Coming Out Of The Fog

It has now been about three weeks since I got sick and FINALLY I believe I have turned the corner and am getting better. My hearing is almost normal, my throat doesn't hurt nearly as much, and the cough isn't keeping me awake at night. I think I am still battling the conjunctivitis and WILL call the ophthalmologist on Monday if all isn't clear by then. Of course, the head being plugged up to a certain extent is just a part of living here, so I don't expect THAT to change too much. All in all, I'm able to do most everything I want--just at a slower pace and over the course of DAYS rather than HOURS. Needless to say, I DON'T make a good sick person.

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We have been having strange weather. Of course we have a LOT of snow--so far, 113.6 inches have fallen at the local NWS station. The 'normal' snowfall to this point in the season is 64.7 inches. Yep, almost double what we should have. However, it doesn't really look like we have a horrendous amount of snow because of the 'heat' waves and rain that has fallen during them. Our last rain was right after Christmas and we got our own private ice rink in the back yard as a result. Too bad so much snow fell afterward or I could have been skating daily. (Outdoor ice rinks are WAY too hard to maintain--too labor intensive!) Today the skies are clear, the sun is shining, and the temp is sitting at 18--but more snow is coming tomorrow.

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Tomorrow is the Winter Classic game and I can't wait! With all of the hype, it should be great--as long as the Wings win. :) Last night they shut out the 'Hawks 4-0, so tomorrow will be interesting. I wanted to have a Winter Classic party, but K said he doesn't want me to overexert myself and I think he was right. So, I will just be on the couch at 1:00 PM, wearing my Winter Classic T-shirt, waiting for the puck to drop. GO WINGS!!!

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Despite not feeling like myself, we were able to have a fairly normal Christmas celebration. We went to spend Christmas Eve with friends--a tradition that has been going on for many years--and had a quiet Christmas Day with only A and her husband here.

While this year was not a big one for gifts--K and I still are getting furniture--I DID receive one very memorable one. A and her husband 'rescued' the sewing maching from The Parents' house that I taught myself to sew on. It was in their basement and had been for many years. Despite the abuse it took, it is in quite good shape and the restoration process shouldn't be too difficult. I could still use it if it was cleaned a bit more and a new belt was put on. The cabinet has some damage, but a friend said it shouldn't be hard to fix the problem areas. And here is a picture of the machine:


Yes, it is a Singer treadle machine and is almost 100 years old. This was The Mother's aunt-in-law's machine that was willed to her when the aunt died and now it is officially mine. I really can't wait to get started on the restoration--however, I have NO idea where I will put it afterwards! Decisions, decisions.

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As long as I don't have another relapse, I should be doing regular posts from now on. I want to wish everyone a wonderful and blessed new year. Hopefully, this one will be better than the last.

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One More Merry Christmas Post

The Detroit Red Wings put out some sort of holiday greeting for their fans each year. Two years ago, some of the players read 'The Night Before Christmas.' Last year, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' was read. This year, they did something a bit different: they sang 'The 12 Days of Christmas.' It is quite entertaining. So, I now present to you, the Detroit Red Wings--or, some of them. I don't think they should give up their day jobs. ;)

In order of appearance:

Coah Mike Babcock
Derek Meech
Jiri Hudler
Andreas Lilja
Brett Lebda
Tomas Kopecky
Ty Conklin
Valtteri Filppula
Pavel Datsyuk
Dan Cleary
Kirk Maltby
Henrik Zetterberg
Darren McCarty
Kris Draper

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

...And To All A Good Night

I don't know if I will have time to post before Christmas, so I wanted to wish everyone a very merry and blessed holiday. My wish for each of you: a wonderful time of happiness, love, and fun with the friends and loved ones you wish to be with.

Joy, love, and peace to all--and don't forget the REAL reason for the season.

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It's Getting Done

Here it is just two days before the Big One--in our household, Christmas Eve has always been bigger than Christmas Day--and I am getting things done. I finally got the decorating finished--albeit, a bit less than usual. I didn't put out any of my angel or nativity collections, my Christmas village, or various tchotchkes, but it looks like Christmas, so I'm satisfied. I couldn't see spending the time or effort for the short time everything will be on display. I already let A know that I won't be doing any Oreo truffles, so that is one thing off of my list. I will do some of my favorite finger food type things and that will be the extent of my Christmas baking/cooking.

K will be going to work for half of a shift tonight and then he will be home until next Sunday. This will give time for him to help with some of the rest of the preparations. I'm hoping he will do the gift wrapping for the grandkids when he gets home tonight because he has to deliver the stuff tomorrow. I really won't have time to do any of the wrapping as I still have to venture out and shop.

I am hoping to finish all of my shopping tonight. I don't know if I'm strong enough to do a marathon trip yet, but I will try. I at least have to do grocery shopping and a couple of other stores. If I can't do it all tonight, for sure I will finish tomorrow. K and I were supposed to give living room furniture as a Christmas gift to ourselves this year, but with me being sick, I don't think it will happen till later January or early February. So, this means I have to come up with gifts for him--something I didn't think I needed to do. (Now, I don't MIND him having to buy me a gift--I LIKE presents, after all! ;)) He is NOT hard to buy for, as he is happy with anything, it's just he doesn't NEED or USE most of what he gets. I have to really try to come up with something that will rock his world. Oh, well, shirts and pants it is then. ;) Anyway, I wish I was done with my shopping, but I'm not.

I will try to do a few more posts--I do have things to write about--when I have the time. Until then...

Wings 6-Sharks 0

The Wings shut out the number one team in the NHL! If THAT doesn't make me feel better, then NOTHING can. It was so good to see the Wings actually play the way they know how--AND to play almost a full 60 minutes. To make things even better, my Baby Boy got a goal. I can't stop smiling.

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Still Here

Well, I am still alive--even though I now know exactly what the phrase 'feeling like death warmed over' means. I'm still coughing up body parts, but that too shall pass. I'm feeling weak as a newborn kitten and can't stay up for any length of time, but it will get better. I'm still hoping to be able to get some decorating done this weekend--A and her husband will be here on Christmas Eve, so there are expectations. However, I have let them know that there will NOT be any truffles this year--I just don't have the time or energy. Now, I may make them after Christmas, but that remains to be seen. :)

Last night I slept in bed for the first time in days. It just had been so much easier for me to sleep in the recliner because of the coughing, but I may have turned a corner on that one. I will know that I am all better when I can stay up for the majority of the day AND have enough strength to shower before going to bed. The showering has been a bit spotty lately--and I DO know that is just WAY too much information. :)

Another thing that has been proven to me through this entire ordeal is just how much of a hockey/Red Wing fan I am. Now we all know I am just a bit obsessed, but even with being as sick as I have been, I haven't missed an entire game--and I have managed to watch parts of non-Wing games, too. Granted, there are a few of the games I WISH I had missed, but... And my world continues.

This will sound extremely harsh, but I believe I know the 'reason' I got sick like I did. (I believe everything happens for a reason.) As it turned out, the day after my conjunctivitis was diagnosed, The Father's twin sister died. This is the same aunt of mine who has been so sick for the past year or so. Being as sick as I was gave me a completely legitimate excuse to not attend the funeral. I guess I DO have a guardian angel. I am, of course, NOT under the delusion that anyone in The Family actually believes I was sick, but that doesn't matter--at least I have a clear conscience about the whole thing.

I have every intention to be back on the interweb on a semi-regular basis from now on--hopefully the body will cooperate! I'm glad to be back.

