Christmas Decorations

Okay, here is where Magpie and I are going to differ: I love Christmas, this is my favorite time of the year, I love the carols and songs, even the corny ones, and I love the fact that they decorate so beautifully in the lobby of my office building. I just had to note that because when I came in this morning, I got all excited because they were starting to put up the evergreen swags and red ribbons and the lights and that means I'm only that much closer to going home for vacation...I love going home at Christmas too, my mom and dad do a beautiful job of the lights outside and the beautiful tree with all our old ornamenets like Pinky Tuscadero and the apple-face Santa, the old fashioned wooden Santas and angels everywhere and so much of Christmas brings back really wonderful childhood memories so it makes me happy for that reason...I always remember it as a lot of family members around, people sleeping everywhere (Grandma Max on a cot under the dining room table), my sister and I having to sleep in my parents bed and we wouldn't go to sleep, just giggle a lot, Daddy telling us there was a fat man on our roof, dressing up and going to church, opening one big present, one small present on Christmas Eve, and how everyone seemed happy (although looking back on it now, most likely they had a bit to drink!), waking up the next morning super early to see the Santa gifts that appeared magically, creamed eggs on toast for breakfast and playing with toys the rest of the day, not even bothering to get dressed ... so that's why I love Christmas decorations!

Postscript

To Joyce and Chuckie!!! I tried calling you yesterday but it was always busy, so I tried to wish you a "Happy Thanksgiving!" and a "GobbleGobble" but no such luck...so don't think I don't love you...I do!!!

Groggy Me

So I feel very out of it and tired today and yet I'm at work, and my boss is out, so of course, the day is turning out to be quite stressful...this always happens when he is out, somehow his problems become mine...usually when the boss is out, it's an easier day but this never seems to be...and I'm a little too out of it to deal with it all...this is most likely because when I left Thanksgiving dinner last night, there were 6 empty bottles and there were 6 of us at dinner..so you do the math! Yesterday was a good day, I baked my very special mixed berry pie from scratch, did laundry, got ready and bundled and off I went on Metro North for my Thanksgiving in Scarsdale...it started off with gluwein and little dumpling-like bites around the BBQ and then inside for lots of wine, really good stuffing (some would say "spicy") and three kinds of birds: a pheasant, a turkey, and a duck... plus the usual mashed potatoes, carrots and peas, and of course, the gravy. Then for dessert, Mr. G, Esq. brought an awesomely rich chocolate cake and then my berry pie and more wine and there you go... so basically I ate well, laughed a lot, and went home happy, and this rates up there in the top 2 Thanksgivings I've had since I've lived here (top spot belongs to my junior year of college and I went to this huge get-together with my friend Eve and her family and all of her suitemates)... so this is #2... Thanksgiving is always weird for me since I have no family here and even though I've spent quite a few of them by myself and it's not horrible, it's always nice to spend the day with good people, and for this, I am thankful.
Now tomorrow, I am meeting Magpie and Floating Head for a brunch and then off to Target (yes again...Choxie replenishing needed, plus I need a few Xmas odds and ends), then back to see Floating Head's new apartment where we shall toast her to a new beginning, since today is her last day and Monday, the new job begins...onward and upward to bigger and better things! And no more being jacked around by Potatoheads, Lord Helmuts, and Little Miss Snot Noses!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Hope everyone eats a lot and is happy and healthy.... I was going to make myself a big batch of green bean cassarole, but everytime I've tried to make it, it just doesn't taste as good as my mom's...so I think I'll wait until Christmas dinner and she can make it for me...plus having it only once a year makes it that much more special... the same goes for her grilled cheese sandwiches, it's only hers that taste soooooo good to me..although,there is a coffee shop around the block from my apartment and I had one there a few weeks ago - fantastic! They used rye bread instead of white, and oh the difference rye makes...Veronica, this is a lesson: you should always consult the Anthology of Bread before making sandwich decisions. So anyway, there is "Mom Food" Competition out there - look out Juicy! The other meal that my mom makes really well is biscuits and water...but that's a whole other story...

http://www.msn.americangreetings.com/view.pd?i=382219626&m=1652&rr=y&sou

My Uncle Jeff

My mother's brother, Jeff, passed away last week...I thought it would be nice for me to post his obituary, since it explains exactly the kind of person he was... I have a lot of happy childhood memories of spending holidays and family gatherings with Jeff, Beth, Jamie and Colby - like him building the house in Idaho next door to his while he and his partner shouted out to each other...how he used to scare me and Heather when he would call and disguise his voice...how he dressed up as Santa Claus at Grandma's house in the orchard... lots of summers in Sun Valley, lots of Christmases... Max's Aloha Tours in Kauai when he picked us up in a Rent-a-Wreck with no floor in the car...

