"How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? ..."

I am not one to bring up politics. Period. It usually ends badly in this house, since my husband and I are on opposite ends of the whole spectrum. But I just had to make sure everyone saw this. If you watch any TV at all, you've already seen it. But just in case anyone missed it, here's our pompous vice president, Dick, living up to his name. Once again.

"I read People magazine cuz I'm hip ..."

Obviously, there have been times in the last several years when keeping up with this blog has been fun. You can tell because I did it with regularity.

Also quite obvious, I'm not in one of those times right now.

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Yesterday, I turned forty-freakin'-nine. I can't even tell you how sad it makes me to think of the number 50 that looms. Perhaps in the coming year I can find a way to come to terms with it. Perhaps not.

I got some really cool gifts this year ... although not as tear-inducing as last year, when I was told about the baby-on-the-way.

Emilie made me a beautiful scrapbook with pictures of herself and her brother when they were little ones. And that DID make me cry. I just didn't throw it across the room and burst into tears the way I did last year when the pregnancy news made it through all the layers of my brain.

Em also sent me 2 dozen roses, all different colors. Adam and Brandy took us out to a yummy dinner last night, and also gave me a certificate to my favorite pedicure place. Perfect! I had told Jimmy that the new washer and dryer could pass as birthday gifts this year, and I really meant it. But before he got on the flight to Puerto Rico yesterday, he presented me with a gift certificate to a nearby spa. I'll have to peruse the brochure to decide what I want to use it on.

Here's a picture of my roses, with all the cards I received:

Yes, that's an Easter card on the far right. My mom wrote "Happy Birthday, too!" inside. (It's the thought that counts.)

My favorite part of yesterday? Kissing these cheeks:

"Forever young ..."

Just added to my "Saved" list on Netflix: "Young @ Heart", a documentary about a chorus in Massachusetts made up of senior citizens. I know what you're thinking. I know! I admit it though, my heart melts for the babies and the old people in this world. What can I say?

Netflix says, "Coldplay, the Clash and Jimi Hendrix will never sound the same once you've heard the Young@Heart chorus, a group of Massachusetts senior citizens who thrill audiences worldwide with their unusual -- and unusually poignant -- covers of rock songs. Stephen Walker's humane and heartwarming documentary, which premiered at Sundance in 2008, follows the elderly ensemble as they prepare their new show."

The documentary will be released in theaters next month, but I have no idea if it'll be shown in this town ... so it's already in my queue, waiting to be released on DVD.

The trailer:


They sing The Ramones!:


"Stayin' Alive"/"I Will Survive" (FABULOUS!):


Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band have just moved down a spot to make room on that list of my favorite music-makers (and if you don't click on any of the other videos I posted here, you MUST watch this one):

"I think I'm moving, but I go nowhere ..."

Monday was a semi-productive day around here. I worked a bit upstairs, getting the bathrooms cleaner. Also moved some dust around in the bedrooms, and ran the Dyson. Go, me.

I also caught up, a tiny bit, on a few of my DVR'd TV-watching. One of the things I watched was "The Real Housewives of New York City", and ... yuck. So far, that pretentious gang only makes me miss the gals from OC. At least the OC Housewives aren't trying so hard to be something they're not. They are perfectly happy with their weekends at Lake Havasu, cocktails with the girls at the strip mall, and planning their next "cosmetic procedure". The NY women are frightening with their teeth bared at anyone who might stand in the way of that social ladder they want to climb so badly. (Grammar lessons, anyone?) Eh, I'll still watch the season ... if only to hate.

Today, I hope, will contain more of the same. Downstairs, and minus the DVR-watching. For some reason, I always dread cleaning the lower level of the house more than the top one. The kitchen, maybe? I need to clean the fireplace again today too. Fun times.

But first, I'm out of here to run a few errands: post office, grocery store, dry cleaner, and the frame shop. I am dying to see the pictures of Squishy ... I had 3 of the "3 Months Old" pictures matted and framed together. I'm sure it'll take half the day to decide where to hang it.

"I don't know why they suntan nails ..."

Y'all know I love me some Pearl Jam, right? So the other day, I was wasting time on YouTube, seeing if there might be something there I haven't seen yet. And while I've seen a few funny videos about the unintelligible lyrics to "Yellow Ledbetter", I had not seen this one. Maybe it'll make you laugh like it did me.



My son shared his knowledge of the lyrics of this song with me a few years ago ... he said it really doesn't HAVE lyrics ... the the band was just jamming in the recording studio and Eddie was making things up as he went along. And it really does sound like that's what was going on to me.

You can read the official Wikipedia opinion behind it all by clicking here.

Anyway, the video contains my favorite, as of today, version of the lyrics of that classic song. Heh. "Make me fries."

-----

Our Squishy Girl had another immunization for her 4-month birthday on Friday. And then she had a really rough Saturday. She had a fever and everything. Emilie and I went over to give her lots of love while her Daddy took a flying lesson and her Mama was getting some work done. I was glad to hear that on Sunday she was feeling a little bit better.

-----

Other than that, it was a pretty routine weekend around here. Except for the fact that a whole HOUR went missing sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Ugh. Although I do love the fact that it's light outside at 7:30 PM now.