Short Update

I'm still alive, but I don't know why. I kind of figured if one was going to be THIS sick, then death was imminent, but it's not happening. On Friday I was put on an antibiotic, but I still have a spotty fever, so I don't know if THAT is working. I'll wait to see how I am tomorrow before deciding on calling the doc back. While I actually HAVEN'T coughed up a lung, I still watch where I walk in case there are stray body parts on the floor. At this point, I will be lucky to even get the tree up for Christmas. Ho, ho, ho.

Whoa

The Wings got their Stanley Cup rings last night. Now that is some kinda bling!

Monday Evening

I don't usually get sick, but here I am, sick again. I was just down with some kind of bug a month ago. I'm feeling a bit achy, I have a bit of a headache, my throat hurts, my sinuses are clogging, and I have a little bit of a cough. Oh great, I may have the flu. And I DID get my flu shot, as usual. I'm really hoping this is just a bug and will be gone by tomorrow. I haven't done a thing about my Christmas decorating and time is short! The worst thing about this whole illness? I haven't lost my appetite!

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Versus is showing the Buffalo/Pittsburgh game tonight. I was thinking about playing the drinking game where I would have a shot every time one of the announcers mentioned 'Sidney Crosby'--or any variation thereof--but I don't think I have enough booze in the house to do it. Also, I think I would probably die of alcohol poisoning before the gamed ended. Unbelievable. I also couldn't use the terms 'great, beautiful, fantastic, etc' when used to describe the Penguins--once again, not enough booze and alcohol poisoning. I ONLY watch Versus when I have no other choice cause the announcers have Bettman's love of the Penguins--read that as love ofCrosby--in full force. I wouldn't mind if the praise was spread all around the league, but when it is ONLY the Penguins, then I can't handle that. Ridiculous.

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Making Monday Better

Well, A got another one of those phone calls today. It was SO good that she had to call during her lunch hour--which she NEVER does. And here goes:

When A answered the phone, a woman was on the other end. She was quite distraught when she began her story. Seems she has a goldfish. Said goldfish was floating on its side, but still moving its little fins a bit. She wanted to know what she could do about it. Considering the fish was on its way out AND considering goldfish are a dime a dozen, A told her there wasn't anything they really could do for the fish. That was when the woman uttered the best. line. ever. Are you ready? And then she asked:

"Well, if I bring the fish in, could you put it to sleep for me?"

It just DOESN'T get any better than this. :)

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Celebrate

Celebrations for the week:

7 December
National Cotton Candy Day

8 December
National Brownie Day

9 December
Weary Willie Day

10 December
Human Rights Day

11 December
National Noodle-ring Day
International Mountain Day

12 December
Poinsettia Day

13 December
Day of the Horse

Detroit 5-Chicago 4

On the first shot of the game, my Baby Boy scored his third goal of the season. The second goal that the Wings got, VF had an assist. Not bad--it got his +/- up to +1. Good job.

Broken record time: it would be great to watch the Wings play an entire 60 minute game already. While there are actually glimpses of greatness, there aren't enough of them. Once again, they blew a good lead--tonight it was a 2 goal lead and then there were four unanswered goals before they tied it in the third. Thank goodness Datsyuk got his shootout goal--and Conklin beat each Blackhawk.

Well, they have a few days off to work on their game--again. I sure wish they would get their collective act together already. This is getting old.


--Detroit Red Wings' Valtteri Filppula, center, of Finland, celebrates his goal with teammates Jiri Hudler (26) of the Czech Republic, and Dan Cleary, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 in Detroit. (AP Photo)--

Hmmmm...

This is what I did/have to do for my doctor appointment tomorrow:

--mani/pedi
--shave legs and pits
--shower extra carefully
--exfoliate
--moisturize
--plan what to wear

It just occurred to me: I think I'm dating my doctor! ;)

Let's Get Ready To Ramble

This is the phone call you don't want to get: A co-worker at your spouse's workplace calls to talk to your spouse--while he is supposed to be at work! Yep, I got that call today! The co-worker explained that she didn't look at the schedule before making the call and apologized, but it sure sent my heart pumping for a minute. She made sure to tell K to, once again, apologize when he got home.

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We are under a lake effect snow advisory again. I was hoping the snow wouldn't be here yet, but I think it won't be going away till April. I KNOW it is going to come every year, but it still seems too early whenever it gets here. Last week it was reported that at the National Weather Service office 10 miles away 44" have fallen so far this season. The average for this time of year is 22", so we might have a record-breaker in the making.

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Today I went for my pre-appointment blood-letting. My internist has moved to a new office and I'm not sure I am pleased. The only way to explain the atmosphere in this new office is to think of a combination emergency room and walk-in clinic--complete with kids. Not only does this office have internists, but there is also a pediatrician. It has been YEARS since I had to sit in a waiting room with kids. The people in the waiting room were stacked like cord wood and no one seemed to be going anywhere. I would think about changing doctors, but I have been seeing him for about 10 years and like him very much, so I guess I have to put up with the place. Yuck.

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Last week the TV series The Shield ran the final episode. I don't know what exactly I expected to happen, but whatever I thought, DIDN'T. It seemed almost anti-climactic in a way. While there were some deaths that were kind of expected, the absolute ending was so quiet that it almost faded away. It was very disappointing on some level.

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Speaking of disappointing: Now that I have movie channels and On Demand on the TV in the kitchen, I have decided to try and catch up on movies that I haven't seen. I wish I hadn't. In the past couple of weeks I have watched Children of Men, Apocalypto, Pan's Labyrinth, and Mr Bean's Holiday. Of these, I couldn't watch all of Mr Bean--I LOVE Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean--as I found it quite dull; Pan's Labyrinth disappointed because I thought it was going to be something like one of the Narnia movies and it wasn't at all; and I feel they didn't do enough with Children of Men. Apocalypto was filmed beautifully and had a compelling story, but it seems as if MORE could have been done with it--it held my attention, but not much beyond that. I have recorded Babel and Bridge to Terebithia, so I hope those are better watching.

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The thing that WASN'T disappointing was the win the Wings had over the Ducks tonight, 2-1. We finally saw a glimpse of the Wings that SHOULD be playing--they hustled for most of the 60 minutes and worked harder than they have most of this season. They had 47 shots on goal and kept the Ducks to only 16. Once again--or should I say STILL--the question is: what the hell do the Wings have to do to actually get the damn puck to go into the net? With that many shots on goal, the score should have been 14-1, at least! Giguere hadn't played for a few games, he has had personal troubles, and he couldn't have had his head in the game, yet the Wings couldn't get that puck past him. They did, however, chase him out of the goal--he couldn't play the third period due to dehydration. I guess all the work they made him do...

The Wings don't have to play again till Thursday, so they will have time to do practices and address some of the problems they have had. Holmstrom is skating again and should be back by the end of the week and Chelios is skating and may be back within two weeks, so things are getting better. It is hard to complain when they ARE winning and have such a good record, but, as a Red Wing fan, I always want more! Oh, well.

Celebrate

Celebrations for the week:

30 November
Stay Home Because You're Well Day

1 December
Bifocals At The Monitor Liberation Day
Day Without Art Day

2 December
National Fritters Day

3 December
Special Kids Day

4 December
National Cookie Day
National Dice Day

5 December
Bathtub Party Day

6 December
Mitten Tree Day
National Pawnbrokers Day

Phone Calls You REALLY Don't Want

As I have said before, my youngest works at a veterinary clinic. These days she mostly is a receptionist and unofficial computer expert. Answering the phone all day long is the best way to get calls that you really don't want to answer--and she has had a few doozies lately.

