Out with the old, in with the new

This was my first year of blogging. I have no clue how I would be graded if there were grades being given. That wasn't really my intention behind this little venture. I wanted to put something down in black and white (and pink) to hold me accountable to my goals.

One of my big goals this year was my Tea Hoarding Challenge. And I would just love to stick some photos up of my now depleted tea shelves so you can all see the progress I made. But since I have this new fancy-schmancy computer I have no clue how to do this. One day I will sit down here and learn all about it and do just that, but for now let us all imagine how depleted my tea shelves have become.

They seriously are way down from a year ago. And because I was such a good girl all year long with not buying teas and using up old stock, Santa brought me two tins of new teas. Awwwwww! I also have a bunch of old used tea tins to be covered in some pretty paper and re-labeled for when I break open those vacuum-packed space-aged mylar-looking teas that I STILL HAVE NOT OPENED. It has been more than a freaking year! I know these teas were in there at the end of 2008 because I bought them when that cute little teapot store went under, and I stayed true to my word and did not purchase any new teas for me in 2009.

So, my plan for tomorrow is to re-organize the tea shelves and then cover, label and repurpose the old tins and fill them with the currently sealed teas and use them up. Enough with the teas already.

Another area of my life I will be looking at this year is my bookshelves and my closet. Now, I go through my closet every few months and toss things into a big box. When that box if full it is off to Goodwill. But I am talking about being brutal. If I haven't worn something in a really long time, I don't care how cute it is, it needs to go be cute in someone else's closet. Gone!

Same thing with the cookbooks. I do go through my other books every time I go to my aunt's house or my mom's and take them books. I like sharing and I like weeding them out. But I haven't thought of doing that with my cookbooks. How many frigging cookbooks does one woman need? This might be tough. I do love me some cookbooks. But I guarantee there are some on my shelves that I have never made one. single. thing. out. of. Not one. I am sure that I can back up that statement. So, I will be going through these and seeing what needs to happen to them. Maybe they need to be gifted to someone with less (or no) cookbooks? Maybe I need to be taking them to Half Price Books for some credit?

I wonder if I can get rid of a whole shelf's worth of cookbooks?

Which brings me to my next thought. What else should I be organizing and getting rid of? What things are not bringing beauty and joy to my life? What things are causing me more work as in dusting, polishing, etc.? A smart ass person might say something about dogs, cats, kids, husbands, but no, those things definitely bring beauty, joy, and loads of happiness along with their messes.

I am paring down, people! Paring down!

I have been thinking about those wish boards that people make. You know, the ones where you put pictures of things you want, things you see yourself doing, achieving or accomplishing. I don't recall what they are called. But anyhoo, that is not the point. The point is I have a board that would be perfect for that and think I might get busy doing one of those this year. If and when I do, I will be sure to photograph it and tell you about it and then see at the end of the year how many of them really do come to fruition.

2009, I will miss you. It was overall a pretty good year here in my house. I am thankful for the blessings and hopeful for the future.

2010, Welcome! High hopes for the coming year. Let's start with getting some good health care bills out of congress. Affordable health care for all in 2010!

Reading material

It's been a while since I have talked about which books I am reading. So I am here to rectify that little oversight. : )

Again, in no particular order, here are some of the books I have read or that are currently residing on my nightstand:

1. Babies remember birth. This was really interesting. Another of those things that keep smacking me in the face to remind me to quit talking so much and only say things I have really thought over and know that they will have value to those hearing them.

2. Jane Goodall, some book about food and eating habits around the world and what we should be doing. Can't recall the title right now.

3. Push - the book that has been made into the movie "Precious". Really good, and makes you want to go out in the world and start making an impact on someone's life.

4. Say you are one of them - Very sad, and powerful book set in Africa in different countries. Some of the most tragic lives I have ever read about.

5. Serena - for a book club. I just started it and so far I am only finding one character with redeeming qualities. The rest of these people are money-grubbing heartless bastards. Not too sure how this is gonna work for me.

I am STILL looking at the Kindle. I compared it to the B&N Nook and the other e-readers out there and I really do prefer the Kindle. But I want the Kindle DX which is not too much bigger overall, but it has a much bigger screen. Which means less scrolling, etc. And guess what?

Did you guess? Did you guess right? : )

My AMEX reward points can be used for a Kindle DX!!! Woot Woot!! I have enough points to get the smaller one for free and almost enough to get the DX. So I am going to continue waiting till I can get the one I want. Listen, I am nothing if not all about the anticipation being half the fun. Sometime this year I will have a Kindle and be just beside myself. Did you know that you can be reading a book on the Kindle and someone says to you, "Hey we need to take a quick road trip." And you can just take your Kindle and change it so that it READS TO YOU while you are road tripping?? Did you know that? Isn't that awesome?

There really isn't much I love more than books. I handle my books reverently. So it seems strange to some people that I would want a Kindle. Kind of an anti-book, or something. But here is how I see it: I can get a book for $9.99 on the Kindle and if indeed it is a great book that needs to be printed in hardback and take up space on my bookshelves then I will go invest in that book and make space for it. If it ISN'T really a great book, then I am only out $9.99 and no trees were cut down to make a copy for me.