Em and I shopped a little bit on Sunday. We hit Babies R Us, Target, and Off Broadway Shoes. I came home with 3 big bags of baby stuff ... including a few things for an Easter basket, and a Bumbo seat. I was able to score the attachable play tray for the front ... I got the last one at Target. The lady at Babies R Us told me they were unable to get anymore trays. It certainly looks as if they available online through Target though. I'm beginning to get a bad taste in my mouth for Babies R Us. Every single piece of clothing I liked, I could not find in the size I needed. Bah!

We grilled some burgers for dinner last night, and they were quite tasty. It's going to take me until the end of summer to learn to cook properly on our new grill though.

-----

Best News Of The Weekend: Sisters Laura and Melody are expecting a baby in late-November/early-December! :-D <-- that's my face.

-----

Off and running on another week ... hope you and yours have a good one.

"She gives me presents with just her presence alone ..."

Shamed into writing, here I am.

No excuses, unless "February" is admissible as evidence. If you know me at all, you know I can't help the black funk that seems to settle in over my head in the 8 weeks or so that follow the holidays. This year was no different. Well, that's not true. It WAS different. This year, I had a baby to hold every so often. And believe me, that made a HUGE difference.

And now, here we are in March again. I feel the weather changing, even though it's raining today ... and cold. But I know there are sunny days ahead, and it won't be long before it's warm enough to open a few windows around here and let the soft air inside. Ahhh.

-----

So today she is 4 months old. Here's a picture I took yesterday that illustrates the precious way she gets herself to sleep. She wiggles and "growls" and rubs her little face and eyes ... but when those two arms go up near her face, we know she's almost in dreamland. To see her do it in her crib will melt my heart to mush, but yesterday she slept in her bouncy seat. And guess what? My heart melts that way, too.

Yesterday, the kids allowed me to go and get her from daycare in the early afternoon and bring her home with me until dinnertime. I'm hoping that can become a routine, at least temporarily for the next 20 years or so.

My daughter-in-law is working some incredibly long hours right now, which is hard on everybody. It's killing her, I know. Not nearly enough sleep, and working every day for 12 to 15 hours will wear anyone to a nub pretty fast. And my son misses his time with her, that goes without saying. But it's got to be hardest for our Squishy One. She has so little time with her Mama. One more week, guys. Hang in there.

Anyway, I hope that my "Thursday Afternoon With Nana" can be a regular thing ... it'll give her Daddy a break from picking her up one day a week, and he can do whatever he wants for a few hours that day ... and it'll give me some time to have some serious heart-to-heart talks with the most important person in my world.

Apologies if you've seen these pictures on my son's blog or on my MySpace page, but here they are again ... a few shots from her "3 Months Old" photo session ---

I know, right? How could we be more blessed?

-----

Hey! I have a new washer and dryer! Sadly, doing laundry is still just doing laundry. Oh well, it's a little more incentive to (one day soon) start the massive task of cleaning and organizing the laundry room. Oy. That'll hurt.

So, what's new with you?

Hello?

Is there anyone still out there?

Aw crap. I'm talking to myself. It serves me right.

"I really don't think you're strong enough ..."

Add this one to my Life List:

*** I want to go to Vegas and see CHER this year!



-----

And if you have an adequate supply of insulin, go here and and look at my gorgeous granddaughter as she celebrates being THREE MONTHS OLD.

I love you, My Squishy.

"Another day, another drama ..."

Yes, Dear Reader, I'm still alive. I'm just more boring than you could possibly imagine. For example, the highlight of this week is that the upstairs bathrooms have been cleaned. How am I supposed to make THAT interesting?

Let's see ... I did not watch the State Of The Union address last night. So I'm a bad American, as well as a bad blogger.

I do wish Heath Ledger's family would hire someone to rough up Nancy Grace. She went on and on about how pills were "strewn" around his dead body; when the police commissioner, and anyone else who has half a brain, were quick to make clear that pills were NOT "strewn" anywhere. (There were bottles of prescription medication with his name on them in the apartment. I think the same thing could be found in Ms. Grace's home.) Arrrgh! I believe she's usually on the right side, but is she not the most obnoxious, self-righteous, crazy-bitch drama queen you've ever seen? And she will never admit it when she's wrong.

And enough with the baby congrats, caller-people. She acts like she's the only woman in the world who ever had birthin' complications and ended up with healthy babies. My eyes hurt from the rolling.

Why am I watching that crap? I have no idea. Well, really I do. I watch her just so she can make me mad, and then I send all my hate to her via ESP. I watch her show because I can't stand her! Simmah down, Nancy!

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What else am I watching, you ask?

I just finished up "The Real Housewives Of Orange County", and as always, I was sad to see the season end. Lucky for me though, Bravo has hatched a new series called "The Real Housewives of New York City". I watched the preview show, and Lord. I'd hang out with OC housewives any day, in favor of those NYC biatches. Pretentious much?? I'm already hooked though.

Also hooked on VH-1's "My Fair Brady" ... with little Peter Brady all grown up and *MY* age, married to 24-year-old Adrienne Curry of "America's Top Model" and "The Surreal Life" fame. In fact, they met when they both appeared on Surreal Life. I fear for him, really I do. He's in over his head with her.

I watch "Jon and Kate Plus 8" on TLC every week. Her sarcasm and his sweetness ... plus all those screaming kids equals good TV!

