Arrrgh!!!

I lifted this test over at Blue Witch's blog. I don't know that I would agree completely with their estimate. I surely don't FEEL sunny most days.

Did you know that the wedding industry is a $120 BILLION industry? If it was a company it would be number six on the Fortune 500 list.

We've recently gone through two weddings in our family, and a third is coming up next year. I know that girls are being groomed to think of their wedding as their day of limelight, and I think that we do them a disservice.

Young couples are paying what amounts to the down payment for a house, or the cost of an upscale new car for two days of celebration. Despite the fact that they both may work, they saddle themselves with unreasonable debt that some never escape.

I'm in love with Horatio Hornblower.

Or...it could be that I'm in love with Ioan Gruffudd.

We've watched the Horatio Hornblower series that has been running on A&E (Arts and Entertainment). What a pleasure it's been to see these books brought to life. We're watching "Loyalty" tonight. It's been amazing to see Gruffudd mature over the life of the series, as he goes from a seaman to a captain.

In this segment, he has been given command of his own ship. All the familiar charachters are around him, plus a few new ones, and it's like meeting an old friend. The other night I was watching a special on Trio about mini-series. They were listing the top ten, and I missed the top three. If this wasn't in the top three, it SHOULD have been!

I think I'm going to take Horatio to bed with me tonight and let him run through my dreams...

Well, we had our first party of the season last night. I host a quilting bee, and to celebrate the Season, we had a soup supper. Each of the ladies brought something to share, and I made Minestrone soup and Cheddar Chowder. One of our more adventurous cooks made a wonderful salad with baked herbed goat cheese from a recent Cook's Illustrated magazine. Another made a cream cheese frosted pumpkin cake for dessert.

It was a wonderful meal, mostly because we had the luxury of sitting and chatting with friends.

Not new ones......old ones.

We spent a quiet evening at home. I was going to sit at the computer in the living room after dinner when DH turned the TV to a movie channel that was playing "Young Frankinstein." One of our sons decided to watch with us.

Are you familiar with the phenomenon of "Rocky Horror Picture Show? People dress up as the characters and go to midnight showing and shout out their character's lines. Well......we had a mini version of that going on for "Young Frankenstein."

The movie started while I was around the corner in the kitchen, and when I heard the opening music, I filled in the three note half-step French horn part, and walked in to sit down. One by one we piped up with the lines as they came along...

Roll, Roll Roll in the hay
Where wolf? There wolf....
Frau Blucher
PUT THE CANDLE BECK!
Abe Normal.....
and so on.

I didn't realize that I've memorized the movie. Clearly, it's a family favorite. I have it on VHS and on DVD, so we'll have to try this again when the whole family is around.

I can see a new Christmas tradition starting. *G*

Most people recall December 7th as the day that will live in infamy. My family remembers it for being the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, but we also remember it because it is my Mother's birthday.

We have a large family, and it is spread far and wide. Tomorrow one of my nieces, one of my nephews and one of my sisters will join us to take Mother to a local buffet. We'll come home to open gifts, and then we will make more Christmas cookies, play cards and chat. It may not sound like a lot to you, but my just-about 87 year old mother is excited to be going out, and having company.

Every year someone comes up with one of these little quizes. I thought I'd share the first one that came across my desk.

Christmas Song Quiz 2003

I was visiting at Gut Rumbles a while ago, and Acidman commented that although he posts on weekends, the visits to his blog drop off dramatically. I suspect that is universal; I know it happens at my blog, too.

When I first started my blog, I hoped to make entries every day, but it became clear early on that my style is to post a group of entries every few days. Lately the time between entries has lengthened as holiday preparations have taken up more time. It seems that I get more posting done on weekends than on weekdays, so Acidman and I are bucking the trends.

If I comment on your blog days after you've made an entry, it's just that I'm trying to catch up. Fotr a little hole in the wall blog, I've had more than 5,000 visits since the end of April. Thank you all, for stopping by!

The following post is an e-mail I received today. I have no idea who the editor is, but I want to thank them for amassing so many great quotes about dogs.

THE BEST THOUGHTS ABOUT BEST FRIENDS
============================
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead
of his tongue. -- Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are
wonderful. -- Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where
they went. -- Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-- Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves
himself.
-- Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-- Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can
spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has
ever made.
-- M. Facklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
--Sigmund Freud

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I
have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.
-- James Thurber

I wonder what goes through his mind when he sees us peeing
in his water bowl.
-- Penny Ward Moser

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around
three times before lying down.
-- Robert Benchley

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird
religious cult. -- Rita Rudner

Dogs need to sniff the ground. It's how they keep abreast of current
events. The ground is a giant dog newspaper, containing all kinds of
late-breaking dog news items, which, if they are especially urgent, are
often continued in the next yard. -- Dave Barry

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-- Franklin P. Jones

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3 a can.
That's almost $21 in dog money. -- Joe Weinstein

Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend. Inside of a
dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx

Ever consider what they must think of us? I mean, here we come back
from a grocery store with the most amazing haul -- chicken, pork, half a
cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! -- Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea.
-- Robert A. Heinlein

N.B. Dear Husband's favorite quote is probably the one by Grouch Marx, and mine is the one by Heinlein.