Upon answering the phone one day, the voice on the other end began talking about turkey blackheads and how to prevent them. Excuse me?!?!?! First, we have cats with acne and now turkeys with blackheads? It turns out the person was NOT asking about acne/blackheads, but a real disease that is called 'blackhead.' Why this couldn't be explained BEFORE A had to go and talk to the vet, I'll never know. It's not as if she deals with LIVESTOCK questions all of the time--the clinic is in the middle of the Twin Cities, for crying out loud!

Then we get the woman who brought her female dog to the park to run around. She was concerned because a male dog mounted the bitch and began to hump to her--the dog, not the woman. ;) The woman was sure it was anal sex and she was worried her dog would be in pain because "it hurts so much the first time." WHY she thought it was anal sex, we will never know for sure, but if she SAW it happen, then she was WAY too close to the action.

And finally, we get the woman who began the phone call by telling A that her daughter has an STD. (NOT something A REALLY needs to know.) Anyway, the woman wanted to know if her dog could catch the STD because it EATS her daughter's underwear. Words fail.

I think receptionists in all offices in this country are some of our unsung heroes. I would say, far too many times, things such as "Are you f***ing crazy?" or "STFU!!!" to a lot of people--and I would be looking for a new job every other day. NOT something I could do.

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A Nice Day

I very much enjoyed my birthday today. I got a few nice cards and some phone calls, which are always welcome. A very good friend took me to the movies and out to dinner--and she even gave me a gift! I'm a lucky, lucky woman. :)

First, the movie. We went to see Four Christmases. Now, this will never win an Academy Award, but it was a nice diversion and had some real laughs. If you don't mind slapstick humor, you can really get into this movie. Vince Vaughn on the roof with the satellite dish made me laugh till I cried. (And he isn't a big fav of mine.) While I don't usually enjoy puke humor, Vaugh's reaction to a baby upchucking WAS quite hilarious. Of course the ending got a bit overly sentimental--you know me, there is NOTHING sentimental about the holidays--but it still didn't get too bad. All in all, it wasn't a waste of money.

For dinner we went to my favorite Italian restaurant. YUMMY. I had a tossed salad and mostacolli with meat sauce--and, of course, their famous garlic bread. It was so good I wish I could have done the meal again as soon as I finished, but I was stuffed. Good, good food.

And as a gift, my friend gave me a very pretty star-shaped Christmas bowl, a Christmas hand towel, and homemade chocolate chunk cookies. MORE good food!

K started my day off right with a card and gift bag from a local jewelry store. I LOVE gifts in jewelry store bags! ;) He said the gift is appropriate considering we live in the land of ice and snow--and here is where I heard Led Zeppelin singing "Immigrant Song"*--and I should have a symbol of where we live. In the jewelry box was a pendant in the shape of a snowflake. Gorgeous! And here is a picture:


He really gets it right when he buys me jewelry--I think I'll keep him.

The Wings won over Columbus tonight, 5-3--another good happening for my day. Lilja put the beatdown on a couple of players--one pretty nice fight, actually--and stood up to the meany who was roughing my Baby Boy up a little too much! Go Andreas!! Tonight's game was a better effort than they put on Wednesday night, for sure. Hopefully, they will be able to hold their own against Boston tomorrow night--but they probably will be very tired.

All in all, it was a very nice day--even if it means I got one year older. :)



*"A-ah-ahh-ah, ah-ah-ahh-ah
We come from the land of the ice and snow
from the midnight sun where the hot springs flow"

Detroit 1-Montreal 3

The game last night was a real fiasco. The Wings certainly showed how tired the road trip left them AND that they were back home less than 24 hours before the game. Not much at all to get excited about, except for the goal that Franzen managed to get. It kept Detroit from suffering a shutout. This goal is--so far--in contention for goal-of-the-year. Absolutely, amazingly beautiful!

Some More Rambling

I just took the pie out of the oven, the turkey is cooking, and the game won't be starting for a few minutes--during which I will take care of the rutabagas--so I thought I would do a post while I have the time.

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Today I got paperwork from my doctor and it made me realize that I have my physical coming up. Unfortunately, I thought it was the second week in December, but looked at the calendar and it is next Wednesday. And I need to have lab work done. And the office isn't open on Friday. Thank goodness there will be enough time for everything to be done if I go in on Monday for the blood-letting!

I REALLY don't need the appointment to be the week after Thanksgiving--I have gained from the last time I saw him and this week isn't going to help matters. YUCK!

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K and I will be having a quiet day tomorrow--just the two of us. I really don't mind not having a whole bunch of people around--it is VERY tiring. And I don't like going anywhere else because there are no leftovers at home. ;)

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The running boards were installed on the Envoy yesterday and I can't tell you how THRILLED I am! When you are barely over 5 feet tall, it isn't easy to get into larger vehicles. I didn't have all that much trouble with the Jimmy because it sat closer to the ground, but the Envoy is MUCH higher. I have had to rely on the 'oh, shit' handles to get in AND out of the Envoy and it was starting to get very old. Now with the running boards, I can just step right in with no problems. YAY!!! I will have to watch getting OUT of the Envoy, though--I almost tripped on the step getting out last night. It will take some getting used to.

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One of K's co-worker's daughters has just moved into her first apartment, so she needs a lot of stuff. It is SO nice to be able to hand things off to someone else--and to FINALLY get some of this crap out of my house! C would have the room, but not the need, for some of the stuff we have and A might have the need, but not the room. I've done rummage sales before to get rid of stuff I don't need, but I find it too much trouble. (I usually have to go in with someone else and haul my junk there.) One thing I look forward to if we do build, is being able to go through all of our belongings and DOWNSIZE! There is just so much we DON'T need anymore--I'll be glad to get rid of it.

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The game is just beginning, so I will have to go. The Wings lost on Monday, so I hope it is a better showing tonight. Go Wings!

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For all of my readers: have a wonderful, blessed holiday. I hope you will be spending the day with the people you love and care for. Take care and God bless.

Yeah, THAT Was Funny

My holiday season dread seemed to hit me last night and I was explaining to K how much I DIDN'T look forward to it or to doing the Christmas decorating. As he has always loved the Christmas season, it isn't easy to tell him how I feel and get him to understand. I was going on and on about how this is affecting me and why, when I said--WITHOUT STOPPING TO THINK WHAT I WAS SAYING--this:

My get up and go
Has gone up and went
Completely and totally
One-hundred per cent

And yes, we laughed until we cried--that is after the shock wore off! :D K thinks I can take over now that Dr Seuss is no longer with us. ;)

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Let's Get Ready To Ramble

Tonight was truly a momentous occasion--24 began a new season! Jack Bauer is back, people! I recorded it so that I can sit back and savor every moment of the show--I have really missed 24. So, are there any other fans who read this blog?

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Don't know if I will get a chance to watch 24 anymore tonight--I have a dentist appointment in the AM. Yup, that is like MORNING! I can't believe I actually made an appointment for the morning. Oh, well, it will give us a chance to go shopping after I'm done.

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So, shopping. We need a new couch. We also need a new recliner/rocker to replace the one K uses all of the time. But, then, we have needed a new recliner for years BEFORE we bought our last couch, so... Anyway, our couch has busted a spring in the back, so it is time to replace. We replace our couches every 5 years or so, because I refuse to spend too much money on them. Why? you may ask. Well, it is because K spends about half of all of his sleeping hours on the couch, so our couches wind up in very bad shape in very short order. You just CAN'T roll around on a couch all of the time and expect it to hold up, so I won't get an expensive couch for him to ruin. I don't expect this to be too hard of a shopping trip, however. I have decided the color I want and how much I want to spend, so as soon as K says a couch is comfortable enough, I will say, "SOLD!" My biggest problem will be trying to convince him that the recliner needs replacing--THAT will be a job!