A&E provides me with excellent TV time with some "Intervention". Although I always wonder, after several seasons, don't these addicts watch TV at all? You'd think they'd catch on when they are "being filmed for a documentary about addiction" and asked to state their name and SPELL IT, that they were headed for a rehab facility on the coast!

"Amazing Race" just ended ... and happily, in my opinion. Those two hippies just floated their way to a million bucks on good karma alone. Yay for them.

How excited am I that the stupid writer's strike has forced CBS into throwing together a winter season of "Big Brother"? Pretty damn excited, that's how. "Big Brother 9" starts February 12th.

But even MORE exciting that that ... "Survivor: Fan Favorites" begins February 7th. James is back! But so is Johnnie Fairplay. Oh man. I can't wait.

Need even MOOORE excitement? "Lost" returns THIS WEEK! Yes. Only I can hardly remember what happened on the last epidode. Lucky for me, I found this. After the ad plays, a video pops up that tells you everything that's happened on "Lost" in 8 minutes. (I had to take notes.)

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So you see dear Reader, life at my house in January is painfully quiet and slow. And it usually revolves around the big-screen TV.

How's it goin' with you?

"The world will turn if you're ready or not ..."

Halfway through January already ... I'm running behind and what else is new?

-----

My daughter-in-law and her family have suffered a terrible loss, and my heart goes out to them as they now deal with the aftermath of losing a loved one. Grief is personal, and everyone deals in their own way ... and the rest of us feel quite helpless in wanting to make things easier for the ones hurting the most. My hope is that they find some peace in their memories of happy times together, and that they grow even closer as a family as they find their way through the aftermath of this tragic accident.

While I worried over everyone this weekend, I had the most happy distraction of all: I was asked to stay with Miss Squishy while her Mama and Daddy dealt with everything else. People, there are no words. My Friday, Saturday, and Sunday flew by in a blur of diapers, bottles, bouncy seats, and rocking chair time. And let's not forget the "nose buried in the baby's neck" time.

She is amazing. She is precious. She is beautiful. She is a miracle.

And when she smiles in my direction, I melt into a big old Nana puddle. I knew before she came that I would love this child. What I didn't know was how big that love would be ... and she hasn't even hugged me back yet.




(I had no idea that every blog post after 11/07/07 would be "Squishy-oriented", and I never intended for every post to include a picture of the baby ... but for now, that's the way my brain works, y'all. You'll have to deal with it until it passes. I figure it'll take about ten years or so.)

"Chasing the years of my life ..."

It's the first Monday of 2008 ... the official END of the holiday season. (And not a moment too soon.)

It's also a momentous day in our family. Miss Squishy is two months old today! Seems like SO much has happened since two short months ago, when we all met over at the hospital to welcome her into our world. It has definitely been a busy couple of months. She's even more beautiful today than she was on the day she was born. She's growing like crazy. The biggest change, to me, is her ability to focus on faces and things ... she looks and studies, and now you can see that she's really seeing everything. She's also beginning to "talk" ... those first sweet ooohs and ahhhs they make that are just the sweetest sounds you've ever heard. That, and the smiles. Oh, those heartbreaking smiles.

This picture is from Friday night, when she came to stay with us for a few hours while her Mama and Daddy went out together. I had laid her in the crib and turned the mobile on ... she laid there for a LONG time, totally entranced by the lights, the music, and the stuffed animals going around and around over her head.

Two Months Old!

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Emilie made it home last night from her week in Ohio, safe and sound. Her "in a nutshell" review of Skybus Airline: "It's cheap! Expect delays."

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Back to routine here today. I'll be at the grocery store momentarily ... getting back to the cooking dinner every night routine. Time to start exercising as well. I'm tired of just talking about how I'm going to be fit one of these days. Gotta start somewhere and today is the day.

Arrrghhhh ... I'll be FORTY-freakin'-NINE in less than 3 months. That really hurts.

But then I just look at another picture of Squishy, and I don't even care how old I am or how many gray hairs I'm covering every month. She makes me happy to just be here. She makes me look forward to the "next time" ... the future. That may be the BIGGEST change seen in the last two months. Thank you, Miss S. <3

"Let's take it from the top ..."

2008.

It'll be September before I write it anywhere without having to stop and think, "What year is it?" ... hell, my natural instinct is to write "1998"! I'm TEN YEARS BEHIND!

Like that's news to anybody.

-----

Shall we discuss Clemson's loss to Auburn in overtime at the Chickfila Bowl on New Year's Eve? No? Good.

I just wish they had played with some heart. It felt like they were only half into it. Bah.

Here's Miss Squishy's reaction:

(She was not impressed, Mr. Bowden.)

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Mary, Kathy wants to be Eddy. Besides, as familiar as I am with a vodka bottle, I've always assumed I was closer to being Patsy than Eddy. I'm not blonde though. And I don't own any designer clothes. But I am older than God.

"Been looking forward to the future ..."

Whoa. Sorry about that. I really didn't intend to take so much time away from here. But once again, the holidaze just about got the best of me. I'm beginning to think I need to REthink some "traditions" as I get older. But probably, I'll just forget the hard parts by next year, and repeat everything, as usual.

The highlight of this year's Christmas festivities was one Miss Squishy. If she was in the house, I was having a hard time doing anything besides staring at her squishyness. But of course, there were always a zillion other things I needed to be doing, so I ended up feeling grumpy because I couldn't sit with her constantly and soak up what is now past: her First Christmas. But isn't she lovely?

