The Last Time I Write Here-For this year!

      Happy New Year!!!

   To One and All who visit here, my wish is for a Healthy, Prosperous year full of loved ones, smiles, joy and peace. 

    I've got a little time here and had to stop by and give everyone my New Year's wishes.   I can't figure out how to make the italics go away so I've got some fancy writing for you, too. 

    I'm partying at home tonight with Bro, Potsey, Duece, and a few of their friends.  I don't have to work till 10am tomorrow, so......   I've got some Michelob Light (bottles) Spearmint Schnapps, and for my midnight toast...Egg Nog with Southern Comfort!  I'll be calling my Son and wishing him a Happy New Year at or shortly after midnight.  He's been working on a gallery project in Akron, OH, but the director wanted to take a long weekend so Son's got time to celebrate with friends, in Newton Falls.     

    That's really about it for now.  My hour is up and I'll be at the mercy of time and hope no-one comes in to boot me off.   I'm so glad that the libraries will be going back to regular schedules after New Year's.  My schedule will be lightening up so that I can get caught up with everyone's journals, so I'll be visiting soon.  

    Celebrate, make those resolutions, don't drink and drive, and don't do anything I wouldn't do.  

                            ~  Thanks for Stopping By ~ 

Hmmm..... can't think of one. :-)

    Hi,  I've gotten some time for a break and hope to get this entry done before someone else gets the computer(one hour when someone is waiting).  First, I just want to say-Whew!  What a busy week that was.  Now things will be calming down some.  My schedule is lighter and hopefully will stay that way for a few weeks, so that I can catch my breath and catch up on some of the things I've been neglecting lately.  Like laundry, cleaning my room and filing my paperwork(at home).  There is still way too much good stuff to eat in the fridge, and I hate to say it, but I'll have to "diet" after New Years.  I haven't been eating very healthy for the past couple of weeks and it is starting to show-tighter clothing, that puffed out feeling-but when you're gone from 6am till 7:30pm it's hard to eat sensibly, too much junkfood out there calling my name.  So now I'll have to be a good girl(after New Year's, of course) and stick to salads-which I do love-turkey sandwiches, fruit and other portable lunches.   

    I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and got everything they wanted.  I enjoyed myself and relaxed when I could.  The weather has been reasonably calm, although I guess we're due for some snow this afternoon and evening, 4 to 8 inches.   Early enough to have the roads cleared by tomorrow morning(6am), somewhat.  I have an early shift 15 miles from home and hate the drive when the roads haven't been plowed.  Then I have to go shopping for the New Year's Feast, party snacks, etc.  I also have a 4-7pm shift, then my day will be done.   We're partying at home, no driving or crowds to deal with and I prefer it that way.   I don't have to work till 10am the next morning, so......  ;-)

    Short and sweet, I just found out the library will be open Monday, so I'm going to try and do an entry then.  I'm off to try and catch up some journal reading now.

                                     ~Thanks for Stopping By~

Holiday Wishes

Merry Christmas!

Have a Blessed Yule!

   These are my holiday wishes for all my friends here.  My schedule is crazy and the libraries will be closed for the holiday, so I probably won't get back here till Wed. the 26th.  ::sigh::  At times like this, I get so frustrated.  All the extra work I've been doing was supposed to be helping me get a computer.  But that's not working out so well.  My schedule is getting so full that I won't have much time to get to the library and use the computers here, either.  My visits may be few and far between for awhile.  So.....   I hope everyone has a Wonderful Holiday.  I'll be working-or sleeping.  I guess that's just what I'm supposed to be doing for now.  Things kind of have a way of working out the way they're supposed to.   

                            ~Thanks for Stopping By~

 

Thankful on a Friday

   I've been pretty busy lately and have barely managed to get here to read and comment, so this is the first time I've had a chance to write an entry.  It may be kinda short, as I'm between clients. 

   My thankfuls for this week are:

1. My work, and the paychecks that come in as a result.  It's all spent, but I'm still keeping my head above the waterline.

2. My mechanic-Yes again.  This time it was my muffler.  I had to change my appointment time due to my schedule change, but he still manages to fit me in.  Thanks, James.

3. That the weather hasn't been too drastic around here lately.  With all the driving I do, I get nervous on the bad roads.  We  may get some unexpected snow tomorrow, at least it was unexpected as of this morning.  I don't suppose it would still be "un"expected now though would it?  Anyway........

