It's Almost A New Beginning

All we can do is try....

The Countdown Begins

This does not, and cannot, apply to everyone....but, take from it what you will.  The New Year is about to begin, and my hope is that I will do what I can to make it the best it can be.

A Simple Parade

Traditions, Habits, Year-After-Year Celebrations...we get caught up in it.  Go to any downtown of any city, big or small, and you will see the Christmas lights....and the aluminum trees bolted onto the street light poles.  Fake snow sprayed on the windows of diners, shops and gas stations.  And, the parades!  High School bands, the Kiwanis, The Shriners....usually a Mayor or Police Chief.  Don't get me worng...I love it...and I love it all!  The bigger, the brighter and the cheesier the better...

But, sometimes....a simple parade is the best parade.  Not a High School band or Mayor in sight.



Hope your holiday was simply wonderful.  :)

Merry Christmas

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...

~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Merry Christmas to you and yours...

Wow....It IS Christmas Eve!

We celebrated the first part of our Holiday last night with my sister and her family and my Mom...it was so much fun!  They are about an hour North of here and came down to join us for dinner and spend some time just sittin' around.  We seem to stay in a revolving circle of busy, and even though we talk to each other every day (sometimes more than once), times together are rare.  It was wonderful.  :)

Round 2 begins tonight about 6...kids and grandkids for dinner, probably some x-box fun and gifts.  It's a house full, but always good times!

Jake, my #1 assistant 

Hope you are celebrating in whatever way makes you happiest....enjoy everything!

It Is The Day Before Christmas, Right?

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?

Claustrophobic.



Christmas Toy

I finally got The Hub off of the golf course long enough to get some shots of the new cart!  I don't play golf, I don't know much about golf and I guess I don't know much about the "secrets" of having a golf cart.  Seems like you are supposed to have a cart that is tricked out in details about something you are very supportive of.  Your college, your fraternity/sorority, your hobby....so let's see if you can figure out what The Hub is all fired up about.

Full Side View

3-D Decal on the Front

Flames on the Side

(the cart can go 20mph, but this makes it look like it's going at least 25mph)

Back Bumper

Valve Stems

(just in case you are adding air to the tires and forget for a minute what the cart is all about)

And....this is how it looks in the snow.

**PS**  Did you figure out that he graduated from Ohio State?   :)



It Sure Doesn't Look Like Christmas

The weather is beautiful today...mid 70's, sun, slight breeze.  The only problem is that it is kind of difficult to get into the Holiday Spirit, you know??

Since moving to our new home, The Hub has been golfing 3-4 days a week and he is loving it!  Of course, a new golf cart was part of the deal and it arrived a week or so ago.  I will share some pics when I can...it's one of a kind....but, look at the shot below.

Hard to see, but this was taken from our back porch...and there's The Hub and his new toy!  Not the white one...that belongs to the Country Club....his is all black and kind of hiding in the shadows.

Anyway....believe it or not, this is Christmas in Florida!

Just Funny

This doesn't have anything to do with Christmas....but, funny is funny no matter what time of the year it is.



Hahahahaha.

It's Official Now!

I wrote at one time, in a list of Holiday Traditions (or something like that) how it's not really the Christmas Season until I get to watch the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol" starring Alastair Sim.  So, yea....it's on tonight, 8PM on TCM!!

**This is the desert-island choice of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, with a magnificent, full-bodied portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge by Alastair Sim that leaves everyone else in the dust. Lean and direct, this film's version of the story wastes no time trying to impress viewers with the magical nature of the spirits' visitations. Sim's commitment to the role is at times astonishing; his Scrooge's Christmas-morning ecstasy is a marvel of giddy technique.

 --Tom Keogh

Alastair Sim's tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens' story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time.

Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.

"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year"

--Ebenezer Scrooge--

I am so ready to watch the original black and white version of this....so ready!

3 Minutes Of Happy

It's just 2 weeks until Christmas and I'm really feeling it.  Do the trees look pretty enough?  What's left to get...to order...to choose...to mail?  Add work, birthdays and every other day to day thing to the list and there you have it...just a little stress.

I've turned off my Christmas Music for a couple of days, with the hope that you will watch this video and de-stress.  Be Happy.  Be Silly.  As I watch this, I can tell you that I wish this was me...I just don't think I could pull it off.  :)

Remember...this kid has an iPod, which means no one else can hear the music. 

Love it!

**Just found out the Mariah Carey tweeted this video out to her followers...pretty cool.**

***Be Sure To Silence The Music Player (at the bottom of the page) 

Before Watching This Video***

Back To Normal

Homecoming is over and things have slowed down a bit, but I have to share some of the fun!  It's really a pleasure to go to work...and here's part of the reason....



This is my office.  No, really, it is.  Not too tough to take, right??

The 2 windows on the far left (as you are looking at the pic) are next to my desk.  Our school is located on some historical property and this house is over 100 years old.  The Principal's office is upstairs and he can see everything from up there.  A local historian sent us the history of this house and a couple of others on the property and we found out that a family with a little girl lived there in the late 1800's.  The little girl passed away from an illness and, as was the custom, she was kept in the home for a viewing of sorts.  What is now my office, was the main parlor and that is where she was kept.  Interesting story...and lots of people have some stories that make us think something is in there with us all the time.  **shiver**

This is our Principal and what a good sport he was that entire week!  You can see the Homecoming Court behind him, and since we are a K-12 school, they have a boy and girl chosen from grades 1-10 as a part of the Court.  The students vote on the 11th and 12th graders to choose the King & Queen.

This is our Varsity Cheer Squad...and Daughter Bailey is the Cheer Coach!  Bailey was a cheerleader from the time she was about 8 years old and she loves being a part of this.

Along with choosing the King & Queen, the highlight of the week was the Student/Facuty Basketball Game.  The kids loved it...and this gives you an idea of how  the staff got involved.  It's great to be a part of a small community school.  Very different than most schools in this area.

Anyway...I feel really old.  :)



Peace, Baby

I think I mentioned at some point that I am working full time now, but I don't think I told you what I am doing.  It's a bit of a twisty story, but I have finally landed at a K-12 Charter School.  Never did anything like this before, but I love what I do and being around the kids is an absolute blast!

I am the Principal's Secretary, Admin Assistant, Office Manager....I'm not quite sure how to classify it, but I have a really cool office and try to keep the Principal on track.

Anyway...I'll share some details about that later, but...this is our Homecoming Week and each day is a different "Dress Up" day.  I haven't joined in yet this week...Pajama Day?  Uh, no thanks.  Favorite Sports Team Day?  No, not that either.  Nerd Day?  I was a nerd in school and to me it's kind of like making fun of those that are different.  I know, I know...lighten up a bit...but, it hits just a little too close to home, I guess. 

But....Favorite Decade Day?  Now, your talking my language.  I couldn't push the envelope too much, I mean I speak to vendors and parents all day long, but I did have a little bit of fun!

And...who is that with me?  You are right....it's Daughter Bailey!  She teaches First Grade so I see her and her classroom of kiddles every day...lucky me.  :)

Tie Dye shirt?  Check.  Scarf around my head?  Check.  John Lennon specs?   Check.   Peace Sign?  Check.  Beads in school colors?  Check. Welcome to the 70's!

Now, you have to know that I got this tie dye shirt at my High School Reunion last year, so the name of the High School is on the shirt and the Graduating year....oh wait....you can't see the year??



Just a little piece of duct tape will keep me forever young....hahahaha!  (Looking at the folds in my neck, I guess I should have used the tape to cover that completely!)

We had a great time....Pep Rally, Powder Puff Football and Bonfire tomorrow....fun, fun , fun.