I got some incredibly nice gifts, some of which require brain power to use:

Sisters Laura and Melody gave me a Bluetooth thingy for my car ... brain power needed to "link" it with my phone.

Adam & Brandy gave me a lovely digital photo frame, complete with Squishy pictures ... brain power needed to add new pictures.

And Jimmy gave me a GPS system ... brain power needed to drive and watch the GPS map at the same time.

Em helped me get the hang of the GPS stuff on our drive to Greensboro NC on Saturday. (I went along to keep her company on the drive to the Greensboro airport ... she caught a Skybus flight there to whisk her off to Ohio, where she'll spend the first week of the New Year.) It may take me a few years to get the "newest" gadgets ... but I'm really loving that British woman in my GPS that tells me to "Exit left and take the motorway"! I've decided to call her Patsy. (Extra points if you know why.)

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Happy 29th Anniversary to us. How HOW HOWWWW can we have been married for 29 years today ... if I am barely over 30 years old???

Time, she's a BITCH.

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I'm looking forward to the coming year ... looking forward to time with my Granddaughter, watching her grow and become who she is ... looking forward to time with "my girls"-- I've spent so much of my life without close girlfriends, but I'm totally enjoying making up for lost time ... looking forward to becoming a healthier me, preparing to totally commit to an exercise/fitness program ... looking forward to a new kitchen?? (A girl can dream!) ... looking forward to a blessed and happy year for my family and friends.

I love you all!

"She dreams in color ..."

So sleepy, and yet I'm here.

Just wanted to do a quick update to share Frances' official "I really AM a great-grandma" moment.

Squishy came to stay with us for a couple of hours while her Mama and Daddy attended a Christmas party. The best part of the night for me: Squishy Smiles! ("... the grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.")

We weren't able to catch the incredible smiles on the camera, as we were far too involved in conversation with Miss Squishy at the time, but I'm sure it won't be long before we have it preserved on ... uh ... hard drive.

"The weather outside is frightful ..."

Because, really, who wants to Christmas shop in SEVENTY-NINE DEGREE weather? Not me, thanks. As much as I can complain about "freezing" once the air is cool, I prefer it when I'm hearing Christmas music at the mall.

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Let me apologize (or 'pologize, as the song that regularly gets stuck in my head goes ... oh yeah, it's too laaaate ... ) for the lack of updating. It's just that I've been so busy. Or boring. Or both.

It's not likely to get any better either.

I'm leaving today to drive south for about four hours, spend the night with my Mother, and then turn around to bring her back home with me for some Holiday Time. If you're a long-time reader, then you know that this year The Visit has been cut dramatically, compared to past years. It normally begins on Thanksgiving and by now, she is usually PAST ready to go home, but not about to admit it. And by now, I've usually developed several facial tics that even a bottle of Pinot Grigio can't make disappear.

This year, sanity will prevail. She'll be here about two weeks.

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Last weekend, I made a big old check mark on my Life List. If you have never toured Biltmore House, and you're a history addict like me, may I suggest you plan on doing so? I was totally fascinated by the whole thing. (Not to mention open-mouthed and amazed at the garish display of Filthy Rich. And I couldn't fight the feeling that I was walking around in my REAL family home. Heh.)

They don't allow photo-taking inside the house, but here's us on the outside. I loved it.

We drove up in the late afternoon on Saturday, and decided to stop at a charming little place on the side of the road in Hendersonville, NC called Cedar Creek Lodge for the night. We were sitting outside our respective cottages, for a last little bit of conversation before we conked out for the night, when someone pointed out the "art" in the wooded area just next to where we were planning to sleep.

Uh, yikes?

It was then that I noticed the eerie resemblance between Cedar Creek Lodge and the Bates Motel.

Naaa ... we all woke up the next day, and headed out for Asheville, as planned.

Patti and Michael, I enjoyed it SO much ... let's plan Charleston or Savannah for next year!

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One-Month-Old Squishy Update:

It's official. That baby girl owns me. The minute I see her, I forget to breathe for a few seconds. It's craziness, this whole grandparenting thing. How did I live without her?

She takes after me, too. The other day, while holding her after she ate, I heard a familiar gurgling noise. And I was unable to tell if it was her belly or mine making all the racket. Also like me, she can rage against the machine if her tummy is empty ... and then the minute the problem is corrected, she is totally relaxed, happy, and ready for a nap.

Here is a picture of One-Month-Old Squishy with her "After I've Eaten" face on, when she came over to visit us on Saturday:

If you need more All Things Squishy, head over here where my sleep-deprived kid has posted a short video of hiccups. Don't ask me how many times I've watched it, OK?

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Melinda! Your comment made my whole WEEK brighter! I am so happy to hear from you! Pleeeeeease keep in touch! :-)

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"I'm holdin' on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground ..."

What did I tell you? It's in my head for the day now.

"Next thing you know ..."

The only reason I'm here typing is to let you know I'm breathing. Life is lots of routine, with the added craziness of holiday shopping and decorating.

The tree is up.

The Santa collection is unwrapped and in place on the mantle.
The rest of the house is in chaos, waiting patiently for my attention. I'm good at ignoring, obviously. I'm hoping my live wreath for the front door is delivered today, so I can finish the little bit I'm doing for the outside of the house.