4. Coffee.  Of course.  My schedule(the new changed one) has some early(6:30am) shifts and I'll Need it.  Lots of it!

5. I finally got my baking well under way.  It's been one thing after another keeping me from getting much done, the latest is the missing bag of cookiecutters.  No one has a clue where they went, so I'm off to go shopping tonight, so that I can bake the cutout cookies this weekend, so Son's goody box can go in the mail on Monday.

6. The connection I feel when I come here, read entries and  my e-mails!  That  means a great deal to  me.

   Kind of a short list, but those are the basics for this week.  As I said, the cookie cutters have gone missing, so I'm going to go shopping after work tonight and try to find some.  This late in the season, who knows what I'll find!  The Sweet and Salty Chex Mix I was working on turned out really good.  I already have to make another batch.  I've had alot of fun with the cookie press, too.  You can whip out a couple dozen cookies in no time.

   Things aren't really all that great at the house.  I found out that the bill paying has been lax, and to my total shock, we're over $600 behind in rent.  They haven't been paying it except for the checks that I send or give to Bro for the landlord(except for $240) since Oct.  And he(Bro) has managed to get a month behind on the utilities now, too.  I have to wait till the lease expires in Aug., to go find a place by myself.  I hate letting them down, as it is so hard to afford living on your own, but this is about the last straw.  Oh and this year, we're buying gifts-which we haven't done in 2 years, and they've spent over $40 on Xmas day dinner(steak and shrimp).  Grrrr....  They don't dare ask me for extra money toward bills-I'll explode.  When asked what I wanted for a gift, I said just money, as the money I have to spend on you, I was going to send to Son, who is struggling right now.  They actually got alittle bent out of shape. ~Insert foul language here~  So the opportunity to spend 12 to 15 hours away from home, a day, right now is welcomed.   And I'm going to need to build up a cash-stash for emergencies(like the lights or heat getting shut off.)  At this rate I'll never get a computer.  They don't even ask at the library anymore, they know why I'm there.  Now I need to change the Mood slot at the top to frustrated.  ::sigh::  ::deep breath::

   It's time for me to sign off and get ready for my next client.  That's only 2 hours and then I'm off to go shopping.  One last time before the holiday.  I hope to be back soon.   ~ Thanks for stopping by~      

Quick stop to say hi!

   It seems like forever since I 've been here.  In actuality it's only been a couple days.  I have been so busy working that this is the first break in my schedule since I was able to be online at a midnight shift I filled in on Monday night.  I've worked so much this week that the office had to cover one of my regularly scheduled shifts due to (too much) overtime.  The boss gets alittle upset when my overtime dips into the overhead.  :::happy sigh:::  I found out today that my whole schedule is being changed, as there is a new client that needs aides with more training, and I'm one of the only ones that can be sent.  So now I have no idea when I'll be working, but it will still be a full schedule with probably a couple hours overtime from fill-in shifts, when the roads are bad or an aide becomes ill. 

   We're due to get another snowstorm on Sunday, not sure how much yet, but the meteorologists are keeping a close eye on it(that means trouble).  It's been cold and partly sunny the last couple of days, and the lake is starting to form ice near the shoreline.  I stopped by the State Park the other day, the whole view changes when there's ice and snow on the lake, but for now still open.   I may have to get energetic and go ice skating this winter.  I haven't done that for "Years".  More and more houses are getting their Christmas lights out and the drive home at night is beautiful.  Winter is setting in quite well. 

   I haven't had much of a chance to get my baking done, but I plan on tonight being a whirlwind session in the kitchen.  The sweet and salty Chex Mix turned out pretty good, but it doesn't quite taste like I imagined.  I may tweak the recipe(the way I made up to do it) and try again.  One of my clients has a recipe for Cinnamon Pinwheels that I'm going to try.  It's just a basic dough rolled out sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and the rolled up and chilled, sliced and baked.  It sounds like it'd be a good cookie for mailing. 

   Oh, I almost forgot- it's time for my Thankful Thursday list.  :)

1. My job.  I really do enjoy it.

2. Coffee.  It's definitely needed right now.  And that Peppermint/Mocha creamer is Yummy.

3. My Son.  I sent him some cash and vitamins to help out, and he called to tell me how much it meant that I would take the time to do that and how much he appreciated it.  I reminded him that I'm his Mother and that I love him and will do what I can for him. But it really made me feel good.

