Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve ... it was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a moue! The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. they had been worn a year and needed the air!

I finished work early today and made my way to Walmart and Superstore to pick up a few groceries and food for my animals. I arrived at Walmart and thought that everyone must have followed me there as I ended up what seemed like miles from the front door.

I made my way over the pet food section and loaded up and then zoomed over to Electronics to see if there were any more of my favorite DVD's on the shelf. I was please to see Season 7 of JAG. Season 6 of Law & Order SVU, Season One Volume One of Love Boat, Season 4 Vol 2 of Touched by an Angel, (I aready have Vol 1 at home), and a DVD burning fire log ... I have three of them now. I buy one every year as I want to see if there the flames look more realistic. I had planned on purchasing a fireplace for my familyroom. However, that plan went down the toilet literally when my toilet went on the fritz. The fireplace monies will be used for a new low flush toilet. I then can put the fire log DVD on my laptop place it on the new toilet while I take a leisurely bath with my new bubble bath I got for Christmas! Now I certainly couldn't drag a fireplace into the bathroom. You have to make the best of it.

One thing about long lines and Christmas time people chat with you like you are old friends. We ended up talking to one another and wondering why so may checkouts on such a busy day were closed. We narrowed it down to one thing: Money! Someone piped in and said "they" should give us the groceries for Christmas as a friendly gesture of goodwill. since there was no Christmas music playing we figured that the former was not an option. We continued to wait. I finally got out of Walmart and drove across the road to Superstore. The place was so crowded that I found myself putting my things in someone else's cart! When I arrived at the check out I noticed that not all the check out stations were opened and the lines meandering throughout the isles of the store. The people were very friendly and told each other where they thought the line may end up. I got behind a lady that was quite friendly and she told me that she lives out of town but was in town for Christmas at her daughter's placed. Since she seemed friendly enough I asked her if she stuffs her turkey. She said she did but warned that you have to be careful. I then realized that I had forgotten to buy stove top stuffing and didn't dare get out of line as I would never know where to find it. I never cook stuffing in a turkey as I am afraid that I would poison myself and the dogs and ruin Christmas for us.

My dogs love ribs; I decided to cook some in the slow cooker for them to enjoy throughout the holidays as a treat. The dogs are presently laying in front of the TV, (the fire log DVD is playing). I just got up to check on the potatoes that are boiling on the stove. Teddy, my poodle followed me into the kitchen as likely thought I was going over to the slow cooker to check on the ribs.

The picture above is of my back yard ... looking out from the french doors of the family room. I love sitting in this room and watching the snow fall. I am off work for the next 10 days and I know I will enjoy every minute. I will get up early tomorrow morning to put in the turkey without the stuffing into the oven.

Merry Christmas to One and All,

Jaime & Company

The Aftermath

This morning when I looked out of the window I noticed my driveway was completely covered, not with a skiff of snow but at least two inches of freshly fallen snow on top of the two inches of packed snow.

There were foot prints leading to my mailbox. I assumed they belonged to the paper boy who delivered the Christmas flyers and Sunday paper yesterday. Momentarily, I felt bad for the kid having to laboriously make his way to reach my mailbox. Then I remembered he usually has his i pod stuck in his ear and totally oblivious to what's happening around him as he mechanically stuffs the flyers into my mailbox.

My dogs usually bark at him each and every time he comes up the driveway. Once I called to him to apologize for my barking dogs. He looked up at me and smiled as he pulled out his earphone and said, "That's okay, I don't really hear them anyway". He stuck his earphone back in and trudged on to the next house.

I thought of the mailman and knew that he doesn't have to deliver my mail if the path isn't cleared. This motivated me immediately to make him proud of me and thankful that I cared enough to make his job easier! If the truth be known, I want my mail and not have to go downtown to pick it up at the post office!

Since my property has a chain link fence and a gate across the driveway my mailbox is located outside of the fenced area. I keep my gate locked at all times. This keeps my dogs from bolting out the door and running all over the neighborhood.

I finally made my way outside with shovel in hand and started shoveling. I cleared a little cow path from my mailbox, down the driveway and the sidewalk in front of my house. Since I am no longer twenty and could have shoveled every body's driveway on the block, I only managed a partial job. I have completed my good deed for the day!I do plan on going out again to finish the remainder of the driveway. Maybe.

I haven't considered the driveway inside the fence, that's the dogs area and they pack it down pretty good when they go out to play. I usually do not have a problem driving my truck out of the garage since I have Micheline Ice snow tires!

I have Christmas music playing in the back ground. I think I will make another fresh cup of java, and read a favorite mystery in front of my fireplace. Well, it's a pretend fireplace. It's a CD of wood burning logs displayed on my TV screen. It looks realistic and inviting especially after shoveling snow. Just think, I don't have to haul out hot ashes, I just click the remote and presto the fire comes up with all the sounds of a crackling fire burning logs. There is something to be said for tradition!

Till next time, Cheers!

Burrrrrrrrr, It's Cold Outside

I awoke this morning to hear the weather report: "... it's a cold one this morning", said the annoucer with glee, "with lots of new snow swirling around as it hits the road. So bundle up and get out of bed you sleepy head."

To me, this is a day should be spent curled up on the chesterfield with a good book and a roaring fire in the fireplace! Now, if I was retired that would be exactly what I would be doing today.

The reality is, I must brave the new fallen snow and the cold just like the mailman and head out the door. The garage door will barely be able to open because of the cold and my even colder truck will no doublt have a hard time turning over. I just remembered that I have a quarter of a tank of gas left. Not a good thing. I know I should have stopped at a gas station before coming home last night. The trouble is I hate stopping for gas as I have to get out and pump it myself.

This is one of the mornings it would be nice to have a man around to go out start the truck, shovel the driveway and bring my my morning cup of java.

Wait a minute, I better wake up here. It's me that has to all that which means I have to stop writing and get ready to face the day. Oh yeah today, another day of sitting at the workshop, I don't think I will be coming home at noon today. The doggies will have to make due.

Teddy refused to get out of bed this morning to go outside, so he's still snoring away. He's wearing his brand new sweater to keep him warm, as one blast of cold air at the door and he heads back to his bed.

Till next time, cheers!

I just arrived home, let the dogs out, shoveled my driveway, let the dogs back in, checked the mail, let the dogs out again, finished the driveway, let the dogs back in, I went around the back to shovel more snow, actually a little cow path for the dogs, and now I am back in the house making a cup of hot chocolate for myself so I can sit by the fire with a good book!

I am back to work tomorrow and later in the day I am going on a short road trip. This of course will depend on the weather as it's still snowing outside and the visibility is poor due to the high winds. You get the picture I am sure.

Till next time, Cheers!