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Weekend fun ahead ... we'll be staying up late on Friday night, awaiting the arrival of Michael and Patti. Unsure of the itinerary, but I'm almost positive it involves lots of talking, laughter, and maybe we'll drink a beer or three. And I'm finally going to see the Biltmore House!

Just like that, I can check two items off my Life List. Last weekend, I went with Kathy and Melissa and their girls to see a production of The Nutcracker. (Mary tried her best to teach me to knit when she visited a few weeks ago, but it's apparent that I need more instruction. Come back, Mary!)

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By now, everybody has probably seen the "Elf Yourself" toy on the Office Max website. I've seen at least a dozen ... mostly of folks I don't really know in "real life" ... computer friends, if you will. When Emilie sent the link to this one last week, I discovered that, if you actually KNOW the elves, it can be pretty damn funny. Click here to see what I mean. Jud did the work and sent it to Em to make her smile, and when she forwarded it to me, I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Love how the Allie Elf is slightly off the beat in most of her dance. I wish I could make it our Christmas card this year.

"Because you're standing still ..."

I've been sitting here a while this morning, surfing around trying to find things to cure my blues ... you know, things that will induce some laughter or even a smile. I found this:

Dancing Machine

Add to My Profile | More Videos

... and now I have a crush on the guy in the video. But he made me smile. And laugh.

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Jimmy is dying again. This time, it's not his back, it's the flu. Or a cold, disguised as the flu. (I suspect the latter, since we both had a flu shot 3 weeks ago.) He stayed home from work yesterday, and looks to be doing it again today. yay.

Oh yeah ... Happy Birthday, Jimmy! And Mary, Happy Birthday to you, too! Here's what Astrology.com thinks about the both of you:

Your personal ruling planets are Jupiter and Moon.

You are tolerant and forgiving, always ready to overlook mistakes and give others a second chance. You expect the best from people and draw it out of them, and you enjoy making others comfortable and happy. Because of your emotional generosity, your life is rich with friends, and often financial blessings as well.

You have a buoyant, cheerful disposition and reach out to others in a warm, open, friendly way. Your emotional generosity and lack of pettiness is well known among your circle of friends, and people often seek you out for help, sympathy, or advice. You are always willing to overlook others' faults, and you sometimes overdo your charitableness.

You are easygoing, agreeable, and tolerant, willing to overlook others' mistakes, forget the past, and begin again on a positive note. You enjoy making others comfortable and happy, and sometimes overdo your generosity. You often feel that "everything will turn out all right no matter what I do", and so become lazy and lackadaisical.

Your lucky colors are cream and white and green.

Your lucky gems are moonstone or pearl. Your lucky days of the week Monday, Thursday, Sunday.

Your lucky numbers and years of important change are 2, 11, 20, 29, 38, 47, 56, 65, 74.

Famous people born on your birthday include Amos Bronson Alcott, Louisa May Alcott, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. John Mayall, Jeff Fahey, Cathy Moriarty, Kim Delaney and Andrew McCarthy.

I have to say though ... parts of that don't really seem to fit with Jimmy's personality. The whole "emotional generosity" and "overlooking others' faults" thing ... not so much. But it DOES fit Mary, so maybe Jimmy works hard to hide that side of himself from me.

I wish he'd work as hard to cover his mouth when he coughs in the kitchen. *sigh*

Happy 49th, honey .... it's all downhill to that coveted AARP membership from here!

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A survey seen on MySpace this morning:

1) Are you an Aunt/Uncle?
I am - I have two nephews and two nieces.

2) Can you do a cartwheel?
I doubt it. I haven’t tried in centuries; and my upper arms are so weak, they'd probably crackle into a zillion pieces if I were to try now.

3) What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
I can't remember ... maybe "Evening" last summer?

4) Do you eat vegetables regularly?
Ashamed to say, not nearly enough.

5) If you were going to get a body piercing, where would you get it?
I wouldn’t. No, thank you.

6) Do you ever hang out with someone of the opposite sex?
I hang out with my Jimmy occasionally. And my son, too.

7) What is the weather like right at this very moment?
Sunny and cold.

8) What is something you can’t wait for?
I can't wait to be finished with my Christmas shopping and decorating, so I can sit down and enjoy it.

9) How many times have you been to Canada?
Zero.

10) Have you ever had a reptile as a pet?
Hell to tha NO!

11) What is your favorite fruit?
Right now, it's oranges ... we bought a big box from the Riverside Band. But I'm having hard time coming up with a fruit I don't like.

12) What song is on your MySpace profile right now?
"How Far We've Come" by Matchbox Twenty. Yes, I'm over 35 and I have a MySpace page. Shut up.

13) Who was your last missed call on your cell phone?
Kathy.

14) Where are you most ticklish?
The arch of my foot, I think.

15) How many hours a week do you normally work?
Zero!

16) Who’s your number 1 on myspace?
Emilie. I'm her number 137. Go figure.

17) Do you have deep dark secrets?
Who doesn’t?

18) When was the last time you were sick?
I guess the last time I was reeeealy sick was in August, when I was dealing with the whole twisted intestine thing.

19) What color is your car?
White. With black scratches.