JEFFREY TED LAWN. March 7, 1944 - November 9, 2005. How does one find the words to describe Jeff Lawn? Loving father and grandfather, genuine friend, skilled contractor, competitive golfer, table top dancer! For Jeff, life was a balance of hard work, of family and friends, worldwide adventures too numerous to count, lots of golf and lots of laughs. Laughter was inevitable when Jeff was around. His quick wit was truly a gift. Jeff passed away peacefully in his favorite chair at his Carmel Valley home. Jeffrey Teddy Lawn was born March 7, 1944 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Theodore and Maxine Lawn. He was the only boy of their four children. Jeff grew up in Minneapolis/St. Paul, attending St. Peters Grammar School in Richfield, MN and graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, NV. He joined the U.S Army in the early 1960's and was honorably discharged in 1966. After leaving the Army, Jeff spent some years in Pacific Grove where he drove a truck for Del Monte Laundry. In 1968 he married his first wife Laura, and was blessed with his son Jason a year later. They lived with family in Las Vegas for a few years before Jeff eventually settled in Sun Valley, ID. During his 14 years there, he met and married Beth and became the proud father of his two daughters Jamie and Colby. In 1986, Jeff and his family moved to Carmel Valley where he developed his passion for building and remodeling homes. He also continued with his love of golf and could be found most days on the course perfecting his game. (And of course the 19th hole!) Jeff loved to sing his own renditions of songs by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Stevie Ray Vaughn. With his spirit of adventure and spontaneity, Jeff lived a full life within his 61 years. His parents, Maxine and Ted, preceded him in death. He is survived by his sisters Judy Whitehead, Joyce Swarts and Jill Lawn, his first wife Laura Lawn of Aptos and mother of his son Jason Lawn (Kezlee) of Scottsdale, AZ, former wife and friend, Beth Lawn of Carmel Valley, mother of his daughters, Jamie Peters (Blake) of Granite Bay, CA and Colby Lawn (Paul) of Portland, OR, grandsons Drake Lawn of Scottsdale, AZ and Noah Jeffrey Peters of Granite Bay, CA and many, many friends and relatives. He is deeply loved and will truly be missed! A Celebration of Jeff's life will be held at Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Club on Sunday December 4th, 2005 at 1:00p.m. All who knew and loved Jeff are welcome to attend! The family requests that any contributions in his name be made to the American Heart Association, 1514 Moffett St., Suite J, Salinas, CA 93905. Arrangements by The Paul Mortuary of Pacific Grove. Published in the Monterey Herald on 11/17/2005.

whassup?

Yeah, I know, I've probably lost the paltry few loyal readers I had (ah, most of them family members, but you know, at least that's something) ... I admit I've been a lazy blogger... well I've been busy, since I normally do this on my down time at work...and I haven't had any down time... to the point that yesterday, I was "sick". I was sick enough to have to stay home, rearrange furniture, sort and clean, read Book 3 of Harry Potter (since I will be seeing the Imax version of Book 4 on Saturday with Magpie and her sis, I felt the need to catch up ...I had only read Book 1 and refused to see the movies until I read the next books... but Magpie loves her Harry Potter and got me all caught up in the excitement and now I do believe I love Harry as well...not as much as Lord of the Rings, but still, very excited...) and I went to Target for Choxie... Choxie, for those not in the know, is this awesome Target-brand chocolat that is quite yummy that Magpie turned me on to - check it out at your local Tar-jay... especially the mint cookie crunch truffle - these taste just like Girl Scout Thin Mints!!! The box in my office is fading fast... tomorrow, I'm seeing Walk the Line, also with Magpie, because we need to kill time before joining Floating Head to toast to her birthday (today) at a bar in Chelsea... and then on the seventh day, I rest... maybe!
Speaking of chocolate, on Sunday, I met Magpie for brunch in Chelsea for a bagel and some lox and a mimosa and then off we went to the Chocolate Show... for 25 bucks, you got to sample all the gourmet, wonderful, delicious chocolate that you wanted, in many forms - truffles, bark, drinking, liquer, cookie, brownie..etc.. http://www.chocolateshow.com/home.php?titre=3&id_code=9&cat= as yummy as this was, we realized after about a hour and a half that we were done...tummies were hurting! The most delicious thing I sampled were these truffles from France - www.gustaux.com - awesome!!! I don't know where you can buy them here though...and my favorite man in the world was there, Jacques Torres, chocolatier extraordinaire.. www.mrchocolate.com he really is a chocolate genius... so I think that's it for me... I'm fooded out, liquored out (although I did buy myself a bottle of my Coppola chardonnay Daddy - 11.99 here on sale) and I'm really ready to go home for Christmas (the 17th of December) and get the hell away from here for awhile.
And speaking of Xmas, I will be seeing my smooshies... here are two new pics of them... don't you all want to smoosh them? I do!! And it's Allie's birthday next week - happy almost birthday!!























Jacob the Power Ranger, "power up - hah!" and Allie the Pretty Princess
























Two little monkeys in a tree...

The Busy Town of Chloride

Look, this sleepy Arizona town has had it's fourth visitor this year... Mom and Dad, does this look eerily familiar? She was driving past on her way back to Texas and HAD to stop for the picture ... where was she going without ever knowing the way?