Weekend Assignment and Happy New Year!

Weekend Assignmet #41: Make a new year's resolution... for your pet. If you have more than one pet, of course, feel free to make resolutions for any or all of them.

Extra Credit: Imagine what your pet would make as a resolution for you.

      

My resolution for JoJo (a.k.a. Baby) is that he will promise not to use me as a scratching post any longer.  He will promise to understand that I am NOT prey.  He will calm down and stop scratching and biting and drawing blood and turn into a good little kitty.  He will also stop growling every time I am eating and not attack me and climb up me as I eat.  Please be a good kitty in 2005, Baby!

      

My resolution for Honey is that she will get off the couch and come spend some time with me in my bed just every once in awhile.  I want her to be a bed kitty.  She never has been and I just want to have her come in my bed, say, twice a week.  That would be very nice!  So, she will promise this!

Their resolution for me will be that they will make me promise to cook them a chicken breast, their favorite food, once a week.  I promise to pull it off the bone and feed it to them in chunks.  They must keep their promises as well or no chicken, though!!

Happy New Year everyone and everyone's pets!!

Be Charitable

My deepest heartfelt condolences go out to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami disasters in southeast Asia.  Becky has listed a few charities you can donate directly to in her journal.  They are in desperate need of money.  I don't pretend to understand why this happened and I can't even fathom the magnitude of their pain, but I do know the one thing we can do is send them our care and concern through monetary contributions.  Thanks, Becky, for preparing your entry!

My Wonderful Weekend

Chelsea and I had a really great Christmas!  It was the best I had since my kids were tiny tots!  It was very exciting!  We went to a friend's house Christmas Eve and had dinner there with about 14 guests and it was very lovely and then Chelsea and I slept in and got up and exchanged gifts and then made a big dinner.  We invited over Krissy and John and had a lovely, lovely time!  It was very Christmasy!  Christmas is usually a very weepy time for me because my kids have been in Florida in the past and I spend it reminiscing.  I have tried to be positive, but it is very hard, but having Chelsea here truly made all the difference!  I got a few wonderful gifts, but the gifts were no match with all the love that was surrounding all!

One not-so-bright spot was Christmas night when Chelsea hit a deer.  She was going around a curve and hit the poor thing.  It came out of nowhere.  The deer had no chance.   She was with her boyfriend.  Thank goodness they were both wearing seatbelts and no one was hurt, so that I am so grateful for!  The car seems to have about $1,000 in damage.  My Dad is taking it in today to see what it will cost to be fixed.  The hood is dented and can't be opened and the bumper is cracked.  There are so many hit deer on the side of the road this time of year in Pennsylvania that it makes me very sad.

I am having a small gathering on New Year's Eve at my home and am looking forward to it!  It should be lots of fun!  I am inviting over four others and we are going to play games and have snacks and watch the ball drop.  It should be a really good time!

Every inch of my body is aching from all the running around I did over the last few days.  I feel like I should rest for a few days.  My body is saying, "Lie down!!  Lie down!!  Don't do another thing!  No more mental or physical exertion for you!  You can't do another thing!"  So, I am not sure how much this ol' body is gonna do this week, but it is surely gonna rest some.

Chelsea is leaving for Florida for eight days this afternoon.  She gets to be in WARM weather!!!  I gave her a bus ticket home for Christmas. I will be missing her greatly.  I am used to her leaving for a day or two as she works two jobs and works overnight sometimes, but not for EIGHT DAYS!!  Chelsea, you will be SORELY MISSED and I can't wait until you return!!  I wish that I could go with you and get some sunshine and some warmth for this body.

Well, I still have too much to do today, arghh, so I am signing off and getting them done...take care all and enjoy your holiday week....here's hoping your holiday spirit and love continues long after the trees and decorations are taken down and the ball has dropped :-)....Love to all!!

Merry Christmas!!

                                      

I was trying to figure out what I was going to write for Christmas that would convey how I felt about the holiday.  I was thinking for a couple of days and then my friend, Cathy, who always comes through sent this to me this morning.  I just love it!!  I wanted to wish everyone in J-Land a very, very blessed Christmas and I hope that everyone has loved ones and friends to spend some time with!!  I hope you enjoy this!

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13

CHRISTMAS VERSION

(paraphrased)

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
But do not show love to my family,
I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,
baking dozens of Christmas cookies, Preparing gourmet meals
And arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime,
But do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home
And give all that I have to charity,
But do not show love to my family,
It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and
crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata,
But do not focus on Christ,
I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home
that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way,
but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return,
but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust....
But giving the gift of love will endure.

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving~

                 

 

                                

 

It's Cold...Snowman and Christmas Tree

  

A friend sent me this funny snowman graphic and I thought it was hilarious!  I have felt as cold as this snowman this past day or so.  It has been blustery cold here.  When I went to bed last night my heat didn't kick on and I was unable to fall asleep.  I did not know if I was out of oil or if the thermostat was broken.  I thought perhaps the thermostat was broken because I put in oil just three or four weeks ago (or was it even less than that?).  I was going to get oil again in January.  I thought I had plenty of time left before I needed to put some in again.  I didn't.  It was 30 below wind chill factor last night.  Both of the kitties were fighting to sleep in the bed with me, but refused to share.  So I had kitties who were pacing all night and I was frozen and unbable to sleep.  I did have one space heater, but it didn't do much.  I was able to get oil, thank goodness, first thing in the morning, though.  I am pretty upset that the landlord has not fixed the hole in my kitchen ceiling and I have talked to the inspector of housing to get it moving along.  I believe I am losing too much heat from this problem.  So it should be fixed in days or weeks...not months.  It has been there since July!!!