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I very much enjoy living in a small city and wouldn't want to live elsewhere. One thing that bothers me, though, is our local newspaper. Thank goodness for the internet! Anyway, I was reading our paper today and went looking for the story about the Red Wings' game last night and NOTHING! Absolutely. Nothing. And the reason for this blasphemous thing? The game was a west coast game, so it was still being played when the paper was being printed. Excuse me, but the game WAS done by 1:00 AM! Much, much joy in living in a small city.

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For several weeks now, WGN America--the 'superstation' out of Chicago--has been running old TV series on Sunday. WKRP In Cincinnati, Newhart, ALF, and others are shown. It certainly has been fun re-watching these shows. They seem to hold up quite well--I guess that goes to show what quality shows they were in the first place.

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I visit the Cute Overload site every day. Today (or was it yesterday?) a video was posted that caused a GREAT amount of negative feedback--along with positive comments. Before you watch this, I must give some info: it is in Spanish, but you DON'T need to understand the language to know what is going on; it is a bit disturbing, in a black-humor sort of way; and it is NOT real--it is a commercial for an Argentinian internet company. The people who HATED this didn't feel as if it was appropriate in any way, shape, or form--and those of us who appreciate warped humor enjoyed it. Watch and see what you think--and you MAY need to watch it a couple of times just to get all of the nuances. (There is NO sex, nudity, violence, or bad language.)

Celebrate

Here are this week's celebrations:

23 November
National Cashew Day
Fibonacci Day

24 November
Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

25 November
Shopping Reminder Day

26 November
Tie One On Day

27 November
Pins and Needles Day

28 November
Black Friday
Buy Nothing Day
Flossing Day
Maize Day
Sink Day
CMK's Birthday

29 November
Electronic Greetings Day

Wings 5-Flames 2

So, the score would say that the win was completely definitive, but the last two goals were in the final minutes--one being an empty-netter. Still, the guys played rather well and it is good to see them getting back to true form. VF is playing much better and is now at +2 and has 8 points. He's been getting about 16 minutes on the ice per game and has been moved around a lot, so things should start clicking for him soon. Go Baby Boy!

Holmstrom was sent home because of his back spasms--he is to have an MRI to see what is going on. Cleary is doing better and should get back into the line-up shortly--hopefully his vision will be fully restored before that happens. And it still doesn't look as if Chelios will be back too soon--I wonder if he will finally just hang the skates up for good? But, things are looking better on the injury front.

Monday finds the Wings in Vancouver for the last of the Western Canada games--hopefully they can win and have a sweep. Right now, the Wings have a 10-1-1 road record. Not bad at all!


--Detroit Red Wings goalie Ty Conklin, right, grabs the puck as Calgary Flames' Matthew Lombardi pressures him during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008. (AP)--

Detroit 4, Edmonton 3

After absolutely OWNING the game the first two periods, the Wings had their usual meltdown in the third. Starting the last period they were up 4-1, but managed to allow two goals and ended up with another one-goal win. Two more Wings were out with injuries--Holmstrom and Kronwall--and we won't know till tomorrow just how bad they are doing. As long as they get their injuries done early in the season, then things should be okay. I hope.


--Detroit Red Wings right wing Jiri Hudler (26), from Czech Republic, celebrates his second goal with Detroit Red Wings' Mikael Samuelsson, from Sweden, during second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. (AP Photo)--

A Couple Of Links

--I don't know about you, but I think this would get me in a whole lot of trouble! I would almost want to give it as a gift, but don't dare--don't want to cause anyone else to get into trouble!

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--This is NSFW and if you are offended by some things, don't click on the link. However, it IS hysterical--just proves that you better be careful who is around when you get falling down drunk! (And if you are not stopping by List of the Day on a regular basis, you are missing A LOT!)

Yup, It's Winter

So far in this storm, the town 10 miles up the road from us has gotten 14 inches of snow. We have gotten less here next to the lake, but there IS quite a bit out there. The driveway was pretty much filled in, but thanks to our neighbor taking care of it, K will not have to worry when he gets home from work. And that is a VERY good thing as K called and said he won't be home till after midnight. Looks like tonight and possibly the next two days he will be working 18 hour shifts. I'm not exactly sure what is going on, but I think the fact that so many people are off for hunting has led to the plant being short-handed. Anyway, we still are under a lake effect snow warning till tomorrow morning. We are supposed to get anywhere from 2-10 inches and could possibly see one or more inches per hour. Then you add the winds and we will have whiteout conditions. Hmmm...there may be MORE schools closed tomorrow.

Here is what it looked like out of my backdoor earlier today--and it will only get worse.

If This Isn't Love...

Today we got the call that the birthday gift K ordered for me was in.

I take possession on Tuesday.

And just what is it that K bought for me?

Running boards for the Envoy.

And people say romance is dead! ;)

Winter?

Looks like winter might be here. We got at least five inches of snow yesterday and we should get that much or more before Tuesday morning. K had to bring out the snow blower in order to clean the driveway. I don't think it will be put away till spring. Yippee!

Detroit 4-Edmonton 0

Finally we got to see the Wings play like the champions they are and they completely shut down the Oilers. It was a pleasure to see the guys play at their--or close to--best. It also was good to see others score besides Datsyuk, Hossa, and Z. But, of course, Franzen still got a goal--the man is on a tear! VF got an assist, so he now has 7 points--not very good, but should get better. Hopefully his +/- will get better, too--he's at -2 right now. (It IS better than it was--earlier he was at -7!) If they can continue playing like tonight, then the sky's the limit.

Thursday the Wings play the Oilers again, only IN Edmonton. It will be harder to get as easy of a win, but hopefully it WILL be a win. Go Wings!


--Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall (55), of Sweden, shoots a goal over Edmonton Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson's shoulder in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Monday, Nov. 17, 2008. (AP Photo)--

About Snow and Great Happenings

I went out shopping tonight and it was the first time I drove on snow for the year. I have always said that you can drive in most anything as long as you take your time--and having 4-wheel drive doesn't hurt, either! When I left the house, it was snowing so hard that I could barely see to the top of our street, but the snow had slowed considerably by the time I got out of the first store. It wasn't snowing any harder when I finished with the grocery shopping, so that was a good thing. While I was shopping, the road crews were out, so the roads were more wet than snow-covered and slippery. By morning, however, things might be nasty out there. The forecast calls for up to 12 inches of snow--we'll have to see what we get here in town.

I was quite pleased with the way the Envoy handled, but I didn't put too much strain on it, either. The worst conditions were in parking lots where everything was ice with a snow cover--not great to drive on. Still, I had no trouble getting around. Thank goodness.

MySpace Graphics & MySpace Layouts

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Last Wednesday a great and wondrous event took place that has changed my life for the better: I got my first DVR! Oh. My. Stars!!!!! I cannot sing the praises of that (very) large mechanical box that I have sitting on my kitchen counter--and I hope it never has to leave my house. With this great thing, I can record two TV programs at once. TWO! That means I have no need for VCRs anymore--hallelujah! There is no rewinding needed and I can store 51 hours worth of programming on the machine. When the box was installed, I got access to every channel that K has in the living room. This means I now have every movie channel our cable system offers, plus I have On Demand and all HD programming. I am in TV addict heaven--and can't be happier.

