It's begining to look alot like Christmas, every where you go..... We finally have snow and cold. Up until last week we have had no snow and very nice temperatures. Well this week all that changed. It started snowing some time monday and did not stop until this morning. Plus the temp plunged down to minus 20( -30 if you factor in the wind chill). It is very cold. But I do have to admit that it looks quite pretty out there. On monday night as I was working helping my daughter at the store where she mangages, I had a nice warm christmas feeling. There were carols playing on the PA system, and the snow was falling out side( quite heavily I might add.) I felt like I was getting into the Christmas mood. I went home and took out my Christmas decorations and my nativity set. I don't even mind hearing Christmas carols. I won't put up a tree this year. At this point I am feeling like it is too much effort just for myself. Maybe if I was having Christmas at my house I would feel differently. But this year as in years past the family will gather at my sisters house. It's only because her home is large enough to fit all the family. We all chip in and bring food for the Christmas feast. It's a very nice relaxing time. It will be even nicer because I get to have all my kids with me. My little Abby girl too. She is getting to be at a fun age. Every thing is new and exciting. I love that age of discovery. I have been too busy to find new Christmas tradtions for myself. My neighbor down asked me to a tree trimming party at her home last year, and has invited me again this year. She provides refreshments and her freinds go and help her decorate her tree. It was fun. She has once again invited me this year. Maybe this can be a new tradtion. Even if either of us move maybe we can continue to have the tree trimming gathering. It's a good idea.

Not in the spirit! Unlike my lovely daughter inlaw, ( alittlebitofus@blogspot.com )I am not yet in the Christmas spirit. For one thing there is not any snow out side, which does not matter to me as I'm from B.C. where we often had green Christmas'. I have not been in any stores lately, where they are playing carols. I have been just working and at home. Maybe if I go shopping it will get me in the mood. Maybe I need to get out my nativity set. Maybe it's just too early. I don't know. Right now I don't feel like putting up a tree this year. But as I'm typing I have suddenly gotten the desire to get out a few of my Christmas bears and ornaments. Maybe that's it. I just need to talk about it more. I must admit that it has been harder to get in the Christmas mood since the kids have left home. I'm at a point in my life where I'm having to make new Christmas traditions since the old ones are no more. Since the kids grew up, they have started their own traditions. I remember when the kids were little we would set up the tree together. One year we went to a tree farm on Vancouver Island and got to cut down our own tree. We with friends and when we got our trees we went back and had munchies and hot chocolate. Every year we made it a point to drive around and look at the pretty lights. We would make an evening of it. We would also go to dinner and a holiday movie as a family every Christmas time. So I guess I feel at a loss as what to do. I am very happy that my children are starting their own traditions. I encourage it. These things are very important. I am now faced with having to make new Christmas traditions. I will have to think on that.

Hello, is this the Sheriff's Office? Yes. What can I do for you? I'm calling to report 'bout my neighbor Virgil Smith. He's hidin' marijuana inside his firewood! Don't quite know how he gets it inside them logs, but he's hiddin' it there. Thank you very much for the call, sir. The next day, the Sheriff's Deputies descend on Virgil's home. They search the shed where the firewood is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but find no marijuana. They sneer at Virgil and leave. Shortly, the phone rings at Virgil's house. Hey, Virgil! This here's Floyd . Did the Sheriff come? Yeah! Did they chop your firewood? Yep! Happy Birthday, buddy!(Rednecks know how to Git-R-Dun!)

I just had a very blissful afternoon. I got to spend a couple of hours looking after my little angel baby. It was such a delight. We read stories,( she loves books so much) we watched a bit of T.V. Kids shows on treehouse. We played with her toys, and read some more books. During that time we also had trips to the potty. She is in the process of potty training. Not once did she pee on the potty for me, nor did she pee in her panties. That girl has a strong bladder. I can't last a couple hours without having a pee break. I had so much fun. When mommy and daddy came home we were in the middle of reading the story " the three little pigs" for the 3 rd time. She seemed to like it. I would do silly voices when reading the lines of the wolf and the pigs. When I would ask her what the pigs would say ( expecting her to repeat " not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin) She would say " oink" Abby is no dummy. She knows that pigs don't talk. It was a very nice couple of hours that have left me on a high. Thanks for the nice time my little Abby girl. Let's do it again real soon. Grandma loves you.