I got a live Christmas tree today!!!...the first live one I have gotten in my life!!!  Chelsea and I decorated it with the help of Krissy and John .  We had a really good time.  It reminded me of the times I would decorate Christmas trees in my childhood.  Those are very, very fond memories for me!  We always had artificial trees, but they were so beautiful and magical to me!  I remember sitting and staring at our tree many Christmases and being in awe of it.  I can remember many of the ornaments in detail. 

Chelsea and I were talking the other day about Santa Claus and I told her that when she was a tiny tot to almost six years-old she did not believe in Santa Claus.  Those were the years she lived with me and not her dad.  She was astounded by this.  I don't know how her dad got her to believe in Santa Claus after six years of not believing in him.  Interesting.  I had decided not to tell my kids that there was a Santa or Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy, etc. as I was never told there were any of these in my childhood and Chrismas and Easter were all very magical and wonderful still!  I don't think it ruined my holidays one tiny bit.  I also taught my kids that Christmas was Jesus' birthday and we made a cake for Him and set a place for Him at the table.  Those traditions are now gone.  Chelsea and I are going to make a cake this Christmas for Jesus!  Yay!  And we will set a place for Him at the table!  So, Chelsea said that I WILL tell her children (or my granchildren) that there is a Santa Claus!!  Hmm...what a dilemma!

Take care all and stay warm!!

Sat. Six and a Birthday!!

        

From Patrick's Place:

1. What is your all-time least favorite Christmas Carol or holiday song?  I think I would have to say "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer".  I liked it for about two days and then I got very sick of it.  They have played it for years and each year it gets more and more irksome to me.

2. Who is the most difficult person on your shopping list to buy a gift for, and have you already purchased his or her gift, yet?  Chelsea, my daughter, is most difficult.  I have already gotten her a bus ticket home to Florida for after the holidays.  It wasn't the funnest gift I have ever given someone.  "Here, have a ticket and go away!" LOL  I am still searching for something else but everything I have gotten her in the past I fail to see it appear again....any clothes, jewelry, etc.. just disappears.  We have different tastes.  I asked her to let me know a few things she wants.  She has not given me an answer :-(  Chelsea, what do you WANT??

3. What picture are you least proud of:
    A) Your most recent professional portrait
    B) Your driver's license photo
    C) Your passport photo
    D) Your work ID photo
    E) Your senior class portrait

Ugh, I don't really like my driver's license photo or my senior class portrait.  Don't have any of the other ones.  I think I dislike my senior class portrait the most, though.  Ugh.

4. How many Christmas/holiday parties have you been invited to this month and how many have you (or will you) attend?  Just one.  Chelsea and I are going to a Christmas Eve party/sleepover at a friend of our's.  It should be great, great fun!!!
 
5. A previously-unknown rich relative appears and offers to buy you the car of your choice. What would you like?  I am not picky with what I drive as long as it gets me there.  I really would like to keep my trusty, midnight-blue, Toyota Corolla thank-you! 

6. What is your favorite thing to wear around the house when you know no one else is at home?  Is that what you're wearing as you answer these questions?  I love jammies!!  I wear them all the time!!...any and every pair of jammies, and yes, I am wearing them right now :-) !!

 

Krissy, I can not do your Scavanger Hunt.  I am sorry.  Chelsea will not clean up the computer space.  I asked her and asked her several times.  She keeps saying she has two jobs and is too busy!  Bad girl she is!!  I am not going to subject everyone to my messy, messy space here.  I am very sorry :-(  Perhaps I will put in a picture later!

I wanted to wish a very, very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a special gal over at the Smile's House!!!  You are one of my very favoritest persons in the whole wide world and I love stopping in and visiting you every day!!  Happy Birthday, Sara!!  I am so glad you were born!!

Interesting Test

I saw this test at Patrick's Place and found it very interesting.  I never have gotten political in my journal.  Not for a second, but found this test interesting.  This is my result:

You Are a Conservative Democrat

Frankly, the way most other Democrats behave embarasses you greatly.

You pride yourself on a high level of morals, and you have a good grasp on right and wrong.

It's likely you think America needs to get back to its conservative, Juedo-Christian values.

Why aren't you a Republican then? Because you believe the goverment helps more than hurts.

I have a hard time saying whether I am a democrat or republican as I have "values and ideals" from both.  Some are more important in my life than others, such as fighting for the life of everyone that does not have a voice and health care and medicine for the seniors and the low-income and poverty-stricken.  How can one have ideals in just one party??  It is hard for me to understand this.  Well, that is all I want to say about this because it is a jolly time and a happy month.

Chels and I are finishing up Christmas shopping and going out to lunch today.  That sounds like so much fun!!

Hope you are warm, dry and happy in your neck of the woods!