....for 25 years to life.

This evening, one of my nieces and her two sons came to dinner. Her oldest boy is in eighth grade and he has been given an interesting assignment. The Language Arts teacher has instructed his students to find 20-25 resources on the subject of the Three Strikes Law in California. They are to prepare a paper about it, and be ready to argue either the pro or con side of the issue.

Not the fun ones we do here on-line, but a few at the doctor's. Tomorrow they are taking away my blood. I'm going to have a fasting blood draw.

Why is it, when someone tells you that you MUST fast for a mere twelve hours, that all you can think of is food??

am I??

I thought I'd like this kind of test better. Some of it hit the mark but I don't think ANYONE would call me timid. *G*

I found this via Jamie, who got it from RedEagle, who got it from......

Hi, all!

I really didn't mean to be away so long. We seem to have hit the busy time, getting ready for the Holidays, and before I knew it, a week had passed without an entry. I want to thank those of you who sent me notes and made entries in the comments, asking after me.

There are days when I think there is nothing nicer than to have the chance to dine out.

Last Friday we had the opportunity to have dinner with old friends. We are all so busy that we only have the opportunity to get together a couple of times during the year. They picked us up at 7:00 Friday and drove us to a seafood restaurant that's about half an hour east of us.

The service was superb, the meal was exceptional. We dallied over dinner and then went to the bar for a last drink. Had we stayed for a second we would have closed the bar.

I get back to reading blogs, and the first thing I come across is this test. Billy borrowed it from Tilesey, and I couldn't resist. Kermit and I must shop at the same stores....

You are Kermit the Frog.
You are reliable, responsible and caring. And you
have a habit of waving your arms about
maniacally.

FAVORITE EXPRESSIONS:
"Hi ho!" "Yaaay!" and
"Sheesh!"
FAVORITE MOVIE:
"How Green Was My Mother"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Surfin' the Webfoot: A Frog's Guide to the
Internet"

HOBBIES:
Sitting in the swamp playing banjo.

QUOTE:
"Hmm, my banjo is wet."


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

.....from the Wright brother's first flight, to sending a man to the moon. Isn't that the most incredible statistic you've ever heard? Man has been around for millennia! It took all that time to get us to the point were we could fly, and just another 66 years took us off planet, past the atmosphere and to the moon. We could never have done it without the Wright brothers.

I'm a day late to send my nod of recognition, but it's too important a date to let it slide by unacknowledged. I wish I could have been among the people watching the attempt to recreate the flight in North Carolina.

I know I lead an unusual life. While we are not wealthy, we are comfortable. Like many of you I have to work, but I love my work. I get to set my own hours and am guided by the knowledge that things have to be done in a timely manner, rather than by a time clock. I have the pleasure of working from my home, so I don't have the commute, or the need for an office wardrobe. In general, I'm a very lucky woman!

This morning the alarm was set for 6:00. I really didn't want to get up that early, but I had a long list of things that had to be done before we left for exercise at 8:00.

I was burrowed into the covers, surrounded by my favorite pillows, hoping for a little more sleep when the radio blasted me with "I'm lovin' it!"

I don't know about you, but I think that ad campaign for McDonald's STINKS!! I don't care for the rap style presentation, and I don't care for the message, either. It's clearly aimed at very young, very juvenile listners.

We've spent the day getting the house ready for Christmas. I finished most of the wrapping last night. The tree is in the stand, waiting to be decorated this evening. I spent an hour this morning finishing up personal notes and Christmas cards that needed to go out.

No.....not the cold stuff, the movie.

I've decided that I can't get into the spirit of Christmas unless I've seen the movie "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. I'm not sure why that movie speaks to me, but the season isn't official until it's played.

Last night, while I wrapped gifts, I ran the movie, and finally I began to feel good about Christmas. Old habits die hard. Next year, I'll be sure to play it the day after Thanksgiving!

And......the snow has just started.

Just what is normal? We have come through some wonderful Christmas days to a quiet pool of time before we celebrate the New Year. While my morning has been filled with washing dishes and sheets and trying to get the house back to some semblance of order, I can't say this feels quite normal to me.