Plus the fact that I can carry 3,500 books, plus newspapers and blogs with me in a tiny little amount of space is fab-u-lous!!

Are you reading? did you get any new books for Christmas? Do you have any recommendations? Do you have a Kindle or another type of e-reader? Share your thoughts, recommendations, etc.

28 years and counting

28 years ago today Mr. Big Ed and I got hitched. We had dated for 2 years, been engaged for 1 year and now 31 years later here we are. Talk about staying power! He and I seem to be loaded with it. : )

I would love to share some photos with you of exciting times through the years, but since I got this new computer I have absolutely NO CLUE how to get photos or clip art or any other non-clipped art on here. And since it has been Christmas time and I have been swamped, and I mean swamped I have not sat down here and figured out how to do this on my lovely new 24 inch iMac that I really do love. If either of the two readers I have know how to do this and feel like sending me DETAILED step by step instructions, by all means, feel free to do so. I would greatly appreciate it.

Yesterday was Christmas day and we spent a wonderful day with just the 4 of us. I appreciated it all the more knowing we may not have any more of those. The kids are getting older and will soon acquire partners, kids, etc. They may even contemplate moving away from us and then we won't have them here for every single holiday celebration. So yeah, I am aware of this and I really did appreciate that they chose to spend the day with us. That was my best present.

Back to our anniversary: way back in 2001 (aught-one for you old-timers) we had a big really nice, swanky affair for our family to celebrate with us on our 20th. I know, 25th is more traditional. But it was 2001, and Sept. 11th had just happened, we were living in Mexico City, and had no idea when or if we would ever live close to family again to celebrate with them, so we chose to do it up right on our 20th instead. It was a good time. I did enjoy that shin-dig. And I have no desire to do another one of those. Maybe by the time we get to 40 or 50?

So, in case you have been keeping track; I have my birthday, Christmas and anniversary all in a 3 week period. If it weren't for Mother's Day in May, I would only be gifted in one month of each year!!

Christmas Came Too Fast

Between last week and today I needed a month rather than just a measly 7 days. I am so far behind, I can see myself! I hate being behind and not "on task".

Yesterday instead of going to the UPS store, wrapping a few last gifts, etc, etc, etc, I got up at the crack of dawn and stood in the kitchen all day making tamales. Not just me, Rachel Pie was there. My s-i-l was also there and then more guests/helpers arrived. It was a really good day and we made about 25 dozen of 4 different varieties. If I can trust the taster tamales we tried, these may be the best ones yet. Woo Hoo!!

I have been working on and tweaking the menus for tonight, tomorrow a.m. and p.m. Hopefully, we don't have to go back to the store. I am not looking forward to that little bit of excitement! We are having our usual fare of tamales, queso dip, onion dip and Ruffles, hot spiced cider and such tonight. Tomorrow we will have Mexican hot chocolate, and ham & egg cups for breakfast and then for dinner we have cheese enchiladas, beans, rice, and guacamole and any leftover tamales. If you want any recipes, just holler!

So far I have seen Love, Actually twice already! Woo Hoo! I am so glad to have that added in to the Christmas movie rotation. No Die Hard yet. Maybe later today? And then the TBS marathon of Ralphie comes on. 24 hours of Ralphie, the Old Man, the leg lamp, the Bumpus' dogs. I mean really, what more could you ask for? "Fa, Ra, Ra, Ra, Raaaaa, Ra, Ra, Ra, Raaaaaaahhh!!!" The BEST Christmas show e-ver.

My poor dogs and kitties were totally freaked out by a random storm that came up last night. One dog was having kaniptions. Ok, I know that isn't spelled right but my brain is in low gear due to the huge quantities of disgusting sinuses I am storing in my head where my brain used to be. How in the world DO you spell kaniption? Conniption? Kuniption? I got no clue right now. Don't judge me. And one of my kitty cats was outside next to the front door huddled up giving his best "Get me the hell outta here!" whiney meow when I ran to the door to see how many cats would come tumbling in. That's the way it is with us now. Something happens outside, we are running to check the door and counting small kitty heads to see who is in and who might be lost.

Anyhoo, after the thunder, and the rain came the wind. We have so damn much wind blowing it is insane! And my poor luminarias! They are laying catty-wampus, hither and thither. And that is just the ones that aren't blown all over the lawn! Please let the wind die down so I can straighten them all up before the sun goes down and lights come on! (and save me from over-using that darn excitement point!!!!!)

Have a merry, happy and relaxing Christmas. Jingle yourself all the way to your refrigerator for a snack and then ho, ho, ho yourself on over to the couch. Get a snuggie, a dog, and a cat or two and get comfy to watch the A Christmas Story marathon and just enjoy yourself. Any stressful stuff will still be there to deal with come Saturday. Or Monday. No biggie.

Christmas Music & Such

Ok, I am done ranting about Christmas songs. No more grumpiness over here. Here is the deal; there are Christmas SONGS and then there are Christmas CAROLS. Christmas SONGS are the things that deal with Rudolph, Santa, Frosty and Silvery bells. Christmas CAROLS on the other hand are the stuff of Mangers, Stars, Jesus, Latin and that sort of thing.