20) How many siblings do you have?
Two, both sisters. Unless you count the half-brother I've seen twice in my life, and the half-sister I've never met. In that case, it'd be four.

21) Have you ever gotten caught sneaking out?
Nope. Frances wasn't too strict with the rules.

22) Did you ever try running away from home when you were younger?
Nope.

23) What makes you the happiest?
I'm happiest when everything is going along smoothly in my kids' lives.

24) How do you feel when you see a child at the store throwing a “Tantrum”?
Glad it's not my kid.

25) Where do you want to be right now?
Here is OK. Although I wouldn’t mind being on a warm white-sand beach with my toes in the blue water, either. In the recliner with Miss Squishy might be a nice place to be, too ... if her tummy's full and her diaper is clean.

26) Have you ever finished a Rubik’s Cube?
No.

27) When is the last time you drank too much?
Friday, November 16th. Somebody kept buying rounds of Lemon Drops. It was not my fault.

28) When was the last time you rode a bike?
I cannot remember.

29) Do you have any vacation plans for this summer?
This summer? As in 6 or 7 months from now? I hope to be vacationing on St. George Island, along with Michael and Patti again.

30) Where were you 1 hour ago?
Sitting here, clearing the sleep out of my eyes, and looking for something to read.

31) Who will be your next kiss?
Jimmy and his germs are off-limits. I may kiss his cheek when I tell him "Happy Birthday" later. But it'll probably be when I kiss Emilie goodbye on Friday. I don't get many kisses.

32) Do you kiss a lot of people?
Just family. And the computer monitor when I find a new picture of Johnny Depp online.

33) Are you wearing socks right now?
No - I’m wearing warm slippers, but my feet are cold anyway, and the ceramic heater is blasting away, 12 inches from my feet.

34) When was the last time you went out of state?
In October, I went to North Carolina for the day with Laura and Melody.

35) Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
I have not.

36) What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water.

37) What are you wearing right now?
PJ's and slippers.

38) What was your last purchase?
Yesterday I bought a sweater at Ann Taylor Loft, miscellaneous crap at Target, and a few groceries at Publix.

39) Last thing you ate?
I had a bowl of chicken & dumplings for dinner last night.

40) Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
See above: Sweater at Ann Taylor Loft. I also bought a hoodie and some "Happy Pants" at Target. On Tuesday, I went to the consignment store to pick up this month's money, and I found a Gap sweater, an Eddie Bauer hoodie, and an Ann Taylor sweater ... all looked brand new, so all came home with me. Score!

41) Are you a sexual predator?
NO, I am not. Unless your name is Justin Timberlake.

42) What is in the backseat of your car?
A CVS bag with pink tissue paper in it, bought on that fateful "too much to drink" night I wrote about earlier. It was a friend's birthday party, and I stopped on the way there to wrap her little gift. And an umbrella. And probably the windshield thing that blocks the sun when I'm parked, which I hardly ever use.

43. Three words to explain why you last threw up?
Gastric By Pass.

45. What was the last movie you watched?
My last Netflix choice was a documentary called "Wordplay" ... about people who love crossword puzzles. Zzzzzzz. I'll be watching "Capote" in the next few days.

46. Do you think Barbie is a negative role model for kids?
No. I think Britney and Paris are.

47. What kind of car does your father drive?
When he was alive, he drove a clunker truck ... I have no idea what kind. He loved it.

48. Do you like scrabble?
I do.

49. Where did you attend high school?
Hardaway High School. Columbus, GA.

50. Favorite scent?
Clean Baby.

52. Last television program you watched?
South Park, last night ... a re-run about Mormonism (Dum dum dum dum dum). I was too sleepy to watch the 10 PM episode. If it was new, the DVR got it for me.

55. Does your family own any boats?
Nope.

56. Something you can’t live without?
My family and friends.

61. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
Driving to Garden Ridge for a job interview. They could only offer a seasonal job and it paid minimum wage. I didn't accept. I came home and watched the news coverage the rest of the day.

62. How often do you read books?
Every day.

65. Describe the computer you are currently using?
Um. It’s a Dell computer. It’s about a year old, except for the monitor, which was made in 1710.

66. How long does it take you to get ready to go out?
About an hour, from the shower to the car.

67. Will you donate your organs after you pass?
Sure!

68. Have you been outside of the USA?
Yes, to the islands we visited on our cruise.

69. Would you ever get your nipple pierced?
HAIL no.

"Save it for a rainy day ..."

Was that just ONE weekend? My God, it felt like several. At least.

Rainy Monday here, you? I'm dog-sitting today, and she has some intestinal distress happening. Not sure whether it was her trip to the kennel over Thanksgiving or what ... but her tummy is not happy. And that means lots of trips out to the yard, in the cold rain. Ah, Monday.

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Sooooo ... the weekend. Thanksgiving was everything I imagined ... lots of work getting the meal prepared, incredible mess in the kitchen, and it took 4.2 minutes to eat "The Meal". Everything tasted great though. (Kay and Kathy, I wish you had been here!)

One last-minute change to the menu: I decided not to do the Gooey Butter Cake and made a recipe Emilie brought home from work instead. They had a Thanksgiving meal at the office on Monday, and someone brought this dish that everybody loved. The recipe was shared, and we decided to give it a go. It was definitely a hit, even the Non-Food-Person (Jimmy) had more than one helping. It came without a name, so we have christened it:

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 16-oz. can pumpkin

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix this and pour into a 9 x 13 baking pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray.