Traditionally, our Christmas tree goes up quite late in December. I attend to everything else that has to be done, and we get to the tree right before Christmas. There are several reasons. Dear Husband is allergic to the tree. I thought he was just allergic to touching it, but it seems he is also allergic to the scent. So, we put up a real tree, but we limit how long it's up. I think it went up on the 21st of December this year, and I'll take it down on January 3. That's a long stay.

I believe that everyone has traditions at Christmas time. DH and I chose early on to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family. My siblings and their children, and now their children have gathered at my second sister's home on Christmas eve to share a buffet style meal, and participate in a gift exchange. This year we met late in the afternoon because one of the children was going to be participating in an 11:00 service at his church.

One of my nieces has led a group of teenaged puppeteers at her church. I didn't know what to expect before my first visit to see them perform, but I was awed at what they created. The complexity of the issues presented was astounding, and the staging was incredibly entertaining.

So, when I had the chance to see my nephew participate in one of these presentations, I asked DH to go with me. I'm so glad I did. We had a wonderful evening, and it added another layer of Christmas memories that make the quilt of our lives.

This year I gave my sister the book "The Wedding" for Christmas. I've read a few of Nicholas Sparks' books, but they are not my favorites. I prefer not to read a story I know will end sadly, while my sister likes the depth of experiences the characters will endure.

She was almost half way through the book during their visit, and she turned to me Sunday morning and said, "Can you imagine being able to pull together thirty people for two days to prepare your lawn for a wedding?" I was stuck on the thought of having thirty people work on my grounds for two days without the excuse of a wedding!

I could tidy up the grove, clear out the dead branches from the willow and replant the grass. We could stack wood for the fireplace. I could have someone rip out the trees that are trying to grow in my evergreens! I could have a bank of azaleas planted, and three of the gardens redesigned. I could have lilacs and flowering almond, and hydrangeas planted. I could have an interlocking brick terrace laid at the west door to the house, and we could KILL OFF THE POISON IVY!!!!!

Wow.....what a fantasy.

Do you read the "funny pages" in the newspaper? Some days that's the only part of the newspaper I get the chance to see. I was browsing through the funnies as I ate lunch and realized that several of them perfectly described my life on New Year's Eve.

Agnes' friend invites her to party on New Year's Eve. Agnes declines, saying she'll just sit and watch. Her friend goes all out, and Agnes realizes she should have gone.....

I never read "Zits," but today I did. The boys are laying around talking about their parent's concept of a "party." The upshot of the discussion is that the Amish have wilder parties than their parents.

"Shoe," one of my favorites, ponders the idea that for every brain cell that dies, a fat cell is born. Now that's down-right depressing!

And "Broom-Hilda" and her crowd describe exactly what will happen here tonight. We'll start yawning about 8:00 and just give up on ushering the New Year in.

It's terrible to get to the point where you want to sleep more than you want to celebrate!

We have the most boring, er....laid back New Year's Eve. I'd love to be out among friends, partying. I don't need a lot of booze, but I'd love to chat and dance and generally have a good time. I'd be totally happy with a group who wanted to sit around and play board games until it was time to usher in the new year.

We traditionally have a quiet night at home. I used to open a bottle of champagne until I realized that DH doesn't care for it. Now I just have a glass of wine. For years we celebrated by watching every Marx Brother's movie we have, one after the other. After about 15 years of that I protested, and now we surf to see what's on TV.

The only time I have ever partied was two years ago at Jamie and Speedbump's. I had a great time! On-line friends from England and Scotland flew in and DH and I flew down, and we partied for several days! I suspect that may be the only New Year's Eve party I will ever attend, so I'm really glad I have good memories of it.

I was telling a friend that in the past I would walk out my door at midnight and beat a pot with a wooden spoon to drive away the bad spirits. She said that at the stroke of midnight her mother begins sweeping the floor in her house. She works from one end toward the front door, and sweeps the bad right out the door. The broom is disposed of, never to be used again, and never allowed back into the house.

How will you be celebrating? Maybe you should all plan to come here next year!

I have a hot date with DH this afternoon......we're going to see "The Return of the King." I know, I know. You expected something else. I'll leave that to Pob.

I'm delighted to be going. I'm thoroughly invested in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I read the books when I was in college, and have enjoyed the first two movies tremendously. I can remember an attempt to do the story about 20 years ago that was part live action and part animated, and this version is MUCH better.

I'm holding off on purchasing the movies because I want the complete set and all the additional material for all three movies in one package. We've watched the first movie repeatedly on cable, and we've seen "Twin Towers" two or three times in the past two weeks.

I hope this movie is not overlooked when it comes to Oscars. It surely deserves recognition.

If I don't make it back to the computer this evening, I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's eve, and we wish the best of new years for you!