I practically begged my friends and family to check out the new look of my blog because I wanted to see how the cluster map worked on my blog site.

Thanks so much to my nieces in Tacoma, my sister and her husband in a little berg south of Pullman....and who ever you are in the mid west. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a coyote or a cow, but one never knows....

I also promised those same two nieces a photo of themselves, and I have a great one of the newest little imp in our family.(Who has a great taste in jewelry). I miss having the baby element in my life, so it is always a pleasure to spend some time with the dry-siders. Although I have to admit it is also very nice to not have to wash, wipe, feed and cajole a wee one 24/7. Gives me more time to blog! ^_^

So here are those promised pictures, and I am cogitating on an article that I read in the local newspaper about we bloggers who writes for ourselves, vs "real news". For those who check in just to see photos of Tucker the Wonderdog, you might want to pass on by this next article.

Oh, and I also promised a link to D1's blog spot as well. So there it is in the "Blogs I admire". She should update hers though. Much water has passed under that particular bridge!

Thought I'd pass along a bit of humor. I came across this while clicking through the Internet: video game icons on the interstate...the newspaper article was pretty fair and balanced, I'd say.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/889553.html

What'dya think of that?

The Christmas holiday seemed fractured this year. So many reasons why I struggled a bit. My aunt finally lost her battle with MS after 20+ years of struggle. God keep her cradled in peace!

I had to put my folks' cat down, who had been an off again, on again pet of ours, too, for about twenty-five years.

I began a new job, and then the coup de grace...Wauna (and the rest of the Evergreen State) experienced a humdinger of a wind storm.

I expect the media will call it the "Great windstorm of '06" but it truly wasn't and different than any of the powerful wind storms that we get here every few years here in the PNW. (Why I remember a windstorm so strong that when driving across the Narrows Bridge, the southern facing cables vibrated like guitar strings) I guess its easy to forget when these big evergreen trees our state was named after get stressed, from too little rain, development, disease, they fall down!

What the storm did do was knock our power out for five days, from December 14th to the 19th. Prime cookie-baking and Christmas caroling time. So once we got the power up and running and we thawed out the indoor potted plants (indoor temp registered 40 degrees! Br-r-r!) and moved the 'fridge stuff back indoors, we had 5 days until Christmas. Sigh. And boxing day was spent at the new job.

Not that it wasn't great fun to see family (the ones that didn't escape the weather and go to Hawaii) and have the kids open their gifts, but it all seemed like a media sound bite. Not a true season.

But why complain? I had Daughter #1 take this photo by hanging out the car window just before leaving Waunaville to do errands. It to some degree captures the high tide and low sun and sky that a winter here typifies. I love it! Let it rain, I say. I appreciate the breaks in the weather ever so much more! It reminds me of what is said on this sign I spotted in a window. I hope you can read the inscription. If not, the text is here:

peace. it does not mean to be in a place with no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

I'll tip an eggnog to that!

To underscore the fact that I truely have too much time on my hands (or maybe I'm not using my time as wisely as i should?) I have created this Christmas poem:

(Ahem)

T'was the day after Christmas and all through the house,
Not a child is stirring, and I'm clicking my mouse.
The stockings are emptied and the contents are strewn
all over the floor, none entering their rooms.


Tucker's curled in his bed, and Dad's off now to work
and I'm still in new jammies, my duties I shirk!
I dream of Noels with and without our friends
and chalk up this season as the one that will tend


To lean much more closely towards family this year
and missing the presence of ones held so dear.
Not a glimmer of envy I hold in my heart
for the vision of warm surf and palm trees that part


To reveal those swim suits that shows all my fat.
(Yes, this is denial and I'm okay with that!)
Plain oatmeal and coffee is what I consume,
the upcoming year won't see me filling the room!


The gifts I had opened are thoughtful and kind
a warm leather jacket from hubby, I find,
I might need a Harley to zip off to work
and chocolate, oh chocolate my diet it hurts!


A white shirt for daytime, some candles for night
A mirror for beading, some roses, a sight!
Lotions and potions, jams which in I still lurk
And chocolate, oh chocolate my diet it hurts!


D2 was eager to see Nick treat her kind,
so up at 5:30, a Pet Shop she finds
And gift cards and cash will go to more "pets"
‘Least I won't have to feed these pesky new sets!


D1, easy to shop for, her list was so long,
It’s a good thing my pay check showed up here so strong.
Beads and bead tools, books, clothes, and drawing tools too
and jammies that match my new jammies. (It’s true,


we shopped most together and made us a pact
we’d get some few things for ourselves. It’s a fact!)
Tucker wasn't forgotten, he got into his heart
that opening his gifts, was his favorite part!


Hubby liked his twelve days of Christmas this year,
Between the girls and I, we covered, no fear,
The one rose, two turtle candies, three red wines too,
And four composts, five bagels, and that’s just a few.


So now I’m good and late to get off to work
Good clothes to change into, no longer to shirk.
As I’m ready to head toward the jeep in the yard
The part that I struggle towards what is most hard,


A promise to write you a more proper missive.
(I bet you are waiting to see how I rhyme this’in!)
Apologies profusely to Clement T. Moore
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good morn!