She lives! A week ago I was crying my eyes out because a soap star was dying. I know it sounds trivial and stupid, but I was in a very vulnerable mood last friday. The thing is soaps are famous for there cliff hangers. Such is the life of T.V. Well, as I cried for the dead Reva Shayne, ( the heart monitor proved that she was actually dead.... then fade to comercial..) I had to wait to see on monday how the family would grieve her. Well wouldn't you know it, come monday , the heart monitor started up again. Didn't I say that in soaps she would either live our come back to life. This did not happen with the prime time soap of "Grey's Anatomy" Denny Doucette. His heart monitor did not start beeping at the start of the season premier of Grey's. I really liked the charachter of Denny.I thought he was so good for Izzy. I really hope a new love interest will come along for her. Some one as gorgeous and loving as Denny was. I know, I know. So trivial. But T.V. has us hooked whether we like it or not. Any way , I am so happy that Reva Shayne lives. It's just entertainment. So why do we get so hooked and involved. Could it be that in some small way we can relate?

I want to buy a goat for Christmas. Maybe a couple of chickens too. Not dead ones, and not for me. I want to buy them for people in 3rd world countries. World vision has an ad on TV right now telling all about the gift of goat and chickens. I thought it was a fantastic idea. My sister mentioned this to me last week. She wants her boys to give her a goat for Chrtimas. When she said that I thought maybe she was a little nuts. What, put a goat in your back yard??? It would freeze in our 30 below winters. She would have to bring it in the house. She lives in the city. It would not be an ideal situation. Then she explained to me about buying a goat for people in other countries. 2 goats would provide milk and cheese and also breed to have a whole goat family, and so on.... I feel Christmas is so materialistic. There is so much hype about gifts, gift, and more gifts. The real meaning gets lost. For me It's about the birth of Christ. To others it's about peace on earth or whatever your belief is. My point is that we lose the meaning and it just becomes a stressful time, spending money we don't have, and eating way too much, forgetting that there are human beings with totally nothing. They go hungry every day. They don't get even a gift at all. I say this every year that I am going to keep Christmas simple. I would really like to do it this time. I'm calling my kids and my parents and friends to see if they want to chip in with me and buy a goat to make others lives better.

Good news or bad? The bad news is my car needed a new fuel pump. Money I do not have. Good news, my momma and daddy were able to help me out, to pay for the new fuel pump. Greater news, I got to spend a few hours with my little Abby girl tonight. I had my kids over for dinner this evening. It was so good to be with my kids. When things are not going well in my life , it is always great to be around my kids, and grand child to make things right with the world. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Tonight I found myself sitting in front of my television, bawling like a baby. For one thing , I was watching one of my favorite soaps and a star that has been on for a very long time did a dying scene. I started to cry. At first just sniffles, then before you know it I was all out whaling. So stupid I know, but I just could not help it. I was sad because this star has been on this show for many, many years. I could not help think , now what? I was also sad because my car died tonight. Maybe in actual fact I was not greiving the death of a fictional T.V. character, but I was greiving the death of my car. I think that's what it was. I sure hope and pray that my car can be brought back to life. I hate it when we have to depend on automobiles. Gone are the days of horse a buggy. When the horse gets too old you send it out to pasture to live out its final days. To buy a new horse does not cost near as much as car parts. I suppose back in the olden days it was very costly to buy a new horse. It depended on if you were rich or not. I really do not wish to go back to horse and buggy. For one thing it would be too cold living in a Canadian province. The winter months would be brutle. My dad and mom did it though. They went to school and town all bundled up in furs for the long winter trek. They survived. Anyway, I pray my car does not cost me too much to get it fixed. Right now I just do not have the extra . If it costs too much, then I guess I will be taking the bus. I've done that before. Not the end of the world. People do it all the time. I've also been there and done that for quite awhile. So who knows. I am feeling better. I've stopped my blubbering. As far as the soap star??? It's a soap. People die and come back to life all the time right. So there is hope that she will come back. I know, you are all saying " who cares" That's okay. We are all entitled to our own opinion. Cheers all. Have a good weekend.