1 box of Duncan Hines Yellow Butter Recipe Cake Mix (dry)

1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Sprinkle these over the top of the pumpkin mixture.

1 and 1/2 sticks butter (melted)

Pour this over the dry cake mix and nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until lightly browned.

Frost with a mixture of:

1 16-oz. box powdered sugar

1 8-oz. cream cheese

1 8- oz. Cool Whip

Goodness.

Oh yeah, the turkey brining ... I ended up using a cooler with ice to house the turkey in the brining bag. I used a huge plastic bag I bought at Williams-Sonoma to hold the turkey in the brine, but after I got it all in there, I was worried that it would leak overnight ... and it was incredibly unwieldy, all that liquid in a bag ... so I used the cooler instead of the fridge. I roasted it slow and covered it with foil, until the last hour or so ... then I uncovered and basted it with butter until the temperature was over 165 degrees. It rested for about an hour while I finished the rest of the meal, and yes. It was moist, very full of flavor, and everything "they" say about brining is true! I'm even thinking about doing another one for Christmas.

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Miss Squishy brought her Mama and Daddy over to watch the Clemson/Carolina game on Saturday night. Won't say too much about the game, other than "Whew!" That was a close one. Can't tell you how hard it is to watch those Tigers play sometimes.

On to the BABY ... she is not quite 3 weeks old, and this marked her first visit to Nana and Papa's house. She was awake for about half the time she was here, and for a good bit of her awake time, she was concentrating on the chatter coming from my mouth. When her head was on my shoulder, she leaned back a little bit so she could see my face, and pretended to listen intently. Way to melt your Nana's heart there, Squishy.

Love. Love. Love.

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Yesterday was dreary and cold. Em and I took a walk with The Beast and came home with runny noses and frozen ears and hands. That, and seeing a few houses with the Christmas decorations already up made me want to come home and decorate. Laziness prevailed though ... we'll do it next weekend, I think.

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Today is "Cyber Monday" ... the biggest Internet shopping day of the year? Whatever. I think about Christmas shopping and I start hearing white noise in my head. I can't focus. I have no idea what I'm doing ... or when I'm going to get around to doing it. Ugh. I hate it. I may or may not shop on the Internet today. I may or may not shop on the Internet tomorrow.

What I am doing today is laundry. And a lot of standing in the rain, holding a dog on a leash.

"Turkey lurkey doo ..."

I can't muster that old Thanksgiving Spirit. With only three of us around the table tomorrow, I'm fearing it will feel like any other weeknight meal ... only I'll be really tired since I just cooked for 2 days. I miss my family very much. When Dad was alive, they'd make the trip us here on the day before Thanksgiving, somehow surviving the terrible traffic between here and Atlanta ... and as soon as they came through the door, it was Holiday Time in my head. Daddy loved to eat, so Thanksgiving was a happy time for all.

Jimmy doesn't enjoy food. Period. Emilie hates all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. And here I am ... with my bypassed gastric, still loving the idea of food but unable to eat more than a few bites of anything.

Still, I'm starting the food preparation as soon as I finish up here this morning. Traditions die hard around me.

I'm brining the turkey this year ... a first for me. I bought the Turkey Brine from Williams-Sonoma. It has all the spices and flavors mixed together, and all I have to do is dissolve it in boiling water, and then cool it. I'll let you know how it turns out. I had planned to skip having a ham this year (see above, only 3 of us here), but on my last grocery run, I gave in to tradition and bought a small one. If nothing else, I love the smell of a ham baking. And it's protein ... yay, protein.

What else am I cooking? I do love to talk about food ...

=== Dressing: Grandma Owens' recipe ... made with homemade cornbread, Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix, broth, celery, onions, spices, and LURVE, baby.

=== Giblet Gravy: Again Grandma Owens' recipe, but tweaked around a little this year ... hopefully improved and not ruined.

=== English Peas: Jimmy's favorite food on the planet. He'll be the only one eating these. I guess it says a lot about whether or not you're a food-lover ... if, when asked what your favorite food is, you answer, "little green peas", you're probably NOT a foodie.

=== Green Beans w/Bacon & Tomatoes: New recipe.

=== Collard Greens: Call me weird, but I love to smell these simmering away on the stove. I'll be doing this one today.

=== Mashed Potatoes: With butter, cream cheese, AND half & half. Oh, baby.

=== Black Eyed Peas: So Emilie can have a veggie on her plate.

=== Strawberry Pretzel Salad: We may be the only family in America that uses this as a "salad" instead of a dessert, which is what it really is. We serve it with all the savory food.

=== Deviled Eggs: Along with olives, and bread & butter pickles on a relish tray. Have you tried Wickles yet? If you love bread & butter pickles, and if you love spicy stuff ... you should see if you can find some ... Publix carries them here. I'm the only person who likes them in my house, but MAN they are tasty.

=== Yeast rolls: Yay for more carbs.

=== Gooey Butter Cake

=== Pecan Pie

=== Sweet Potato Pie

Yeah, that's right ... three desserts for three people. Shut up.

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Happy Thanksgiving. Take a nap tomorrow ... it's the law.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens ..."

