This Perfectly Imperfect Life

On our way home via the Ben Franklin Bridge. New Year's Day we're heading down to Washington DC around the time when some will be heading home or to their hotels after partying in the New Year!

City Hall is an amazing building! It's enormous and has some of the most incredible architectural details I've ever seen!

The lad with the hat to the right is Nephew.

Sigh. Hubby's doing his driver's license smile and I barely recognize my rounder self here. Ah well.

Just because! I've never been & Hubby's bored what with being home so long & not working so off we & Nephew went yesterday afternoon. We got down there in time to see the Liberty Bell and walk around a bit before starting home.

Well here I am folks! I think this may be a better pic than I've been able to take before since the iv is in my left wrist this time.

This is just some of the stuff on hand for my IV. The other box and iv pole were in the pantry when I took this pic last night. (The anaphylactic shock kit is my personal favorite - not!) I'm tired. (My normal tired is more along the lines of flu fatigue for the rest of you normal folks!) Ridiculously tired. Am I just in need of my IV? Are the meds not working as well as they were? Am I not doing enough of what I'm supposed to be doing health-wise? We're not sure.

Hubby & I both got desperately needed new boots (obviously only mine are pictured since his probably wouldn't fit in the pic - they're frickin' huge!). He also got new suspenders & a box of compressed air cartridges and I picked up a couple of cute hats and 2 cards for my BirdSong Identiflyer that he got me for Valentine's Day this year. (Yes, I wanted it & love it! I got him the book "Boone" for his Valentine's Day gift this year). See previous post for explanation. And that does it! Time to tighten the purse strings and begin saving as much money as we possibly can. With Hubby being out of work w/a back injury since 11/11 & no paid time off left by the time it happened, he's been without any salary since that date and his state disability payments have come in yet. We've been living off savings and my monthly social security disability. I'm trying not to panick about how much we've gone through and what our savings is down...

It came with the card in it (YardBirds Two) and the card to the right (YardBirds One) and today I got Birds of the Night and YardBirds-Eastern. You press the botton by each bird and it plays each birds' calls and songs. Each card also has a tiny pic of the bird, its' name and on the back a description of its' call. Hubby got it for me (yes, for Valentine's this year) because he got tired of me asking him "What kind of bird is that?!" when we're in our kitchen or out back. (He knows so many it's amazing really!) I'd learned the difference between Blue Jays and Crows (I'd always had them mixed up) and I thought I knew Cardnials, but we have so many different birds here I didn't know how else I'd figure them all out. I love this clever little machine! I'm going to check out a book about the birds of this region from the library so I can copy the info about the ones right here. I also got a gorgeous 2009 calendar for Christmas which has...

Stopped at the pharmacy today to see what was 1/2 off and picked up 2 winter blessings oversized fleece throws, 2 tealight holders (1 w/cardinals on it, the other w/wrens on it), 2 Christmas Yankee Candles (Cranberry Peppermint & Jack Frost combo jar and Sparkling Vanilla jar), a light up snow man w/little birds on him, 2 boxes of battery operated LED window candles, and 3 Willow Tree 2008 "Celebrate a year lived well" ornaments (1 for myself, 1 for a bff & 1 for my cousin). The only item I paid full price for was a large jar Lavendar Vanilla Yankee Candle - it's a new scent and I love love love it!

And we are! (Smilin' & in PA) We're taking a ride to Cabela's ( http://www.cabelas.com ) in Hamburg PA. Amazing what crossing state lines does for us! (We love PA).

"God bless the master of this house Likewise the mistress too May their barns be filled with wheat and corn And their hearts be always true A merry Christmas is our wish Where'er we do appear To you a well-filled purse, a well-filled dish And a happy bright New Year." (~Verse from an Irish mummers' play)

Just over an hour until Christmas Day and then 2008 ends six days later. Time has really gotten the better of me this year. I feel as though the year only just begun! No White Christmas in our neck of the woods, only rain & wind. Again. Well north and west of here had snow and a lot of nasty ice. Last white Christmas I remember was in 2000. It's been a nice day at home today. Reading, tooling around on the computer, wrapping gifts, watching Christmas specials & movies. For whatever reason, I have a tradition of making pene pasta with vodka sauce for dinner on Christmas Eve & I did so this evening, browning up sausage and meatballs before adding them to the sauce. I forgot the Cheesecake for desert but that's alright I suppose! Growing up I was always allowed to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve but Vic doesn't go along with that (Grinch!) so I cracked open the foodie gift basket one of my girlfriends sent last week. (It's got all manner of cheese, crac...

Nephew discovered my copy of Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic recently and he really liked it, so before he could finish, I stashed my copy (hee hee!) and ordered him one from Barnes & Noble.com for Christmas!

Living room.

Living room.

Living room.

Simple yet pretty, dining table. The Lenox holly platter was originally a gift from my Dad's Sister/Aunt Dorothy and my Mom gave to me in recent year's.

In the kitchen.