Celebrate

Celebrations for the week:

16 November
Button Day

17 November
Homemade Bread Day
Take A Hike Day

18 November
Married To A Scorpio Support Day
Mickey Mouse Day
Push-button Phone Day

19 November
Have A Bad Day Day
Use Less Stuff Day

20 November
Name Your PC Day

21 November
World Hello Day
World Television Day

22 November
Family Volunteer Day

A Bunch Of Links

Here are a few links to help waste some time--again, these are from mental_floss.

--Which Way Is She Turning?

Supposedly, this is an IQ test. Whichever direction you see the figure turning will tell you if you are using your right brain or your left--and if you can see it turning in BOTH directions, then you are a genius with an IQ over 160. I'm not too sure I believe this, as I can see it turning both ways--AND I can make it change directions at will. Whatever, it still is quite fascinating.

--Sidewalk Chalk Guy

Here are some pictures of sidewalk art that is not to be believed. To think these are/were destroyed as soon as it rained! The artist is unbelievable! While you can find many sites that showcase his art, here is the official website of Julian Beever, the artist. Lots to see.

--Cake Art

We all have seen some fine examples of decorated cakes, but very few have ever seen cakes such as these. Every bit of each cake is fully edible--amazing. I can't even imagine how much something like this would cost.

And now for two links to posts on List Of The Day:

--Baby Care Tips

While this is very frightening at first glance, it DOES have a lot of black humor to it. Unfortunately, I KNOW some people who might take these suggestions seriously! =:o

--The Museum Of Bad Art

How does that saying go? Something along the lines of "I may not know art, but I DO know what I like." Well, any of these examples couldn't POSSIBLY be considered something that ANYONE could like. I don't know if I want to know how delusional some of the artists were. Here is the website for the Museum of Bad Art--in case you need to see more.

Wings 3-Panthers 2

Well, they swept Florida--which is good. They had two one-goal games--which isn't. At least they're winning. Hossa got two goals and Franzen got the game winner, so the two big guns continue on their roll. Yet, things STILL aren't right. It will be interesting to see how things will end up--hopefully with another Cup, but who's to say. Next they play Edmonton back-to-back--once at home and once away.


--Detroit Red Wings' Tomas Holmstrom, left, of Sweden, congratulates teammate Marian Hossa, of Czech Republic, after he scored against the Florida Panthers during the first period of an NHL hockey game at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008.--

Friday LOLCats

FUNNY!

more animals

Too cute for words!

more animals

Detroit 4, Tampa Bay 3

I am pretending that the game Tuesday night did not happen. I have been embarrassed to even say that I am a Red Wing fan after THAT ridiculous fiasco. So, on to last night's game.

The Wings played better last night, but... Things just AREN'T the way they should be--the guys are not looking right. I'm waiting to see when Babcock will put the Euro Twins back together on the first line--that might be what is needed to get the team back to normal. The way the lines were being juggled last night was unbelievable--I never knew who was going to be on the ice. I think the only line that Filppula was NOT on was the first! It just seems as if the first line was the way it was last year, then the entire team would calm down and fall back into place. I still would like to see my Baby Boy on a line with Hossa and Franzen--it might spark his scoring.

Osgood's win kept his career record of NO losses against the Lightning--he got his 17th win. He still is letting in too many goals, but that is because the 'D' isn't doing the job right. I'm wondering if Lidstrom is having problems with the visor, as he is giving the puck away too many times lately. But then, Datsuyk is allowing too many take aways, so the unusualness is across the board.

Tonight the Wings play the Panthers. They continue their road-game heavy schedule for the rest of this month and THEN get to stay at home for December. I'm not too sure it is a good thing, however, as their road-game record is better than their at-home one. We'll have to see how this is played out.


--Tampa Bay Lightning's Mike Lundin (39) and Detroit Red Wings' Valtteri Filppula (51), of Finland, battle in front of goalie Olaf Kolzig, of South Africa, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008, in Tampa, Fla. (AP)--

Put The Coffee Down...

...before reading this! List Of The Day has posted a classic Craigslist ad and it goes like this:

Free to a Good Home

---

Data: 2005-08-29, 10:33AM EDT

So I have this cat. Actually it’s my girlfriend’s cat. Actually we have two, a small grey tabby named T**** that is a blast to have around, and the “other one”.

It’s corpulent, bright orange and has medium length hair, so of course to me it’s name has only ever been Fat Bastard.

(I’m not kidding, this cat is obese enough that it’s gut leaves it’s own trail in the middle of it’s footprints after I vacuum the carpet, uniformly triangulating the food dish, the litter box, and the hammock it has steamrollered for itself in my underwear hamper.)

Fat Bastard has a problem. Its very existence revolves solely around consuming anything organic. I mean anything.

We can’t have real plants anymore, not even cactus. (My girlfriend didn’t laugh when I, tired of the green vomit, suggested Poinsettias)

We have all of the food stored in cupboards that have child locks on them.

Opening the fridge involves holding a broom. (I’d love to teach the fucker a lesson by trapping it in there for a little bit, but beyond the cessation of all sexual activity when my girlfriend finds out, I’m pretty sure this thing is as well-insulated as a walrus and I’d only open the door and discover carnage, not to mention fuzzy rage propelling itself to freedom with one of it’s signature exertion farts.)

We have a bungee cord holding the lid on the trash can, which also happens to be attached to the wall to prevent, as my girlfriend calls it, “accidental tipping”.

Ordering pizza involves trapping it in a bedroom, then listening to it scratch furiously at the door as soon as it gets a whiff of oregano.

It drinks pop.

We can’t walk away from the stove while preparing a meal, as even scalding hot pots and pans have proven no match for it’s powerful, powerful lust. I love bacon, yet it’s become contraband since the “incident”. (Which my girlfriend still somehow regards as my fault, as if I encouraged the fucking thing to snatch sizzling bacon right out of the pan, headfirst, then tear-ass around the house alternating between muted howling and ragged, gasping swallows.)

It has, on a number of occasions, snarfed an entire pack of cigarettes.

Christ, this cat has eaten soap that smelled like melon.

It was entertaining at first, playing the “Let’s see what we can get in there” game, but when this fucking beast blew right through wasabi, jalapenos, mustard, lemons, live grasshoppers, Skittles, and an extra-shot latte, I got the point.

I’m tired of having to treat simple food items like they’re plutonium.

I miss having a bag of chips or a cold pizza on the coffee table while I’m watching the game.

I’m fed up with having to wait to do laundry because the basement has been fouled by a particularly rank dump.

Enough is enough.

If you want her, she’s yours.

The girlfriend or the cat, it’s your call…

(Either way, you don’t even have to get out of the car; I’ll just unwrap a Kraft single and throw it in the backseat.)

Please, help a guy out…

Wings 3-Devils 1

Finally, the Wings got a decisive victory--NO one goal game, NO empty-netter! They really tightened things up quite a bit, so the time off worked for them. Hossa is still showing that he is an absolute superstar/stud by scoring two of the three goals for the night. There seemed to be a bit more of a jump to all/most of the Wings last night, so I hope they can keep it up. VF, while not scoring any goals, is working hard and should start seeing results shortly. If he is kept on the second line after the Mule comes back--supposedly on Tuesday--then my Baby Boy will start getting his points. And speaking of Tuesday night, Pittsburgh will show up at Joe Louis--what is being called a re-match of the Stanley Cup finals. Go Wings--and show them WHY you won the Cup!


--DETROIT - NOVEMBER 08: Chris Osgood #30 of the Detroit Red Wings and Zach Parise #9 of the New Jersey Devils reach for the puck on November 8, 2008 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)--

Celebrate

After missing last week's celebrations, I am back with THIS week's--ENJOY!