A couple of Christmases ago, Jimmy gave me/us a Sleep Number Bed, also known as a Select Comfort Bed. I think I loved it from Day One, although there may have been a few nights there at the beginning when we had to get used to the change. His Sleep Number is as high as he can crank the thing ... mine is a 40 (I think), and I'll occasionally let the air out and go to a 35 when I want to sleep in mashed potatoes.

Several months before we got the Sleep Number bed, we purchased a pricey little Ragdoll kitten. Two years later, she's not so little anymore. The Ragdoll is a large breed, and Adam and Brandy's Ragdoll is proof of that fact. Their Bubba The Cat is over 20 pounds of pure sweetness. Our Maggie is a female, so she's a bit smaller ... in fact, I can't remember what she weighed at her last checkup. I think it was around 14 or 15 pounds. But I can tell you what she weighs in the middle of the night.

How can I know this, you asks? I'll tells you.

Every single night lately, I wake up between 2 and 4 AM with FIFTY POUNDS of dead-weight sleeping Ragdollness on top of my legs. She used to sleep, all curled in a furry ball, NEXT to my legs at the foot of the bed. That was fine. Hell, it was wonderful in the winter ... my own purring foot warmer. But now?

Now I wake up, realizing I can't feel my feet anymore. Her dead-weight on my shins has cut off the blood supply to my toes. I also can't MOVE my feet. I can't express to you how heavy she feels as she's dead to the world, snoring and having kitty dreams. I move my legs, trying to make her MOVE ... she never even notices. Last night, I finally managed to wiggle enough that she toppled off my legs onto the bed ... and she kept snoring! I never woke her up.

I woke up an hour later ... and she was back on top of my shins. What the hell!

That cat is ruining my beautiful relationship with my bed.

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Mary, here's the Gooey Butter Cake recipe. I'm surprised you don't have this one, it's been around for years and years. It's always a hit, wherever I take it ... and I take it everywhere. My sister Kay shared this recipe with me at least 20 years ago, and it's slightly different than the one made famous by Ms. Paula Deen (Paula's has more butter in it!), but Jimmy says this version tastes better to him.

Gooey Butter Cake

The Butter Cake Layer:

1 box yellow cake mix, dry

2 eggs

1 stick of melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

The Gooey Layer:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

16 ounces powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with a non-stick spray.

Combine the ingredients for the Butter Cake Layer and mix with a wooden spoon. This batter will be too thick for a mixer. Drop in spoonfuls all over the bottom of the baking pan, and pat into an even layer that covers the bottom of the pan.

Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients for the Gooey Layer. Mix until smooth. Pour this mixture on top of the Butter Cake Layer.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Center of the cake should be a little "wiggly" when you remove it from the oven ... it'll firm up as it cools.

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Here's Miss Squishy this weekend as she showed support for the Clemson Tigers, despite the efforts of Mr. Bowden and the football team ...

I hope her little hand will hold mine for the next 50 years ...

Her Mom and Dad started the whole "Squishy" business ... and for now, it truly fits.

"I shall call her Squishy and she shall be mine ... and she shall be my Squishy" -- a paraphrased Dory quote from "Finding Nemo"

"Same old story ..."

TV Talk ahead:

My DVR erased Survivor before I could watch it. The nerve. I'll read the recap online today at some point, I'm sure.

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... if that damn writer's strike messes with Lost in January (or whenever it's supposed to air again), I'm going to ... well, I'll bitch really loud to the wall. Nobody else cares, I think.

But yay, Real Housewives of Orange County is back. And y'all, when I watched poor Vicki worry about "downsizing" and giving up her 5000 sq. ft. home for a TINY little 4000 sq. ft. shack, my heart hurt for her. Awwwww. They'll be so CRAMPED!

Then I heard her tell the contractor that her budget for putting in a pool in the back yard was TWO. HUNDRED. AND. FIFTY. THOUSAND. DOLLARS.

No pity for you, Vicki.

Gawd, I love that show. It makes me feel so ... normal.

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Jimmy spent a few days in Puerto Rico this week, but he's home again safe and sound. Just in time for some winter, by the sounds of the forecasters. The next few days will only reach the mid-50's for highs. And that's cold enough for me, thankyaverymuch.

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Saw Miss Squishy on Tuesday evening ... she's prettier every time I see her! It's a very difficult thing for me to stop sniffing her neck. She smells like heaven.

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I've been putting off having blood drawn for my 18-month checkup appointment with my surgeon. Imagine that. Me, procrastinating! If I don't go tomorrow, I MUST go on Monday. Otherwise, the results won't make it back to him in time for my appointment on the 30th.

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Today I am baking a Gooey Butter Cake for Jimmy to take to work tomorrow for their Thanksgiving office celebration. That'll hopefully put me in the mood to finally start planning my Turkey Day menu. I did buy some stuff to make a brine for the turkey last week. But it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving to me, so I'm slow with the plans. Looks like it'll be a low-key and quiet holiday here this year. Brandy and Adam aren't totally sure of their plans at this point. And we did consider driving to GA to see everyone there, but then we realized that Em must work on the Friday following Turkey Day. So that plan got scrapped. Oh well, when it's all said and done, we'll eat some good food, watch some TV, and be lazy. Sounds lovely, actually.

I'll miss "family" though. BUT ... there's always an Open Invitation, people. If you can see your way clear, come on up. We'll have plenty.