This & That

My thoughts seems to be really scattered tonight. so forgive me for not making a whole lot of sense.  

Wow, It sure takes a lot less time to decorate for Christmas than it does for Halloween!  It did take me 2 days, just because Randy wasn't hope to put the lights along the roof, so I waited to put them along the fence, too.  But the blowmolds (and flying pig & Gingy) we out as soon as we got home from sister Laurie's on Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

I totally need to go get a pic of the house 2 streets over.  If you think I go over the top in October, you should see this house now!!   On the plus side, most people around here do lights & inflatables.  No one has as many blowmolds as me.  I like them since they look good both daytime & nighttime.  They're a pain in the ass to store, tho! 

It had just stopped raining when I went out for night pictures. 

 Blowmolds don't photograph well at night.  They put off a lot of glow. 

Or maybe it's operator error. 

So we've been working on the inside.  The tree is up and mostly decorated (closely stupervised by Miss Maddie).  I need to make one last sweep thru the boxes to make sure there aren't any ornaments that I missed.  I have some that don't make the cut each year. Mainly the old delicate ones that I made in preschool & ones that Angel made when she was little, too.  They're special, but they don't come out. Maybe some day.  I need to put up the Nativity scene and also decide where to put these tabletop blowmolds that I found this year.   Then there are the personalized ornaments that I get from that one craft show booth each year.  They go on a special small tree.

Tomorrow, besides being Pearl Harbor Day, it is also the bulk of Skywarn Recognition Day!  It started at 6 pm tonight (0000 zulu or GMT) Randy went out to the National Weather Service Office earlier today to set up & hang antennas and such.  I should make an appearance tomorrow, It's neat that between 1800-1900 Zulu instead of the current weather report in Detroit, they will say "Conditions at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 were partly sunny and 75 degrees".  Very touching & thoughtful of the NWS & ARRL.

Here is a cartoon Jack!  I didn't have the option to add eyeliner, tho.  That's what he's missing.

Damn, it's cold out!  But that's all we have - nothing falling from the sky unlike most of the rest of the country!   One of my friends (and early school days) on FaceBook has been posting absolutely brilliant phrases about snow.  Jenn - can't wait to see what else you come up with when we get some real snow!

A silvery frost descends upon us!
Pearly particles of pestilence, Batman!
Milky crystalline powder of wickedness, why dost thou scourge us with thy presence?

Heehee!

I think I will go watch some Glee with the girl before bed.  It's the Christmas episode that aired earlier this week and looks pretty good, but they always are!

And for some complete & utter randomness....

A huge C-5 cargo plane was sitting near where a small plane was waiting to take off. The private pilot got a little nervous because the military plane was closer than normal, and asked the tower to find out the intentions of the C-5.
Before the tower could reply, a voice came over the radio as the C-5's nose cargo doors opened, saying, "I'm going to eat you.

LOL!

Here is a C-5 unloading a tractor / trailer.

Here is another, very impressive view. 

Which made me realize this plane looked familiar....

Me in Bahrain, 9/95

I can't remember if I flew on one like this from Fujairah - UAE to Diego Garcia or if it was a slightly smaller C-130 of cadence fame.   I just know it was huge and the jeeps in the cargo area looked small from the crew's area where I had to sit. 

Later!

Happy December!

OMG, I cannot believe 2013 is 11/12 over!

Did you have a good Thanksgiving?  Ours was.  Randy should be home from Arkansas within the hour (got to love the Amateur Radio Positioning Service!!!) where he spent it with his mom & apparently his 7 month old great-niece (his sister is basically a useless waste of good oxygen and her 17 year old daughter is a chip off that block)  So I'm sitting up waiting.  Seems pointless to just get to sleep and get woke up when the dog & cats go nuts. 

Angel's studio didn't do the halftime show for the Lions game this year (we didn't even get to see it since Mom was hogging the TV, watching sappy Hallmark movies) but from what we heard, it was extremely lame.  A no-name local guy performing & a bunch of inner-city kids running out on the field.  A big departure from 400+ dancers and Kid Rock last year!  So I enjoyed getting off work early on Mon / Tue / Wed and doing my own thing!

We got up to sister Laurie's before dark Wednesday.  I had just told Angel I'd pull over as soon as we hit the dirt roads and I'd let her drive.  Not long after that, a huge freakin' doe leapt off the hill next to the road in front of me!  Luckily she was far enough in front of us there really was no danger of me hitting her, but it was still pretty scary!

We stopped at JoAnn Fabrics and this guy was parked in front of me.  

Deer rack (with tag!) on the grill & an arrow for the antenna. 

Classy!

Niece Lisa brought this little guy home from school with her, looking to find a foster for him.  

Sister Linda fell in love and guess who got a new home!

Baxter is a 6 week old Pomeranian / Shih Tzu.  1lb, 3oz of adorbz!

Jack did not like him at all (see his glowing eyes from as far away as he could get?)

Selfie with Miss Angela

We weren't supposed to see Dave "sharing" bits of turkey as he cleaned the carcass.

Jack & Charley - she's so ladylike!