9 November
World Run Day

10 November
Area Code Day

11 November
Death/Duty Day

12 November
National Indian Pudding Day

13 November
World Kindness Day
Guinness World Record Day

14 November
American Teddy Bear Day
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day

15 November
National Spicy Hermit Day
America Recycles Day
I Love To Write Day
National Bundt (Pan) Day

*I must say that I REALLY am sorry that I missed the following celebrations last week--but I will put them on my calendar for next year!

--2 November: Plan Your Epitaph Day, Cookie Monster Day
--3 November: Sandwich Day, Cliche Day
--4 November: National Candy Day, National Chicken Lady Day, Use Your Common Sense Day
--5 November: National Donut Day, National Men Make Dinner Day (could be 6 November though--two sites don't agree)
--6 November: National Nachos Day
--7 November: Hug A Bear Day, Magazine Day
--8 November: Abet and Aid Punsters Day, Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day

Links...We Got Links

mental_floss is to be thanked once again--that is where I found these links:

--TWINS?

voicingopinions.com has a great pictorial showing side-by-side pics of celebrities and their 'twins.' They certainly are right-on with most--if not all--of these. I NEVER am able to see these things for myself and admire anyone who can. It is quite funny.


--Vanity Plates

Do any of you have vanity plates? I do, but mine ISN'T pictured. (Sorry, but I DON'T post too much personal info here, so I won't post my vanity plate. If you simply MUST know what it is, send me an email and I will probably tell you privately. :)) Anyway, someone came up with the BRILLIANT idea of starting a blog that posts pictures of vanity plates and it is great. It is now going to be one of my daily stops while I wander around the interweb! Another great read.


--Photo Galleries

If you are the least bit offended at laughing at people, don't look at this. Some of the pictures and comments are a bit mean-spirited--okay, VERY mean-spirited--but every one of us has pictures like these that we hope NEVER see the light of day. While looking through this list, I really prayed that I would not see a picture of myself--I have way too many pics that would have qualified for this post. Anyway, this blog--List of The Day--DOES have quite a bit of funny stuff, so feel free to browse. I'm sure you will find something to laugh at!

Cats And Dogs

Quite a story, from Digital Spy:

"A woman opened her suitcase on holiday to discover that her kitten had stowed itself inside to join her on the trip.

Helen Wilmore, of Bradford, had been travelling for 21 hours when she finally opened her luggage to discover three-month-old Beauty.

Wilmore, 36, was visiting her cousin in Amsterdam and the kitten went undetected at security in both Leeds-Bradford and Schiphol airports.

"I couldn't believe it and I still can't take it in now how she managed to survive being stuck in there all that time - she must have used up quite a few of her nine lives," the cat-lover told The Yorkshire Post.

"We'd been delayed at Leeds-Bradford Airport for about 15 hours and Beauty had been in the luggage for that time and she'd been in the hold the whole time, probably with other suitcases being thrown on top of her. I'm thinking I should rename her Lucky."

A spokesperson at Leeds-Bradford International Airport said its security company have been informed and are investigating the incident.

"The passenger's suitcase will have gone through the checks and processes that are in place to screen hold luggage. This process is designed to detect items that may prove a threat to aircraft. An animal would not be detected by the system as it would not be deemed as a threat," he added. "

The poor little kitty cat--she must have been scared to death!

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see more puppies

Tee hee!

Another Day

Here I am, just trying to get over my physical and emotional 'issues.' I'm still trying to figure out why I have been feeling so lousy--I NOW have 'stomach' problems going on. Part of the problem COULD be the glucosamine I started taking--I'll find out when I end the samples I was given. I took glucosamine years ago and quit when it didn't seem to help me at all, but the youngest wanted me to try it again. So far, my joints SEEM better, but with me not doing a heck of a lot of moving around these last few days, I wonder if maybe I'm just feeling better because of resting my joints. Oh, well, I only have enough to take me through Saturday, so I will see what happens after that.

As for my emotional 'issues'--I'm trying to move on. I will be doing an awful lot of praying over the next years. And all things happen because they are part of God's plan--that I DO believe and MUST continue to remind myself of.

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About two weeks ago, K hurt his knee. He has no idea HOW he hurt it, but he did. Finally, last week he called our PCP and said he needed to be seen. Now, it ISN'T a good thing when a doctor moves your kneecap around and when it begins to 'click' says, "EWWWW!!!," so K was sent for an MRI. This was last Friday. As of today, he hasn't heard from ANY doctor--either our PCP or an orthopedist. Of course, he won't call the doctor's office--after all, the 'guys at work' say it takes a long time for an MRI to be read. (And we all know that the ONLY people who know ANYTHING are the 'guys at work.') He just started on long weekend, so he has a week in which to wait for a call. He is convinced he will need surgery. I just want to have a definitive answer--and SOON.

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Our local hockey team is in town for three games, beginning tonight. I'm hoping we will be able to see at least ONE of them. K is very non-committal, so I don't know what to say. I was so surprised to read in the paper that one of the players was traded--actually his jersey was one that we bid on during the auction. I guess I didn't realize that any trades are done on the junior level--these guys are 16-20 years old, so that means most of them are in school of some sort. How hard is it to continue your education if you have the chance of being moved around the country at any time during the school year? I guess it doesn't surprise me that many pros aren't well-educated. But, on the other hand, the juniors are where players go in order to keep their amateur status so that they can play on the college level. It is all very confusing to me.

**********

Over the last few days, we have heard of a couple of deaths of people we knew well. Last week, a guy who graduated a year ahead of us committed suicide--he was from K's hometown. I cannot imagine what sort of demons one has to have in order to think that death is the only solution. I have been in the deepest depths of depression and despair, but I never felt as if death was the answer. I feel so badly for anyone that is hurting so much.

Yesterday, the woman who was our neighbor when I was growing up died--she was 101! The saddest part of her long life was the fact that she not only out-lived her husband, but her only child as well. In the end, she only had a granddaughter and great-grandson left. Oh, and, of course, The Parents as 'good friends.' (puke)

Now comes the waiting--it seems as if deaths come in '3s,' so I am on the watch for the final one. {shudder}

The New POTUS

As it has been said, if you don't have anything good to say, then say nothing.














.

YES!!!

Last night's game was the best the Wings have been for a while--they won 3-2 over the Canucks. I think Babcock's shaking up of the lines went a long way towards the way they played--well, that and the fact they had a couple of days off to rest up. I'm glad to see VF on Z's line--a good move. NOW maybe we'll see his numbers go up in the right direction. Meech was brought in for Lebda, so we'll see how that works out. Bottom line, they played much better. They will have until Saturday to work on their problems and then we'll see.



--Detroit Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg, of Sweden, celebrates after scoring the team's third goal with teammate Daniel Cleary, right, as Vancouver Canucks' Roberto Luongo looks back into the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)--

I KNEW This Day Would Come

It took this long, but The Mother has finally and literally made me sick. That is the only explanation for the way I've been feeling since we left from The Father's party. When we got home yesterday, I changed my clothes, climbed into the couch, and passed out for 9 hours--and I HADN'T even had any booze! I got up for a few hours and then went back to sleep for another 5 hours. Still, I'm not feeling 100%. The thing is, I have quite non-specific symptoms: tired, stomach a bit upset, and that's about all. I'm hoping I'll feel better tomorrow.