Now that it's officially Winter, I've been looking over my Autumn goals to see how I did. I was doing well with my weight until having a house full of people since the middle of November! I've gained about 5 or 6 lbs back (and feel it, let me tell ya!). I haven't started the printing out of photo's yet. I haven't started yoga yet but have started reading about it. I have finished last Autumn's scarf as well as a new one and I've been keeping up with getting our home in order. And I finished NaNoWriMo again this November. I started editing my book in October but stopped when writing for NaNo and will go back to editing after New Year's. (I needed a break!) I asked the Ladies of CoL how they've done with their Autumn Goals and I started a new thread for posting Winter Goals. In keeping with the seasonal styled time frame, for now I can think of the following as Winter goals: ~Pick up editing my book ~Start printing out 25 pics at least twice a mont...

I was so tired last night I couldn't sleep! After being up early to go for breakfast (in the pouring rain which washed away our pretty coating of snow) & food shopping, I set to cleaning the spare room which has been a catch all for misc items and been used more by the cats than any humans! Of course it took longer than it should've since the vaccuum clogged twice but after getting it mostly situated, Hubby & Nephew threw out all the garbage, brought some of Nephew's things up from the basment & helped me put the rest of the house back together! (Why is it when cleaning 1 room, ALL the others get messy in the process?!) The sleeper love seat is now in the spare room, replaced by a large odiman in the living room making the spare room an actual bedroom and the living room more spacious. The coat closet in the hall has been completely cleared out & all contents moved into a closet in the spare bedroom so that the coat closet may now house the kitties litte...

While Autumn felt a bit long this year, for once & in retrospect, I'm in disbelief that the Winter Solstice is a mere hour and 20 minutes away, Christmas is this week and 2008 ends in 11 days! This year has gone incredibly fast, alarmingly so as a matter of fact. I'm tempted to start reviewing my year thus far but am holding off until just after Christmas.

Well, bff K came over this afternoon for our annual gift exchange & foodie fest. After a lunch of Chilli's, laughs w/Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special, gift opening & desert (home made turtle brownies & Eddy's Caramel Delight ice cream), we're both falling asleep on the couch with the cats!

The last ornaments (bought today, already on clearance at Michael's) are hung and I'm so so so happy with the tree this year! I love it!

I've gotten into the glue & glitter again! (This makes ornament 17 that I've g&g'd!) I rather enjoy it for some reason! I musn't be the only one as there seems to be a run on glitter at all the craft stores in our area!

I may be addicted to Dunkin Donuts Hot Chocolate. I'm fairly certain actually. Do you think the ornament was a clue?!

I want to add to a statement I made in yesterday's post, a slight correction, if I may be so allowed: The few times I'm able to silence the noise in my mind are when I'm physically gardening, when the Christmas Tree is up & lit and when it snows. What started out earlier this afternoon as sleet, coating much of everything, has turned into graceful, linen white flakes. It's very raw outside so it was home made potato soup and griddled cheeses for lunch. (When ever I make soups or stews, I freeze the leftovers in seperate 'soup' size tupper ware containers that can be popped into the microwave for a few minutes on defrost & then dumped into a large sauce pan on the stove). I finally finished decorating last night. I did a little more online shopping today and will probably finish up tomorrow when I'm out & about with Mom. I'm also going to stop at the library on the way home & pick up some books about Christmas in Germany, Ireland, ...

The Christmas Tree is home, the lights are on and I am happy as a lark! I could care less if any ornaments ever make it onto the tree! The scent of pine & the sight of multi-colored twinkling lights fill me with such calm. If there's ever a time when I'm able to silence all the noise in my mind it's when I'm physically gardening or like now when the Christmas Tree up. I'm not an artificial Christmas Tree kind of gal - a small one or two is fine on a bookshelf or end table, but for THE Christmas Tree, I love a fresh tree. Christmas is next week! Sigh. The most wonderful time of the year goes so fast.

Light a candle & leave it outside for an hour at 8pm to honor and remember those who've passed away.

Well, I've been shopping online this afternoon and can cross off 2 friends (G & K) from the gift list. I've purchased 2 things for Vic and now haven't a clue what else to get him. (He's as hard to shop for as my Mother - thanks Freud). I already got Mom and Aunt Judy their gifts a couple of weeks ago (Matha Stewart Living magazine and Country Living magazine). I'll also print out wedding pic copies for a photo album for Aunt Judy and she's done. Since I'm not sure what to get my friend B and she works her ass off to make ends meet, I'm going to pick up a Visa gift card for her. I'm frustrated with my friend K though. For the past few years, I've asked her to limit her gift purchases for me for Christmas to 1 or 2 and to not spend more than $20 or $25 each. She doesn't listen. And now that we don't see one another even a fraction as much as we used to, I haven't the foggiest idea what to get for her! I saw one thing and bo...

(Sorry the pciture isn't good - the spotlight was terribly bright). That was completely interesting & entertaining and I'm glad I decided to come afterall. Feeling exhausted, queasy & down right crappy since last week, especially the last few days, the rain today & the 1981 movie Tron nearly made me stay snuggly warm in bed with Vic this afternoon! (And when the thought "She speaks all around North/Western NJ all the time" popped into my head, I shooed it away & started getting ready!) And the $45 admission was so worth it being that the proceeds were being split between the Hunterdon County Library and the Hunterdon County Cancer Center. The first 3 rows were reserved for cancer survivors from the Center who now donate their time to help others thru this horrible disease - as the Director said when someone is crying, she could say she understands, but it wouldn't be true. She can kind of imagine but these Survivors know first hand and can offer em...