I never ever find myself grumping and complaining about Carols. They are always festive, full of the spirit of Christmas and, let's face it they are what Christmas is all about. All those Christmas songs, well I suspect most of them are from the 20th century and are just money makers for whomever is the "flavor of the month" from way back when it was Gene Autry singing Here Comes Santee Claus (listen to it, he definitely says SANTEEEE, I have heard it 5,345,344,456 times already this year) to Burl Ives singing Holly Jolly Christmas back in the 60's, to believe it or don't, that twit Britney Spears or even Celine Dion belting out something so that you can NOT sing along.

But Christmas Carols, that's a whole nuther ball of wax, isn't it? I do love Christmas Carols. Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, and my favorite O Come All Ye Faithful.

There are a few that straddle the fence between traditional Carol and modern holiday song, like Mary's Boy Child. Now, that is a great song! But even with the religious tone to the lyrics, I still consider it a song because you don't really sing it in church.

The song from Sound of Music "My favorite things" has somehow become a Christmas song too.

In my house usually right after Thanksgiving dinner we break out all the Christmas dvds. We have our favorites that we have to see not just once but many times during the season. And I will now reveal our favorite Christmas movies, in no particular order: (watch a little too much DWTS, don't I???)

The Christmas Story (Ralphie, you'll shoot your eye out)

Christmas Vacation

Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas

Die Hard

Elf

Muppets Christmas Carol

Scrooged

Love, Actually

Charlie Brown Christmas

The Nightmare before Christmas

and of course The Grinch. The "real" Grinch, not that lame-ass new remade version.

Enjoy your Christmas music whether it be Songs or Carols. Enjoy your Christmas and other holiday movies. And really, enjoy just being with your loved ones no matter what you are watching or listening to.

Christmas Rant

Here I am ranting again. Believe it or don't. Who could be such a Scrooge McGrinch as to rant and moan and bitch right at Christmas time? Me, that's who.

On to today's rant! My local radio station that plays nothing but Christmas music through the season started early. Really early. They actually started playing Christmas music the week BEFORE Thanksgiving. That's pushing it as far as I am concerned. Before you all start throwing things at me and calling me Ebenezer please know that I love me some Christmas music. I play Christmas cds in my car all year long (until my kids start complaining and trying to pitch the cd out the window). Suffice it to say that I have heard every. single. Christmas. song., hymn., carol, ditty, what have you that has ever been recorded. Many of them hundreds of times over the course of this holiday season. So far.

There are a few Christmas songs that irritate the beejeebers right out of me and I thought I would rant and bitch about my Top Five Annoying Christmas Songs that need to be NEVER played again. However, I could only come up with a Top Three. This is how BAD, and HORRIBLE these three songs are. They are soooooo horrific that they stand alone.

Drum roll, please . . . . . . . . . . .

Starting the list in the Number 3 position of Most Annoying Christmas Songs that Never Need to be Played again:

3. I want a hippopotamus for Christmas. (sorry if I screwed up the title, but it is soooo bad I have tried to block it from my mind)

2. I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus - Now seriously? This is what passes for "cute"? Who the hell thought this was a good idea? Makes me want to slap the dog water right out of whoever is singing this tripe.

But the Number One spot for M.A.C.S.T.N.N.T.B.P.A. is reserved for the Big Mac Daddy of all crappy trashy Christmas songs: (ready??)

1. Santa Baby. OMG, this makes me want to poke sharp, hot things in my ears so that I never have to hear this again. The fact that I won't be able to hear ANYTHING at all after that doesn't even cause me to pause. This is the worst sort of crap ever written, recorded or listened to.

It was not too many years ago that we had REAL Christmas songs, White Christmas, Silver Bells, even Frosty the Snowman and Burl Ives (God love him) singing Holly Jolly Christmas. But now we have absolute crap. I think we deserve better.

Anyone else have other Christmas songs that they just can't abide listening to one more time? Feel free to share it here. I guarantee it will make you feel better !!!

New Stuff!!

Guess what? I am typing this from my birthday present! Yea!! and hooray for Mr. Big Ed for coming up with such an awesome gift.

It's an iMac. Fabulous! It has a 24 inch screen that has the best picture I have ever seen. I bet if you took the roof off my house, this screen would be visible from SPACE! It is that big and gorgeous.

If I knew what I was doing I would have some photos to post of me and my new computer. Maybe another day . . . .

And by the by, don't hold your breath while you are waiting.

Ok, this has nothing whatsoever to do with my gorgeous new 24 inch iMac, but I just wanted to say that I read over the weekend that the bimbo girlfriend/mistress person of Tiger Woods fame was one of the idiot girlfriends from season 1 of Tool Academy! Wth was he thinking? There is just no accounting for taste is there?

I am off to go do laundry, put up more decorations, go see a client, and think about starting my Christmas cards. Busy day!

And all I really want to do is stay home and play on my NEW 24 inch iMac!!