While the whole party-thing could have been worse, it still wasn't as okay as I thought it would be. Friday night, we went to The Parent's house to bring The Father's gift and see if A and her husband wanted to go out to eat dinner. Of course The Mother was in fine form. The first thing she did was go on and on about how "very, very horribly thin" my hair is. Granted, it ISN'T what it used to be, but MUST she keep at it every time I see her? You know, I AM older, I HAVE gone through menopause--MANY years ago--and I DO have thyroid problems. Also, genetics and the various meds I happen to be using play a part, too, so why does she do this to me all of the time? It gets old very fast.

Now, I know everyone will think I'm just being paranoid, but don't forget that I have been privy to the inner workings of this woman's mind for most of my life--this is why I KNOW what she was doing with the next incident. Being Halloween, kids were trick-or-treating while we were there. One of The Niece's friends came with her kids and The Mother started: "J. Look at the amount of weight you have lost. You are SO thin. My goodness, I can't get over how tiny you are. You have lost so much weight, I can't believe it." And on and on. The poor girl looked SO embarrassed. The tone of voice that The Mother used, the way she said things, the things she said, were all directed at me in a not-so-subtle way of telling me that I have gained weight. (I know, I know--paranoid.) But, I could have overlooked this if not for what went on the following day.

After checking out of the hotel, K and I had a couple of hours to kill, so we went to visit with his sister. We quickly found out that she had NO idea that there was a party for The Father and I realized she had not been invited. I mentioned this fact to my girls when I got to the party and they were appalled at the mistake--and wanted to know why I didn't invite her. I ABSOLUTELY wouldn't invite someone without being specifically told to, so I waited to talk to The Mother. When I told her that my s-i-l wasn't invited, her response was, "I KNOW that. WHY should she be invited when she never comes over?!?!" And then she walked away. Excuse me--they have known my s-i-l for over 35 years. She has been a part of their lives ever since I started going with K, so how could she just be ignored? The Woman just really, really showed how petty and vindictive she can be. This is so embarrassing for me.

Finally, the party began and once more The Mother had to have her time in the spotlight--and this wasn't even HER party! She asked their pastor if he would say a few words about The Father and his sister before things began. The pastor started by saying, "E (The Mother) asked if I would say a few words. I don't know R (The Father's sister) as well as I know B (The Father), but if she is anything like her brother..." and it all went downhill from there. I don't think any more was said about my aunt--and how could he, he isn't HER pastor and he had never met the lady before. Thank goodness (?) my aunt wasn't doing too well and probably didn't even notice what was going on. As I said, The Mother got her time to shine when the pastor said, "B isn't one to ever say 'no' when asked to do a favor for someone. That is unless it is E doing the asking!" (ha, ha, ho, ho--everybody laugh) "You didn't think I would actually tell that to anyone, did you?" (ha, ha, ho, ho--everybody laugh)" So, even though this party had nothing to do with her, she got to be number one again--as usual. After all, it IS all about her.

And that is the story of the party. I am just happy it is over and I don't have to see these people again for a long, long time--hopefully.

LOLcats :)

more animals

2nd In A Row?

The game is halfway through the third period and the Wings are down 4-1. Unless there is a MAJOR miracle, they have lost their second in a row. I can make all of the normal excuses--they have been on the road for a week; they had a lousy game that took the wind out of their sails last night; they are playing their third game in four days; they are playing a back-to-back game; etc--but there IS more going on. Or rather, NOT going on. There is SOMETHING not right with the Wings' play and they need to address it...and fast. While it is early in the season, and not a time to panic, they have to fix what is wrong before the problems become habits. If they don't get started in the right direction soon, there will be a whole lot of Wing haters gloating and saying "I told you so" at the end of the season.

Sunday they will be in Vancouver and then there will be a five day rest--enough time to regroup and refresh.

BUMMER...but I'm not really surprised

In overtime, the Wings lost 5-4 to the Ducks. Now, if it was any other team BUT the Ducks, the winning team might actually be embarrassed over the win--but you can't expect that from the dirtiest team in the league. Dirty hits, penalties not called, three of the goals scored as a result of 5-on-3 play, and an illegal winning goal...all of that adds up to a game that was STOLEN. Of course, I CAN'T say that the Wings played their little hearts out, but they didn't need the game GIVEN to the Ducks the way it was. I have hopes for tomorrow night, but no expectations--they very well may lose again. Oh, well, for almost 24 hours they will be tied with San Jose for first place in the league--I have to hold onto that. :)

(And say I am a whiner all you will, but I think only Anaheim fans wouldn't agree with my assessment of the team.)

Let's Get Ready To Ramble

Just when I was feeling a bit smug over the fact that we got a record 2.2" of snow for the day on Monday, the eastern US decided to get 1'+ dumped on it last night/today! WOW! And I thought I lived in the Great White North. ;)

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I have been feeling a bit off for the past few days and there is only one explanation: The Father's birthday party is on Saturday. I REALLY don't want to go, but that isn't an option anymore--too late for me to come up with an excuse. I guess I have to just suck it up and get through the weekend--then all I have to be depressed about is the 'season.'

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Yes, it is that time of year again. As I have said over and over again, I wish I could go to sleep sometime around Thanksgiving--depending on when my birthday falls, of course--and not wake up until after the new year. While things aren't as bad lately--A and her husband have been coming home for Christmas--I still hate the season.

**********

It actually looks as if the weather might cooperate for Halloween this year. The temp should be in the mid- to upper-40s and it shouldn't rain. Of course, the year we might actually get kids at our house, we will be out of town. Bummer.

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NHL.com has posted all of the stuff for the Winter Classic game and I WANT!! Unfortunately, NHL. com rips you off big-time--the prices are pretty outrageous. The blank 'authentic' jerseys are going for $350. But if you want it customized with a player's name and number--or if you are a REAL dipshit, your own name--you have to add $80! YOWZA! I can get a Datsyuk or Z jersey--NON-authentic--for $220 or a blank for $150. Decisions, decisions. I WILL be getting a winter knit hat for $20 and a T-shirt--anywhere from $20-$37, depending on which one I decide on--but, damn, it is a lot of money.

**********

When we were at the hockey game last week, there were several things that stood out for me--and none of them were hockey related!

--College kids these days are NO smarter than we were when we were that age. We happened to be surrounded by a bunch of college students and, while they weren't rowdy or anything, they WERE very fixated on where to go after the game to 'get wasted.' One girl told a guy, "Well, we will go to ______ and if you aren't there, we will go to ______ and then ______ to find you." Of course, '______' were local bars.

--A good percentage of the people--mostly women--were at the game to 'see' and 'be seen.' While the price of admission wasn't that much, I wonder about people who would 'waste' that much time going to an event and not be interested in it at all. This, of course, cut into MY enjoyment of the game--and we KNOW it is ALL about ME--because I had trouble following the game at times. I was ready to do a bit of bitch-slapping--K wouldn't allow that--because I was there to see some good hockey and I was disturbed. STAY AT HOME THE NEXT TIME--let the rest of us enjoy the damn game!

--Too many people should NOT have children. I couldn't believe the amount of kids that were running wild at the game. I am wondering if the parents just dropped these kids off and let them there by themselves. I was waiting for one of the kids to fall down the steps and crack open a head--and I saw NO parent looking for them. Really, if you have children, you should look after them--especially during a public event.

**********

Hunting season starts in a couple of weeks, so that means I have to start 'stocking up.' I HATE going to the grocery store during hunting season--all you find there are men wandering around trying to shop for hunting camp. These are the same men who wouldn't know what a grocery store is the other 50 weeks of the year, so it makes it hard for the rest of us who try to shop. But, I manage to get good stories from the experience, so...