4. Computer time.  I can't believe how much I miss it.  I miss being here and reading about what is going on in everyone's lives.  More motivation to work on getting my own-Soon!

5. My health.  Working with my clients reminds me on a daily basis, how fortunate I am to still be healthy. 

   I'm running short on time and I've got to catch up on reading journals now, so I'm closing this entry.                                                                            ~Thanks for Stopping by~ 

Snow. Snow, and more Snow!

   Holy Cow, enough already.  We got the 8" of snow from the storm system, some freezing rain, and then last night the wind and lake effect snow started.  I woke up to another 2" of snow this morning, and it's still snowing.  We've gotten another 3" since 8:00am this morning.  Two of my clients live on private roads, and have plow services-both of which have busted trucks-so they're snowed in.  The one only lives 2 blocks back from the main road and so I parked at the gas station and walked to her house yesterday and this morning.  The other one lives 1/2 mile back in and so they're cancelled for today.  Since I have all this free time, I'm at the library and will be hunting up some new cookie recipes when I'm done in journals.  My Son reminded me that he has 2 roommates, a broad hint to send "lots of goodies".  I'll have to hunt for a couple boxes to ship all these goodies in.  Gaz asked what Chex Mix is- so here's the basics.  Chex Cereals, (corn, rice and wheat), then you add Cheerios cereal, pretzels, nuts and whatever other snacks you like.  Then you make a sauce with butter, worchestershire sauce, season salt, garlic salt, and melt in a saucepan.  Pour it over the cereal mixture, bake it at a low temp. for an hour and then dig in.  All very adaptable.  And very yummy. 

   I am so disgusted with the Detroit Lions.  I could play better football than they did yesterday.  There was a 103 yard kickoff return touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter.  Come on.  I don't think anyone even touched him as he ran from one endzone to the other.  :::heavy sigh:::  So I'm gonna skip watching and just do other things.  They've pretty much blown their chance to make the playoffs.   Maybe next year.  ::heavier sigh::  

   I'm going to go visiting other journals, and then check out some recipes, and go home to shovel(yep, still snowing) and bake.  You all have a great day and...

                        ~Thanks for stopping by~

The weekend and the Weather.

    Well, the weekend is here.  It's usually quieter schedule-wise, and this weekend is no exception.  I've got my baking supplies, and will start the Chex Mix tomorrow.  I'm experimenting this year.  I found a cereal at Walmart that looks like Chex, but has a sweet cinnamon coating, so I thought I'd use that, some Cheerios, pretzel circles, maybe  peanuts, and create a sweet syrup, and use Sea Salt.  Kind of like the Sweet and Salty you can find at the stores.  It should be interesting.  Then I'm going to get out my cookie press and do up some of the little wreaths, trees, stars and whatever other shapes come in it.  I found a mitten cookie cutter at the craft store yesterday, so that'll be fun.  Son will get a kick out of it, especially if I mark my location on it. 

   I am so glad that I don't have alot of shopping to do.  I'm afraid I'd have to do it online or catalogue.  The stores were so crowded yesterday and the parking lot was a mess.  Everyone vying for the best spot, the slush from them not plowing very well, and everyone in such a (close your eyes if your sensitive) Damn hurry.  Ya know what?  If you zip past me, cut in front of me, it only means that you'll have to wait at the light that much longer and we'll still get away from it at the same time.  Jerkface.  :::sigh:::   Now that I've got that off my chest......   The drive home from the stores was gorgeous, though.  The sun was trying to make an occasional appearance, and the snow was still hanging onto the pinetrees, sparkling when the sun did appear.  I saw a couple of birds playing tag and landing hard, sending some of the snow flying.  A true Winter Wonderland scene. 

   Speaking of Winter Wonderland, it looks like we'll be adding to our total in a big way this weekend.  The weather service is calling for 6 to 12 inches of snow, then freezing rain and rain on top of that.  A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for our area from 4pm today till 1pm Sunday.  Looks like I'll get some of that shovelling done, too.  Maybe I should run home and go out to the woods for those boughs now.  Nah, it's fun wading through the snow, hunting goodies to decorate with.  The forecast say that folks to the South of us will get mostly freezing rain, ice and rain.  I hope you alll will be extra careful out there.  And I know the Midwest is getting hit hard as I type.  

   I guess that's about all for today, I do need to pick up a few things before I go home for lunch, and then on to my last client of the day(I may try to go a little early).  You all take care and be careful in the path of this storm.     ~Thanks for stopping by~