God bless us, every one!

My apologies if you are one of the three people who actually read my blog to get an update in what the heck is going on in my life. Fortunately for Santa, Mommy's been on the job with the local temp agency and was placed in her first real 9-5 desk job...Temporarily as the agency is called...just prior to Christmas. This means presents bought with my own money. Yay!

Good news. Mommy doesn't have to raid Daddy's checking account to by him a gift he really doesn't want. Mediocre news. Mommy's spending her own money to by Daddy a present he really doesn't want. Bad news. The eight year old is forgetting what a home-packed lunch is, and the smell of newly baked cookies when arriving home from school. Oh. And I have REALLY BAD dog guilt. Tucker the wonder dog is snubbing me. Sigh.

So I am cheating on my blog post and am tacking this great blog stuff that I scooped from that old Cynicalbstd, Jay, again. (Who, by the way, admitted stealing it from Gracey. At least we admit it!) Red answers are his. They are great! Green answers are mine.

"...And here's a little Christmas Memo that I stole from Gracey:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate .. No contest ... Especially if you add a little Bailey's or some Jameson's Whiskey.

Egg nog for the first few day until my jeans start getting tight, then back to Ravensara's Espresso Blend. I live in the land of java joints, dontcha know.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Presents must be wrapped. I know it would make things easier on Santa to just put them under the tree, but come on, you only work one day a year fat man, wrap the presents!

Got young kids...they have to be wrapped or nothing would stop them from a 4:30 AM raid.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White. But, I like colored lights too. I used to like flashing lights, but now I like them to just shine constantly.

White on the tree, and colored on the house. Or vice versa. Depends on the mood!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I don't have any to hang. I always wanted one of those headbands with mistletoe connected to it and then go walk around an see how many kisses I get. Or how long until I'm arrested.

Does plastic replicated count? Don't hate me. My Mom gave it to me, and we have to honor our moms don't we?

5. When do you put up your decorations ?
When I feel the urge to do so. Sometimes the day after T-Giving, sometimes a week or so later. I just sit back and wait for Santa to send me a sign.

It seems like when its raining and most dangerous to climb a ladder. But this year, when I finally caved to 8 yr old pressure.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Oh just anything. A smoked Petit Jean Ham is always good.

Mom's swedish tea ring. Think cinnamon roll that feeds 6!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Sitting around the tree with only the lights from the tree on and singing Christmas Carols. And then my mother reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas"and "The Littlest Angel" to me and my sister.

Laying on my back under the newly decorated tree and looking at all the pretty lights.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth? Santa is truth. Santa is good. Santa is my friend.
I truely don't remember. Probably when a conservative not-to-be-mentioned person pointed out that Santa was an anagram for Satan and he steals the true meaning of Christmas from Jesus. *Sigh*

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
When we were kids we used to open one gift on Christmas Eve but the rest were on Christmas morning.

The joy of a big family! Christmas eve dinner and gifts with Mom's family and Christmas day with Dad's family!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With Christmas decorations? Hello? Oh, you mean what kind! Oh, well little balls, lots of small ornaments and it's pre-lit. NO TINSLE!! You'll be vacuuming those bastards up in June!

Pick a color or two and a theme. I have enough ornaments to decorate three trees! The kids did a fine job this year.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it until it's snowed every other day for a month. Then I get sick of it.

Snow? Once every six or seven years we get snow for Christmas. It's magic! And it encourages the sane to stay in rather than dualing with mad men w/4 wheel drives.

12. Can you ice skate?
Not even a little bit.

Poorly, when begged.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Not one specifically but I've gotten some pretty cool stuff over the years *cough iPodNano cough*

Christmas day picnic in Canberra, Australia.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Just trying to be in the holiday spirit of the season and ignoring all the commercialismcialization of the holiday. (Um-m. Can't remember if this is a word he actually used, or if it crept in while I was running the spell check!)

The music! (From Nov. 26thish - Dec. 26thish)

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Fudge and Christmas cookies. There used to be this bakery that made these AWESOME Santa cookies. But, it's closed down now so no more of those. Of course, my sister makes great Christmas fudge and cookies. *hint, hint*

Um. They're all good?

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Watching all the lighting of the tree ceremonies on TV and driving around and looking at all the lights and decorations that people put up.

Candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree?
An Angel.

This year? Santa!

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving presents?
Well we all love to get presents don't we. But, I prefer giving them. Not that I'm all that great at picking out gifts for people, cause I basically suck at that. But, I do love giving gifts

Getting. Does that make me horribly selfish?

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I love Christmas music as long as it isn't being sung by Mariah Carey or most Country music singers. I think Silent Night is my favorite though
Used to be "O holy night" until everyone and their brother has arendition of it. Now I pick "Still, still, still."

20. Candy Canes Yuck or Yum?
Yummy! Puh-leeze! Who doesn't like candy canes? Weirdoes!

I'm a weirdo. Yuck! Where's the chocolate?

In keeping with the Christmas Spirit here is a little quiz to see how much you know about The Grinch.I got 10/10.Oh, and donÂ’t forget that Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman are on this week! I think on Friday Dec. 8th on CBS.