Niece Lisa was having a riding lesson on Captain, so I brought Princess & Kisses out to graze for a bit.  Princess looked interested to see me kneel at her side so Angel could use my knee as a mounting block.  I'm glad she's a mellow horse!

Friday night we went to Huckleberry Railroad / Crossroads Village for the tree lighting & a ride on the Christmas train.  We got there early enough to walk around and go thru the village. It was cold, but we had fun. 

On the side of the Theater. 

Me with a ginormous nutcracker!

We rode on the antique carousel - that thing flew!!

All around the edge of the building were booths set up like a craft show or garage sale.  

I couldn't resist buying 3 more nutcrackers for my already extensive collection.  The lady said she'd make a deal if I wanted to take them all, but I don't need another 20 or so!  I just got the ones that spoke to me. 

Angel & niece Catie being rebels, climbing on the fence, right next to the "Don't Climb on Fence" sign. 

The tree lighting was supposed to be on an 80 foot steel framed tree, but it didn't survive the recent windstorms. We were bummed. This is the top section. 

Instead they lit the "Tree of Lights", which is still pretty awesome.  

I didn't get any pics on the train ride, which lasted about 40 minutes.  There were displays set up along the train route and we sang carols and had a good time. 

When we got back to Laurie's, Baxter had managed to escape his box and had a party in her office.  There were tiny pee spots & little tootsie rolls all over & he chewed on a Santa that was sitting on the floor.  It took that little booger another hour to settle down!  

Jack did NOT want to sleep in the office that night.  Even tho Linda & Baxter had left, apparently the scents were too strong and really had him worried. He kept getting up to sniff around.  I ended up taking his blanket out by Angel's sleeping bag and he slept by her. 

But he was OK with snoozing on my air mattress! 

Oh man, looks like Randy should be home in 10-15 minutes. I still can't believe he left Arkansas this morning!  How can someone sit that long??

Have a great day!

Friend Makin' Monday - the Holidaze and more - part 2

Happy Monday!  

Woohoo! I'm so happy that the studio didn't get any info (or calls / emails returned) about dancing at the Lions halftime show on Thanksgiving.  I get 3 evenings to myself instead of running off to Ford Field every night!   

I went to another annual craft show with mom & the sisters this weekend - look at what I bought!!

I totally need a good drag queen name for her.  I put the pic on FB and I really like my niece's suggestion of "Fantasia".  Yes, I name inanimate objects.  It's truly easier when you have a big display like I do at Halloween to name them, since when I tell Miss Angela that 'Jayne' needs to be moved or something, she knows exactly which prop that is.   However I don't do that as much at Christmas.  I have approximately 75 gazillion nutcrackers - they're not all being named!!

Onto FMM ....



If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

The Holidays and More: Part 2

1. What state/country do you live in? SE Michigan (clearly, since I mentioned going to Ford Field!!!)

2. Where were you born? Were you raised there? I was born in a little town about 15 miles from where I live now.  My mom still lives in the house her & Dad bought when they got married 50+ years ago (Dad passed away 10/09 and they'd had their 50th anniversary 4/09) . That's where all of us grew up.  The only time I lived outside of Michigan was during my 8 years in the Navy.   I will note that if hubby says we're moving to Arkansas (where he's from) I'd be packing before he finished the sentence!

3. How do you feel about stores like Wal-mart opening on Thanksgiving Day for pre-Black Friday sales? Will you participate? I think it's crap and there's no way I will subject myself to such asshattery. My deepest sympathy to the employees that have to work in that.

4. Have you ever participated in a Turkey Trot? Will you do one this year? No.  I'm sure there will be walks taken around my sister's house.

5. What was your favorite toy as a child? I was odd.  I loved playing outside, so I had my worms & dirt. I also had a bunch of Barbies and a Raggedy Ann doll that went everywhere with me.  I was so sad when Ann fell apart, but I managed to find another, almost identical one at the Salvation Army and had to get her!  This one has a different dress and made of sturdier material, but she still has the embroidered "I Love You" on her chest.  

6. Will you count points/calories on Thanksgiving Day?  Keeping Kenlie's answer..... I’m always aware of how much I eat (even when it’s too much.) I won’t eat everything that I see on Thanksgiving, but I won’t count the points too closely either. (I should. I know I should…I’m just being honest about it.)

7. Will you watch football Thursday?  Most likely.  We know the Lions will be playing!

8. Do you decorate inside/outside of your home for the holidays?  Yes!  I'm slowly gathering Thanksgiving / Harvest decor, but I started to choke it out already by bringing in the Nutcracker Army to I could check them all over for needed repairs / restorations.  I have a bunch of Christmas blowmolds that will go in the yard on Saturday.

9. Do you have allergies that prevent you from eating traditional holiday meals? Nope. Unless you could the fact that I break out in fat?

10. Is it snowing where you live?  We've had some flurries, but nothing major yet. Cold enough to cause ice crystals in your nose, tho!

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions. Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments. We had some new FMM-ers last week so let’s be sure to make them feel welcome this week! Happy Monday, friends