Well, here Iam at the Hunterdon County High School auditorium, 6th row center, awaiting Ms. Gilbert's entrance. I'm quite surprised that most of the women around me are older, late 50's through 60's, many with pens & paper at the ready or reading "Eat Pray Love.". I don't see many 30 or 40 somethings. It's odd being here by myself, me so quiet and so much chatter all around me. The spot light is now shining on the podium, we have begun!

Around 7pm the power came back on, surprisingly given that the substation which went poof cut power to 90 towns in this county and 10 in the next.

Our entire county has no power. According to callers into NJ101.5fm, one or two substations have blown up. There are helicopters over head here going back & forth, seemingly across the bay, Main roads are a mess all over the county.

Does it make my butt look big?!

A Charlie Brown Christmas is on Ch7 now. I SO looked forward to this, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker as I grew up and I STILL do!

Do these lights make my butt look big?!

It's fun to eat too! (GREAT).

What you'll need: -Plain ornaments of any kind (these are unfinished wood ornaments from AC Moore) -White or craft glue -Glitter (colors are up to you) -Paint brush -Paper plates Dip the paint brush into the glue bottle then cover the surface of the ornament by dabbing the glue onto the ornament (this ensures better coverage than brushing the glue on). See next post...

Dump the glitter onto a paper plate, hold ornament above another paper plate and sprinkle the glitter onto the glued area's of the ornament, repeat as necessary.

Let them dry over night before using.

A woman who belongs to the same online book club as I do, a woman whom I've never met but consider a friend, has cancer. She's had surgeries and has begun treatments. Fellow member and blogger Holli sent her at least 1 if not 2 care packages of books, asking us for ones we've read & loved. I know other members have sent her care packages on their own too. I wasn't able to send anything until now because of so much going on here and waiting for the Eat Pray Love audio cd book to arrive as it's been on back order for some time. All in the picture are on my "All time favorites" list. I've written a message in each one (as well as a post it indicating if it's en exceptionally emotional read, just for her fyi) and included a cute reindeer card with a message as well. My friend Bren will send it out UPS either tomorrow or Wednesday. (She's able to send things for me for free, something I don't do often but am so thankful for!) I wanted to be...

Miss Booper taking an early afternoon snooze today next to the base board heat in our kitchen. (And a great day it is to snuggle up with a heater - 26 degrees at nearly 2pm!)

I've added a number of new links to my "Sites of Interest" as well as new blogs to my "Blog Roll..." and my "This Way For Christmas" link section now appears in the right hand column.

A bitter cold & windy day turning to a frigid, windy night. Taken late this afternoon.

Hubby after the ceremony today (see prev post).

Pearl Harbor Day remembrance ceremony at our American Legion post this afternoon.

Last night.

Last night.

Last night.

Our American Legion Post had a Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance ceremony this afternoon and since Vic is Sgt. At Arms, he had to wear his "uniform." He looks great all gussied up (in my humble, unbiased opinion)! Funny this pic makes him look shorter than the 6'3" he actually is! He really needs a longer tie. (As do most of the other AL members!)

Please remember Our Troops this Christmas! Find out how to send Season's Greeting via the U.S.O. site at https://www.uso.org/donate/custom.aspx?id=1100 .

If you're able to financially, ASAP please bring a new, unwrapped toy (or two) for girls or boys to your local Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drop off location. To find a location near you, please click on the following link: http://www.toysfortots.org/ Each year, I buy presents with my daughter in mind, instead of just picking random items, and give those to Toys for Tots. It's my hope that by doing it this way, they bring much joy to whomever receives them and perhaps that joy makes it way up to Heaven to Brianna as well.

Pathetic that I'm this excited over an inch or so of snow but that just tells ya how long it's been since this snow lover has seen any snow!

Yaaaaaaahooooooo!!!

So we had a new tenant move in above us - a nice girl with 2 young children. Yes, there's a "but." She's leaving an abusive husband, who supposedly doesn't know where she & the kids have moved to and when her police escort arrived at their house today, they saw bruises on her and instead of just removing him from the house as planned so her things could be moved & she could get here without him following, the police pressed charges against him (battery & assault and making verbal threats - he's threatened to kill her) AND They Took His Guns Away. Fucking GREAT. The police told her she could get a temporary restraining order tomorrow before going to court this week to get a permanent one - I told her bull shit! If they can call a judge on a Sunday to get a temp, they could've called today for one & she shouldn't have left until she had it. I've got chest pains right now. The people who lived upstairs before had domestic viole...

Well, Sis is on her way back to Texas. Vic and nephew are taking her to the airport now. I'm staying at home, nursing a sinus headache & heartburn - I'm freezing! It was a nice visit but things were getting cramped this last week.

Taken yesterday at the Twin Lights of Navesink, Highlands, NJ.

I actually lied in the prev post too since today I put a small Nativity set next to this ceramic Christmas tree on top of the computer desk!