It’s Friday, Friday, Friday…and it’s New Year’s Eve, too! My friends Joe and Julie (and frequent ‘blog readers) will be here shortly for a day of fun, then Brandy takes over for the NYE celebration. So I will probably not be in a position to blog until sometime tomorrow.
Party On!
I’m here!
I had a big fun post all ready to go but I think Mom’s computer isn’t exactly lightning fast and I think I crashed it trying to upload digital pictures of the dog. Oh, well.
So, since I’ve been here: Got off the plane. Dad was waiting — he works at the airport so he always meets my planes. It’s nice to have someone waiting for me right at the plane. I didn’t rent a car and Dad had the only car with him, so he got me a ride…on a six passenger limousine. Oh, god. My father is so cute but it was totally mortifying driving up in my parents’ working class neighborhood in that huge thing. When I got home, Bill, Michelle, Mom and I went to the Chevrolet dealership to look at this: New car? It’s nothing fancy but Mom gets discounts as a GM employee and will hopefully be able to use a special retiree voucher that my grandma gets (as the widow of a pensioned GM hourly employee).
Dinner last night was Applebee’s with just Mom and Dad. I really enjoy that time alone with my parents. I love spending time as a big family, but Bill gets alone time with them and it’s my turn, dammit.
Today we took Dad to work so I could use the car and then visited Grandma. She is 87 now and uses a cane, but I am so glad to see her everytime I come home. Now we’re back at mom and dad’s, waiting for the credit union to call back about the car loan. I wonder if it’s possible to co-sign for them? My credit is very good but my credit to real money ratio is not so hot. We’ll see.
I’ll write more later. I’m going to try to connect my camera so I can post a picture of Evil.
In the immortal words of Sweet Baby James, I’m fleeing Carolina in my Mind…
Oh. He didn’t write “fleeing”?
Well, anyway….
Regardless, I’m leaving for the airport at 9 for a 12:15 flight. With the goofy way the airlines have been lately, I really want to do that check in 2 hours before flight thing. If USAirways wasn’t being so iffy I’d leave later and spend the time with the puppies (or better yet, taking a pre-flight nap!). I’m (basically) packed, I’m ready to go. Gene thinks the world’s most spoiled beagle (or at least her brother…) is going to be lost without me. I just hope they think I’ve gone to work. I believe dogs don’t have much of a concept of time.
And before I quit typing, let’s all wish Joe and Julie the best. This weekend they’re going to go meet a rescue German Shepherd to see if she’ll be a good fit as the newest member of the family. (For the record, I did NOT try to offer them a rescue beagle…).
Speaking of…I hear Scooby turning over his food dish…th-th-th-that’s all folks!
Well, in 29 hours anyway. I am a little nervous, though, since USAirways has had a few problems flying people around in the past week or so. I still haven’t decided if I should rent a car or not. The weather in IN’s not so hot and I don’t think I want to drive around in the snow, but then again my parents are down to one car and I don’t want to be housebound the whole time…
We’ll see.
Does the owner of this blog EVER post?
Oh, wait.
Not much new to report over here. Whaddya mean I have to go to work tomorrow?? I know I only work two days this week, but still….
For the third year running, I saw the Pogues featuring Kirsty Maccoll’s video for Fairytale of NY today. It’s important that I watch it today because it’s the ONLY time VH-1 shows it (as it is a Christmas song, and I believe it was voted one of the best ever). I woke up today about 8 am and flipped around the dial until I remembered that VH-1 Classic was showing Xmas videos all day. I tuned in and within an hour or two I got to see it. Yes, I Tivo’d it last Xmas. So what? This video and calling Indiana are my favorite Xmas pleasures.
And I am a lucky, unbelievably spoiled lady. The boy got me the Ipod Mini (in pink — how cute is that?), Scooby and Betty got me a gift certificate to the salon. Technically speaking Gene got me the cord for the Ipod that makes it possible to use it in a car. Very excited about all of this.
Also: book and Gone With the Wind DVD from brother-in-law and sister-in-law, books and DVDs from my family, moola from the MIL and grandma. Now all I need is to call in sick Monday and Tuesday and lounge in bed, reading and watching DVDs.
Dinner was a big hit. Yes, we had it catered. :PPP Everything was delicious and I’m proud to tell you that Gene confessed that it was catered before I did.
Now it’s bedtime. Good night and Merry/Happy Xmas.
Hello! I may not have the time or inclination to post on Xmas Day itself, so here goes…
Oh, and Happy Birthday to my Mommy, whose birthday was 12/23. Yes, I did call her on her actual birthday. We sent her a Lowes Home Improvement gift card, a t-shirt from the International Spy Museum that says “I went searching for Weapons of Mass Destruction and all I found was this Lousy T-Shirt” and two cards: a nice one and one with President Bush on the front. She thanked Gene for the kindling.
Secret Santa finale was yesterday. I received all manner of girly stuff that led me to proclaim (loudly) “Ooh, Santa knows I’m a princess!”, including a candle, some lotions/foot scrub/body spray and two new ornaments for the tree. Secret Santa gave the frigging motherlode: note pads (2), post it notes in the shape of her first initial, lotions, etc. Our controller looked at all the girly stuff and said “Oh, more crap for the shower.” He was the only man playing this year and I’m glad he did. His final gift was a bottle of Chivas.
Before I left the office yesterday (at only 4 pm, after they dismissed us at 3…oh, well) I thanked this same man for everything he’s done for me, and thank you for whomever decided to return my pay to its previous level. He says that was decided by the HR Director.
I’ve also decided I’m uncomfortable with non-pals crying in the office. Over the past few days I’ve heard both our AA and HR director cry in the office and I just…hate…it. I think it’s because I don’t know my role when it happens ; when my buddy D cries at the office (rarely) I know what to do because she’s my friend, but when my former boss cries, now what??
But now, in the spirit of the season, I leave you with this: Xmas Card. (Or else go to www.jibjab.com and select the Santa Claus cartoon).
Merry Xmas and a Happy Festivus.
In other news…received from Secret Santa a dry erase board. Very cool. Secret Santa gave a stocking with the Yankee Candle, a book titled “Don’t you Hate that?” and two pairs of cute socks.
Tomorrow’s will be a Secret Santa bonanza. I’m also supposed to throw together a cheese and fruit tray and teach 3 new managers.
Being paged…
Brandy, I called yesterday to see what you were doing for New Year’s Eve. And to find out which one of us won the trivia contest at Damon’s, oh those many years ago. I know it was a Battle Royale and while I’m fairly certain I kicked your ass (it was music trivia after all!) I can’t say for sure.