Happy New Year's Eve 2010

Where will you be at midnight tonight? Every year it seems, I manage to stay awake until 11:30 pm. I try hard to stay up until the hour, but usually fall asleep.  I'll  report back tomorrow and let you know if I made it or not.

Be Safe

Have Fun

See you next year!

Ode To Driving Again

It's been three weeks
Since I gripped my car's wheel
Cleared for driving for I am
All very surreal
The roads are icy, I'm nervous I'll wreck
Fear of another surgery, gives my mind heck
Fastening my seatbelt, I turn the car on
Cruising down my driveway, no longer afraid
I wonder: Freeway or Backroads?
Which could be worse? I choose the freeway
and head out like a hearse
Traffic is sporadic
It's the middle of the day
But idiots abound, my mouth goes astray
I'm back in the saddle, proudly independent
It's been three weeks
No longer dependent!

Retail Therapy

There's nothing like a little retail therapy and lunch with a wonderful friend to make for an outstanding day.

A dear friend, who lives over an hour away from me, came by to take me to lunch today. (I'm being good and still not driving until the prescribed 3 weeks).  We've known each other since high school, so there's nothing we don't know about each other. It's awesome! We can talk about anything.

We began our visit at Red Robin Restaurant, (love their Ensenada Chicken platter) then talk of my new favorite store came up. We headed out to Buckle of course. My friend had lost some weight and needed a new pair of jeans.

Buckle is THE place to buy jeans that make your butt look hot, even if you're middle aged. She found a pair that fit her perfectly. I suggested she ask the sales gal to 'dress her' because that's what they do. It's like Nordstrom only better. She also found a fabulous top and necklace and walked out of there feeling like a million bucks. I loved the smile on her face. I had some Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket and found a few items for myself. 

We topped off our visit to Starbucks. Give me a  Grande, Breve, No water, 200 degree Chai Latte,  and I'll follow you anywhere.

Christmas Cleaning Day

When is your official Christmas cleaning day? You know, the day where you; throw out the cards without pictures, pull down the stockings and throw 'em in a sack, quickly remove ornaments from the tree so your husband and kids will feel guilty and spend the next three hours carefully wrapping each one, throwing the leftovers in the freezer, putting away decorative table clothes, wreaths, trying to figure out whose gifts you threw in a heap in the back bedroom, put away the gift wrapping paper, ribbons, and bow. Finally, don't forget taking down THE LIGHTS. (Not my job!)

My cleaning day begins the next business day after Christmas. The one where the kids disappear in order to avoid housework. I'm the one who puts away most of the decorations, so I figure I'm entitled to put them away when it's most convenient for me. My husband starts to whine if I try to take it all down the next day. This year I was too tired. I began the task by taking a few things down at a time, a good way to gently ease the family back into the swing of things. For some reason, when the living room is decorated, it becomes a no cleaning zone. How did I let this happen?

Is this your house after Christmas?

I did some scouring on the internet to see when others traditionally 'take down' the decorations. Here are a few of the answers I found:

1. If you chose a live tree, then it's best to take it down when the needles drop. By this time, it's a fire hazard. Amen!

2. Some said they put their tree up at Thanksgiving  and take it down the day after Christmas.  Um. No. This is far too early. 

3. Another tradition is to wait until Epiphany. This is the first week of January, I believe it's the 6th. It's the day the Wise men met the newborn King and gave him his gifts. Part of the tradition of leaving up decorations is that if you take down the tree with it's lights, then the Wise men cannot find their way to see the babe.  That all sounds grand, but I don't think my nerves would survive the no cleaning zone that long.


When do you take down your Christmas decorations? I really want to know.

Christmas leftovers, etc.

One of the best parts of Christmas are all of the leftovers. We prepare prime rib at Christmas. The next day it's prime rib sandwiches. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? Then, there's the 10 different kinds of cookies and 5 varieties of pies. I swear this year that I'm going to freeze the hip expanders, as soon as I go eat a few.

The gang is out snow skiing today. The wind is howling and the rain won't seem to let up for more than a few minutes at my house. I'm looking forward to summer weather already. They sent me a text from the mountain saying there is 75 mile an hour winds on part on the ski areas. My daughter assures me in another next text that those areas are closed before I ask her, "Is your father insane taking you there?"

Next week I will be celebrating my ability to drive again! Does this mean my husband will stop grocery shopping for me? I suppose. Dang.

Merry Christmas!

Despite having a major surgery 15 days before Christmas, I have had the best Christmas ever! Why? It's because I was forced to slow way, way down.

Every year, it's a huge panic; shop for gifts, plan the dinner, get the cards out, worry about whether people will enjoy their gifts, and dread the visit from the crazy relative.

This year was different. I savored every moment. I treasured all of the friends and family. I told everyone I loved them, lots. I didn't worry if everything wasn't perfect.  I feel like I have a second chance to become a better person. I don't want to blow it this time!

Merry Christmas!

Pot Belly

I just love how in your 40s you can exercise until your blue in the face and never seem to loose weight. Before my surgery, I was either walking a half-hour or riding an elliptical four times a week. I'd usually get in about 50 sit-ups two or three times a week as well. In 13 days, I've managed to gain back my little 'pot belly' I worked a year to get rid of (sigh).

I've been sleeping more too, which means I'm much more sluggish in the mornings. This morning I forced myself to get up 2 hours earlier than I had been. I fixed breakfast for the first time in a few weeks too. That felt good. I'm slowly regaining my energy. I was doing some light cleaning yesterday. By the afternoon of puttering around, I was exhausted. Now I'm off to shower and make an honest attempt at finishing Christmas cards.