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Also with hunting season, K will have the opportunity to put in some overtime. It always comes at a good time, with Christmas just around the corner. Not that we have an overly long Christmas shopping list, but it certainly helps.

More I Can Has Cheezburger

AWWWWW!!!!

My Life

You KNOW you have a major case of bedhead when you wake up and your husband looks at you and says, "So. How long did it take you to get your hair to do THAT?"

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And For The Win...

Unbelievably, the Wings won tonight 4-3 in a shootout. They still aren't playing their best, but they came through in the end. VF was the hero--he got an unassisted goal with less than two minutes to play and that sent the game into overtime. Datsyuk and Z got their shootout goals past LaBarbera and it was all over. They now have won all of their road games--good thing, cause they still have three more on the road. Their record is now 7-1-1. Definitely not too shabby.


--Detroit Red Wings center Valtteri Filppula, left, of Finland, celebrates his game-tying goal as Los Angeles Kings defenseman Peter Harrold (5) picks himself up and Red Wings left wing Henrik Zetterberg (40), of Sweden, looks on during the third period of their NHL hockey game, Monday, Oct. 27, 2008 in Los Angeles. The Red Wings won 4-3. (AP Photo)--

(I guess Baby Boy had to show off his figure skating moves in that pic--too funny!)

Celebrate

Celebrations for the week:

26 October
Mule Day

27 October
National Potato Day
Cranky Co-Workers Day

28 October
National Chocolates Day

29 October
Oatmeal Day
Internet Day

30 October
Buy-A-Doughnut Day
National Candy Corn Day
Create A Great Funeral Day
Haunted Refrigerator Night

31 October
National Caramel Apple Day
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
National Magic Day

1 November
Zero Tasking Day

Wings 6, Blackhawks 5--A Shootout Win

Saturday's game was quite strange--you don't usually see the Wings' games have so many goals scored. The entire night was a bit weird--all teams played and there were many scores that were a bit unusual.

Once again, the Wings didn't play a good 60 minute game, but that wasn't the entire problem. The reffing was atrocious--too many calls on the Wings and too many penalties overlooked against the 'Hawks. I hope this doesn't mean this year will be as bad as last was. But, they 'found a way to win'--that is just WAAAAY too overused already and the season has just begun--and came back from a 3-1 deficit at the start of the third. Hossa continues with his scoring--he even got the winning goal in the shootout. Datsyuk finally got his first for the year.

A few things from the game:

--Lilja played. Now, that isn't anything that should be shocking--after all, he IS a regular. The shocking part is that he had an appendectomy on TUESDAY! I KNOW that hockey players are tough, but this is pure craziness.

--Franzen collided with a Blackhawk knee-on-knee and had to leave the game. No word yet on whether it is a long-term injury. Hope it is minor and he can get back in the line-up soon.

--The jerseys that will be worn for the Winter Classic were revealed tonight--and I WANT ONE! The jerseys are a retro-design--the inspiration is the one worn circa 1926-27. I'll have to see how much they will cost before I make the decision. Here is a picture--being modeled by Chris Chelios:


The Wings continue to be on the road through 2 November--they start the west coast swing on Monday in LA. This is their longest road trip of the year--good to get it out of the way early. Then they will have five days to rest up before their next game on 8 November. I think they will be happy if they can win two of the next four games, but will always hope to win all of them!

Wings 5-Thrashers 3

Finally the Wings actually played the way they CAN and SHOULD--although they only did it for 40 minutes. Yeah, they had a good lead going there and ran into penalty problems in the final period and lost that 4-1 lead. But, 'they found a way to win.' Oh, well. Z and Hossa were playing great--they both got two goals each! BOTH goals Hossa scored were fantastic, but the first one shows the reason he is being paid $7+ million for the year. Here is the video of the goal:

UNBELIEVABLE!! GO HOSSA!!

--We didn't get to the game last night, but the Rangers won 6-4--would have been nice to see. Next home game, hopefully K will be off so that we CAN go. :)

Time to sign off--the Wings and Blackhawks are playing tonight and the puck will be dropped in just a few minutes. GO WINGS!

The Red Wings and The Home Team

Last night the Wings 'found a way to win'--as Mickey Redmond said--against St Louis. While they were playing better than they were earlier, I expect much more from them. Come on now, they have THE best team--on paper--that is assembled this year. And they can't do better than finding a way to win? They should definitely be winning by more than one goal--and they should NOT give up a three goal lead and have to worry about ending regulation play in a tie! The power play is coming together and the Hossa-Datsyuk-Holmstrom line is starting to find the chemistry that was hoped for, finally. Zetterberg came back after being out two games and got a goal, so he is doing good. The rest will get better, I'm sure. At least they won. Now they have to do it again on Friday against Atlanta and Saturday in Chicago!


--St. Louis Blues' Paul Kariya, left, skates up the ice as Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, of Russia, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, in St. Louis. (AP Photo)--

**********

We went and watched our local team--the Rangers--play tonight and had a great time! Within the first five minutes, the opposing team had scored twice and the Rangers' changed goalies. When that happened, I didn't hold out much hope for the rest of the game--but I was very pleasantly surprised as the Rangers won 6-3.

So, what were the highlights? Well, here goes:

--one of the Rangers got a hat trick AND even got an assist for four points on the evening
--the second goalie was SUPERB in the net and made some spectacular saves
--we got to see a fight, but only one
--the Rangers forced the opposing team to change goalies
--the Rangers killed off several five-on-three power plays and kept the other team from scoring

Despite a slow start, the game was much fun and I am impressed with the team. We can't wait to go again--could be as soon as Friday night! Yes, you read it right, I might go to watch a game instead of stay at home and watch the Wings--but I WILL record the Wings game to watch later. :)

After the game, the players' jerseys were auctioned off. Sadly, we didn't get any. K wanted one player's and I wanted either the one who scored the hat trick or the second goalie's, but they went for too much money. We set a limit and even bumped THAT up a bit, but to no avail. Criminy, for what these jerseys were going for, I can order--and have AUTOGRAPHED--an authentic, personalized jersey of my Baby Boy! But if we would have gotten one tonight, it would have been worth it--the money went to the Cancer Center at our local hospital.

The best part of the auction was when some of the players tried to entice the crowd to bid higher and higher. The first player to try took off his jersey in a bit of a strip tease--and he got at least 100 more dollars bid. The player that went all out for the money, went ALL OUT--a la Slap Shot. (If you haven't seen Slap Shot, do so--then you can get my reference.) Anyway, he decided to do his teammate one better and took off his jersey, shoulder pads, elbow pads, UNDERSHIRT, and untied his pants--but he was stopped before he could drop them. Good grief, but he was cute as a bug's ear. AND he got an extra $200+ for his effort. Great fun was had by all. The jersey to get the most money--I believe it was $650--was purchased by the player's grandmother, who was bidding against the player's mother. Wow.

It had been a while since I actually saw a game in person, so I was apprehensive about whether I could follow the action or not. No problem, though. I was able to see everything as well as I can on TV and even saw some things I don't notice on the screen. I didn't see all of the penalties, but that isn't surprising as so many of them happen away from the main play. The other thing I forgot was how very cold it is in an ice arena. Yikes! I really could have used a long-sleeved jacket and boots--something I will remember the next time. K was like a K-sicle by the time we left the arena--he really should have had gloves as his hands were practically turning blue. Oh well, live and learn. It actually seemed warmer OUTSIDE than it was in the arena! Being cold DID give us incentive to go to the local pub for drinks--I had hot, buttered rum, so I was toasty warm in no time. :)


And here is a picture of the Rangers in their pink jerseys--aren't they just as cute as can be?