Daily Ooo's: Tuesday, December 23

[faerywings]

:faint2:
Just when I thought I was out... it just pulls me back in.
Christmas Chaos, not the Mafia. Although, not much difference, eh?

Yesterday was pretty much a bust of a day.I was hoping to get so much done and I spent hours looking for a Christmas present of Scott's. I was finishing up the wrapping I had to do when I realized that one of Scott's gifts was missing. I looked everywhere, including a very full garbage can outside, but it is nowhere to be found. I know it was shipped here, because I saw it. I must have thrown it out by mistake.
I feel horrible since my kids get little from us as it is.I told him that if it doesn't show up after Christmas, I will get it again.

The fact that I had to call the health insurance co (more time on hold!! UGH!) to see if I need Prior Authorization for the PICC insertion, and the one lady said yes I did, transferred me to Medical Mgt dept, and Kathy there told me no I did not.
Trudy- do you have these crazy issues with your healthcare?

So I still didn't get the gift baskets finished for my parents and I forgot that I have to take Scott to the dentist today. We have to take my car because his is acting up *again.* I don't know what the heck we are going to do. My dad is taking it in to the Honda dealership to replace engine mounts and he'll have them check it all out again. We still don't know how we are going to replace Gary's car and we really do need three cars esp if Cait is going to be driving within the year.

Today is babysitting, food shopping, finish baskets, finish baking, then the dentist with Scott. At some point I need to get the house cleaned too.
But I did get my box of wine!!!!!!!! (It's the little things, dammit!!)artywine

Tip on Tuesday:
I got nothin'
Who am I to give tips or advice to anyone, when I can't keep my own life slightly together??!!?? ound:

QOTD:emptybath:
Baths or showers? Both? Anyone have a jacuzzi? I know Laurie has a hot tub.
I used to love taking baths but haven't had one in years. Now it is just showers. (Saran wrapped ones coming back too. Blech!!)

 

[faerywings]

Hey Phyllis! How did your baking turn out? Yummy, I bet! Sauerkraut soup...hmmm. I am not a fan of sauerkraut so I really can't imagine it as a soup.
Matzoh Crack is the recipe name, and it is really easy. Butter (must be butter, not margarine, I made that mistake *once*) , brown sugar caramelized, spread over matzoh, baked, then choc chips and walnuts on top. I'll see if I can find the recipe online and post the link.
*fingers crossed that you don't get sick this year*
Walmart????? OMG, was it insane? I was going to stop in last week and didn't even park my car- not that there were many places to actually park! I am not thrilled about going food shopping today but I will be there at 8.30 am, so maybe it won't be too bad.

Laurie- you co's attendance policy sounds as ridiculous as out school district! Feel better-- virtual chicken soup being sent through the internet tubes.

Sun?? Trudy, you got to see the sun???? Send some here! Its been so dreary and even when the sun is able to peek through the clouds it is so weak. I made your Naniamo Bars last year and I was sad that I am not able to do them this year, they were to die for!

Shar- I live on coffee.
I joke around that I am like a shark, I must keep moving no matter what or I will die. LOL
OMG- that virus sounds horrible!! I use that safe search thing too and I would be so mad if I had that happen.
Capt Romance-- I loooove it!!!

Jean- Hope you were able to enjoy that"warm" weather!

Running late, so let me send hugs to all....::grouphug

 

[SharLamb]

Kind of a mundane day ahead for me. Capt. Romance has breakfast every Tuesday morning with the ROMEOs (retired old men eating out), but he brought me my morning coffee as usual. He has been doing this for me most of our married life. Anyway, just a little food prep in anticipation of tomorrow's family gathering, and laundering sheets. No whining though. Mundane is good!

Chris, I am looking forward to Friday for your sake even more than mine.

Shower. When we remodeled our main bathroom several years ago, we had a jacuzzi tub installed. I soon discovered that it is difficult for my old bones to get in and out of it, so it hasn't been used much. Once or twice a year I will use it, but not for getting clean! Only for soothing the body.

Professional question, Chris: what do you use to dust? I loathe dusting, so use a Swiffer. But it just seems to push the dust around.

