of the danger and would weave in and out of their legs, and yes I'd be screaming at her to get away.  But the horses just seemed pretty amused.  Can't get much funnier than a wiener dog.

I was glad when we arrived back home to see that the house was still standing and not in charred ruins.  I'd left a 3-wick candle burning!  And it was STILL burning when we got home, melted down a ways.  Jeeze.  How stupid was that? 

Since dinner was later this afternoon, JDub and I made use of the morning and early afternoon to get carpets shampooed and CLUTTER PICKED UP.  What a difference!  I do still need to shampoo the carpeting upstairs, which I'll attack tomorrow.  Poor JDub has to work tomorrow (and Saturday, and Sunday...)  Guess he'll just have to miss out on household upkeep! 

Curves is closed tomorrow, which I think is pretty dumb.  I thought going in the morning would be a good thing to do, but I guess I'll have to wear off some of this Thanksgiving dinner (plus a slice of Italian plum pie) by carpet shampooing.  (It DOES work up a sweat, especially upstairs).

Hope everyone had a great day!

A Thanksgiving Story

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York a couple of days before Thanksgiving and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says.  "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.  "No way they're getting divorced!" she shouts, "I'll take care of this."

She calls Phoenix immediately and screams at her father, "You are not getting divorced.  Don't do a single thing until I get there.  I'm calling my brother back and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife.  "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way."

....thanks to my mother-in-law!

Why I Can't Stomach Organized Religion

Oh man.  You all must read this.  I guarantee you will be sucked in with your mouth hanging open in utter horror.  And then.  Then said mouth will drop to your knees and dribble drool (of horror) onto your shoes.  Believe me when I say this. (Check it out -- it's long, but it doesn't matter).

I think part of what horrifies me so much about this is that I'd been thinking that THIS is what we're heading toward with this Taliban-type fundamentalism that is so prevalent with this administration.  But the fact is, as demonstrated in this post, we are already there, and the power behind that is why this administration is in place.

This is the perfect illustration of why church and state should never ever join forces.  Oh, what an ultimate travesty that would be. And already is.

And what a dire situation this great lady is in as a result of this scary and powerful way 'lording' power.

S-L-O-W D-A-Y

I soooooooooo don't want to be here at the office.  I met another fry-your-brain deadline yesterday and I'm definitely in the frame of mind to veg now.  (vedge?)  However, if I were at home, I would not be vegging (vedging) because I have stuff to do and I function much better when it's daylight. 

On my way home, I get to fight the grocery store war. I don't have tons of stuff to get, but in a way that's worse because I'm sure I'll be standing in long lines with heaped baskets ahead of me, and I'll have more stuff than the 8 items-or-less line allows.  The office handed out 15+ lb. turkeys yesterday.  Since we'll be having duck at JDub's folks' house, I stuck my turkey in the freezer.  Will I cook it sometime?  Well, yeah...  Maybe.  OK, I'll give it to the food bank for Christmas!

Would you get a load of this:  Just got word that the front desk is closing down in 15 minutes.  Which means that if we have the time to take off (such as comp time or vacation time), we can leave early.  However, Micromgr (to coin a term from Pam) has decreed that I need to stay until at least 3:45.  3:45?  Whatever. Sometimes.... I feel that I work in a sweatshop.

Just Another Day

Heavens to God, is this how they used to do a pelvic exam?

There are so many reasons why I am so thankful that I live TODAY.  I don't think I would have made a good pioneer woman.  (However, I'm sure they never had pelvic exams, and when they birthed babies, they had mid-wives.  Huh.  And then they died in childbirth...) 

At any rate, that was my excitement for the day.  And get this:  My boss was irritated with me for having a doctor's appointment because I missed our department's weekly meeting.  It was the only time I could get in!  And I'd made the appointment some time ago -- you have to take what's available.  (Saturdays are not an option with my doctor). And of course it ended up falling on a day of a deadline, which I had no idea of at the time I made it.  Grrrr.  (I met the deadline, though).

Doc's going to start me on Wellbutrin.  It's that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) thang that afflicts a lot of people around these parts.  I'm thinking it'll reduce my irritability quotient, which will be a good thing.  For everybody. If nothing else, maybe it'll help with the violent fantasies I have at times toward my micro-manager boss.  (heh heh).  He's also checking out my thyroid.  Gee, I'll bet you really wanted to know about all this, huh?

One more day and then it's a four-day weekend!  Yippeee!  Pig out on Thursday, and Margaret and I are hoping to meet up with Spanglemonkey in Gig Harbor on Friday.  My friends from Oregon will be up this weekend, and we're getting together Saturday.  I do hope to fit in some tidying up the clutter, carpet shampooing, and some gift wrapping in between.  Thankfully, (there's that word again), the cleaning lady comes tomorrow!  But she doesn't handle the clutter, and nor should she have to.  It's getting out of hand, too.  What dining table?  There's a dining table under all that stuff?  (Shudder).

Well, maybe I'll go start attacking it, now that I've mustered up all this angst about it. (Actually, I think I'll go to bed instead.  Tomorrow's another day and maybe I'll have more gumption).

Thanksgiving 1986 (I think)

My friend, Margaret, has been posting old family photos from bygone Thanksgivings.  It inspired me to dig out some pictures myself, but I was really disgusted at what a mess they all are. (Shame on me!)

To be honest, I'm not even entirely certain that this picture was taken on Thanksgiving, but Nate (in his little Seattle Seahawks sweatshirt, ain't it cute?) was close to the right age here (5+ months).  That's his Papa!  (My dad). They have always been buds. I miss having my folks around for the holidays.  For several years now, they spend the fall and winter in Yuma, AZ, so other than one time 4 years ago when my brother and his family, and JDub and Nate and I visited with them down there at Christmas, we're just not together for the holidays anymore. [Side note:  It is so strange to see a cactus all decked out with Christmas lights, in the 75 deg. sunshine].

Remember Cabbage Patch dolls?  Doesn't Nate look like one in that picture?  (heh heh).  I even have a little-boy red-headed & blue-eyed Cabbage Patch doll that looks just like him.  On his first birthday, my friend who did cake decorating designed an adorable Cabbage Patch on the top of his birthday cake and I just hated to cut it!  (Hmm... wonder where that picture is....?)

I'm thinking that finding old Christmas pictures won't be so hard.  We're more of a camera happy family at Christmas time.

Whew!  Just learned that JDub does not, in fact, have to work on Thanksgiving Day!  We've been in limbo about that for several days now, and I'm so relieved!