 

[whatnext]

well. i just lost my entire post. great. well, let me try again.

Chris, what i wrote to you in the lost post was that most days i believe that you don't let yourself realize how amazing you are. so, today, sit down with some of that wine and think about all the stuff you DID get done! i hope you find Scott's gift. i do stuff like that all the time, but it mostly involves paper i shouldn't have tossed. here's a link to what we kind of do on Christmas Eve. it usually involves a LOT of cabbage in various forms. Wigilia (pronounced "vill-EEE-a) is pretty individual from family to family and is supposed to involved 12 different things to eat.
http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2014/12/22/Wigilia/stories/201411240020

Trudy, we're getting some of that warm weather here, but no sunshine. it's supposed to be 60 tomorrow, so if it does snow on Christmas, hopefully it won't turn to ice on the road. i think weatherpeople WANt to predict snow on Christmas. i blame Irving Berlin!!

Shar, reading about your computer virus gave me palpitations!! awful! but so cool that you know a Microsoft guy who fixed it!! i'm glad you're enjoying the 'Burgh photos. Dave DiCello has an AMAZING eye. a brilliant photographer. i have to figure out how to incorporate the almond idea into something i bake! i love that idea!

Laurie, are you feeling better? hope so!

Jean, i don't mind baking and not tasting. for one thing, because i have tested, i know what that stuff does to my blood sugar levels. i just have to imagine all the little pancreas cells dying and that's enough of an impetus for me. plus, i never really did have a sweet tooth, so it's not hard to pass on cookies, etc. i do miss bread, though. it's so HANDY! you can make a sandwich when you're in a hurry. you can make a toast for breadfast. easy-peasy.

today, it's more sauerkraut stuff. i won't bore you with the sauerkraut details. making the noodles for the soup. making the dumplings for the halushky. cleaning the house. making beef stew for Hubby for dinner. and running movies and TV shows on my iPad all day to keep me going! in the queue are The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Ben Hur, an Endeavour episode, probably another run through Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version.) that should keep me moving. all these shows i've seen a million times before, so i don't need to actually WAtCH them.

have a Happy Day! breathe! :becky:

 

[whatnext]

forgot the QOTD: shower. 100% of the time.

hi, Shar. we have a ROMEO contingent around my old hometown. guys who graduated with me and the year before get together. i love that name! they call themselves that, too.

 

[nancyr]

Good morning - I am the happiest mom! My son starts his new full time job on Monday. His friend let him know about the job and I am very proud of him. But oh my have I been busy with getting stuff ready for him. We went clothes shopping and new shoes and printing off lots documents but we'll worth it now he has a job. Best present ever. Yesterday was also fun as I got to go to another open practice. Watching the drills is fun. Found out that two more of my Devils are being tested for mumps. My poor team can't catch a break. Tonight I have a game and perhaps they will win. Got my last bit of shopping done. Love my downtown stores. Now I am at my son's home waiting for dilevery of a new stove.

Chris I agree with Phylis you do more than you think and should concentrate on that! Hope you find the gift. I too lost a package and if it had been a snake I would have been bitten lol. My son found it for me. So sorry about the car problems. I so enjoy having my own mechanic.

Phylis your Eve dinner sounds so interesting hope the weather cooperates

Trudy hope this cold does not last long

Shar computer viruses are the reason I am an apple girl. Glad your problem solved.

Laurie feel better.

Jean what was your favorite bird on the count.

QOTD. I only take showers. I used to take baths but just don't see how you come out clean lol.

Have a great day.

 

[SharLamb]

Chris, I'm sorry to take up so much real estate here, but I just have to tell you The Story of the Ugliest Vase.

About 18 or 20 years ago, my DD's boyfriend, now DH, brought her a beautiful bouquet of flowers. But he went the Economy Route, and got them from a grocery store, without a vase. So I figured the one he brought them in must have been a thrift-store acquirement, and I was nervous about his taste, because it would have won The Ugliest Vase Award, hands down.

When the flowers had wilted, I cleared them away (into the trash).

A few days later, Zanna asked me where the vase was. It seems Erik's mother (the mom and MIL from Witchville), noticed that one of her matching ANTIQUE (PRICELESS) vases was missing. Erik admitted he had borrowed it, and would bring it back home.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH ! ! ! !

I could not find that vase anywhere. I was about to have Erik take a picture of the other one, and I was going to scour antique stores from Seattle to Florida if I had to so that Erik would not have to pay the price for the rest of his life. This was before the internet, so there would have been no easy way to accomplish this task. I "remembered" tossing it in the trash compactor. The memory was so clear, I could HEAR the glass shattering, and me saying "good riddance." We were all literally sick to our stomachs.

Then I went out to the shelving in the garage where we stored those cheap vases you get from the grocery store. Our DS had a friend who used them in his U-Pick dahlia business. THERE WAS THE UGLY VASE! I guess the practical side of me figured that someone picking dahlias wouldn't care what kind of a container they put them in.

I let out a whoop (you probably heard it in NJ) of joy, and then cried from relief. Erik took the vase home, and his mom never knew what we had all been through. I still find it amazing that the memory of putting it in the trash compactor is still so clear.

Anyway, I so hope you find Scott's gift.

The End

Nancy, if money were no object, I'd switch to Mac even at this time of my life. I use an iPhone and iPad, but the thought of doing all that switching, even if it WERE viable, makes me shudder. Congrats on DS's new job. One of the best feelings a mom can have!

Phylis (with one "l"), my DH's family has a sauerkraut tradition too, but I will tell that story next month when the event is closer.

 

[taxed4ever]

Hey ladies I finally made it here today!! I was awake at 2 am

WTH??? I tossed and I turned for over an hour and then just got up and came out to the computer to find a good salad recipe for my Christmas dinner. Went back to bed at 4am and still could not get to sleep! Now I feel like a zombie

so I got up and made some breakfast for DH and myself and finished making my grocery list. Ok back to bed.... nope still no sleep for me, so out of bed got dressed and went grocery shopping. DONE!! I am not going anywhere else today except back to bed sometime or other. :sleep: I am tired, why can't I sleep??? This is me right now as I try to read the posts on the screen, the mind is mush!!

Chris - Take Phylis's advice and sit down with a big glass of wine and realize that you are super woman!! You will make it through this day my friend and then you will make it through tomorrow too!! Baby steps, Baby steps and ask for help please!! Sure hope you find Scott's gift, sounds like something I would do too, so don't feel badly about it, you are not alone!!

Shar - Love the ROMEO's name!! I will have to tell DH that one!! So glad that you were able to get your virus taken care of!! You really should switch to MAC, I did after years of having a PC and I never look back!! Love, Love, Love my iMac!! I actually bought mine in the States when we were on a trip to the Grande Canyon. Stopped in Oregon and purchased it so I would not have to pay sales tax on it. Best thing I ever did!! OMG your story about the ugly vase is so great!!! Have you ever done a scrapbook page about it!! You must have had a heart attack when you found out it was the MIL's priceless treasure!! Too funny!! (well not at the time lol)

Phylis - Back to the deluge of rain again today, but hopefully the sun will come out for Christmas Day. I often wonder about the weathermen/women are they paid extra to give you hope for a white christmas or sunny christmas in my case?? I am sending good weather vibes out to you for your travels. Seems we are going to travel now too, to the SIL's on Boxing Day, she has changed her mind and suddenly does not want to be just the two of them for the Christmas Holidays. Oh well guess we will get 2 Christmas dinners this year :becky:

Nancy - I am finally cold free and feeling back to normal, well as normal as I can be I guess. :becky: Hooray for your son's new job!! The perfect gift!! your poor Devils!! Hope no one else has the mumps!!

QOTD - When we moved into this house there was a huge soaker tub in our ensuite bathroom, well it was the worst tub ever, and hubby loves his baths. So out it went and he purchased a beautiful new jacuzzi tub to replace it. You have to understand my husband loves his baths and has one almost every night! It really is a great tub and very comfy to be in, so yes I do have baths, but only about once a week, to soak my bones, the rest of the time its a shower for sure!

I hope you all enjoy the day and you are ready for the busy Christmas holiday!! :wave: