Ugh

I was having Thanksgiving at my house until about 5 minutes ago when I realized that my dishwasher is broken.  I'm not playing Little House on the Prairie, thank you very much.  I guess we will be schlepping the turkey around town.

Symbol of Death vs. Mascot of Mensa

We were watching football on Sunday, which actually means cooking, doing the laundry, homework, reading the paper, etc.  I haven't actually sat down and watched a football game in 13 years.  It is no coincidence that Nick is 13.  During my chores, I glance up and notice something in the tree in the backyard.

Creepy!  This is a great photo and doesn't show that there is another house about 20 yards behind him.  WE DO NOT LIVE IN THE WOODS.  We only see pigeons and blackbirds.  We live in the city.  What was he doing here staring at us FOR HOURS?  I will tell you what he was doing.  In almost every culture, this guy is the symbol of death.  When I was selling slot machines, some genius in Australia designed a game with an owl on the reels.  The Indian casinos said there was no way they were bringing an owl into their property and we had to redesign the game.  Can we do a little cultural research?  Anyway, I've been a little jumpy when the phone rings or when I'm driving in the car.

I've done my own bit of research and found out that Greek mythology associated the owl with wisdom.  They are the unofficial mascot of Mensa.  Better than death.  They are about the only culture that believes the owl is a positive symbol.

I also found this website on Symbolism which said:

If an owl has visited you, an incredible gift has been bestowed.  Also, keep in mind that animals are only called to those who share the same energy.  In other words, you hold within you some of the very same symbolic attributes the owl represents.

So does this mean that someone in my house shares the same symbol of death as the owl?  A grim reaper of sorts right here in my own home.  How comforting.  I'm sleeping with one eye open.

Shopping Deals

Most of you are very savvy shoppers and probably know about these sites but want to pass along in case you've missed them.

www.dealcatcher.com

This site compares products, has printable coupons, rebate info, etc.  The site is very easy to use.  A year ago, I wanted the Garmin Forerunner 305, the very best product in the entire universe that is a heart monitor, GPS, calorie counter, etc.  The running store and Best Buy were selling it for $375-$425.  I found one at www.dealcatcher.com for $189 plus free shipping. I bought quite a few Christmas gifts through them last year as well.  Highly recommended.

The other is www.tgiblackfriday.com which shows all the ads for Black Friday and the deals they will have.  No need to hop up early to go get a paper on Thanksgiving!

Turkey for Me and Turkey for You

Let's eat turkey in a big brown shoe.

My hell week trade show is over.  I can't tell you how many people I kissed, shook hands, felt their ass, and ditched completely over the past three days.  When you've been in the industry as long as I have, you tend to collect people.  The most common are the ones where you say, "Call me and we will do lunch soon where we can really catch up."  Translated into show talk, this means, "I will see you next year and as soon as you walk away I won't have another thought of you cross my mind until I see your face at the show next year."  It is also a time to see the absolute worst in people.  You take hundreds of sales people and casino folk making way too much money, away from their families, IN VEGAS, and see how they behave.  There must be something in the water that causes amnesia because 95% of the men forget they are married.  It's an odd phenomenon.  It is also an industry dominated by men so the occasional girl gets quite a bit of attention.  I'm not complaining as it is good for the old ego, but come on.  News flash:  I didn't want to sleep with you the first 8 years I knew you, and guess what, nothing's changed. I didn't go out and party at night and managed to sneak out of the show in the late afternoons.  I got a couple of bites for jobs, so fingers crossed, it was worth it.  Hopefully, the wives of all the pigs were out having girl's night and getting hit on by random, young, cute men.  Karma.

So, Thanksgiving is just a few days away and I still don't know what I'm making.  I went to the store yesterday to get lots of everything but still no firm plan.  Looking at it closely, I have mostly starches.  Well, doesn't that say everything about my eating choices in a nutshell!  I think I should add a veggie or two.  Just for looks.

Trying to come out of retirement

I have a gaming trade show this week and will hopefully be finding work to bring me out of retirement, so postings will be nil.  Not that I have been knocking them out, but don't look for much.  Think good thoughts!!

In the interim, I am looking for new ideas for Thanksgiving.  New recipes, something that worked great for you, decorating tips.  Oh, never mind on the decorating tips.  I had to bypass Thanksgiving decorations and move right on into Christmas.  Each year, my husband brines the turkey and I'm just not sure about it.  Any good ideas for the bird?  Are you stuff the bird or not?  Do you eat that part?  What in the world do you do with the neck, because I throw it away.  I try to do it without taking a good look and imaging him all put together.  Ew.  Any ideas will be great!!

You don't have your Christmas decorations up?

I took Taylor for a little retail therapy Monday because she was depressed about getting a flu shot.  Yup, life is hard.  Anyway, they were playing Christmas music at the store.  IT'S VETERAN'S DAY!  Seriously, isn't 6 weeks just pushing the friendship?  I love Bing and the boys as much as the next person, and I even listen in the car, but not 2 weeks before Thanksgiving.  I'm already knee deep in the holiday myself and it's making me crazy.

Bear with me, this is long.  My friend was out for a holiday party a couple of years ago, liked my Christmas decorations, and mentioned it to a photographer friend of hers that works for a local magazine.  So, she told her editor and they asked me to decorate the house for a piece on the holidays.  Here's the kicker, the print deadline was November 5th, so everything had to be done by the 3rd.  So, we frantically took down the tombstones and threw up the wreaths.  I will post all the photos as soon as I receive them from her, but here are a couple.

Ok, so you can't see much and the lighting isn't great.

 

Each year, I really enjoy putting up the Christmas decorations.  I like to look through all the ornaments, reminisce, be creative, and I like the way the house transforms.  This year, not so much.  It was a chore, and no one helped.  Who could blame them?  No one was in the mood. Everyone is still sifting through their Halloween candy.  I also decorate with tons of fresh greenery, wreaths and poinsettias.  News flash for those of you who might be thinking of doing this next year in hopes of freeing up a weekend in December: They don't have fresh poinsettias and wreaths in early November.  So, I had to use fake.  Ew.  Nothing worse then a fake poinsettia except the kind with all the glitter on them.  I was Grandma on steroids.  The only excuse for the fake poinsettia is to avoid your animals eating them because they are supposed to be toxic.  Trust me, the cat ate at least two whole plants last year and is still here to talk about it.  It didn't even make him sick.  I'm convinced that cat will still be around in another thirty years.

Now that the decorations are up, it's time to gear up for the holiday, because the decorations are up.  Isn't that how it works?  I've been pressuring everyone about what they want for Christmas and have given ideas for myself.  Please write for a complete list.  I was getting stressed that I wasn't further along in my shopping when I'm reminded that it's just mid-November.  With the decorations and the music, and the travel plans, and the shopping lists, and the Christmas eve food plans, and the shipping dates, and the outdoor lights to be hung, it certainly feels like Christmas.  Thing is, I may have already worn out the holiday.  I've decided not to turn on the lights on the trees or move around the Elf on the Shelf, or do any more stressing about it until Thanksgiving.  Two weeks of stress-free Christmas coming up.  I will say, however, that I'm looking forward to freeing up my Thanksgiving weekend to shop instead of putting up all the decorations.  I'm so ahead of the game. 

So, you slackers, Thanksgiving is only two weeks away.  LET'S SEE THOSE SANTAS!!  Stress yourself out about Christmas before Thanksgiving, just like me! 

Baby (Gravy) Vanessa and Sofia

Everyone is doing well and going home from the hospital tomorrow.  Too cute!!!

Welcome Baby Gravy to this crazy world

Email from Krys:

Vanessa Barrett Blades was born at 9:07 am 11/12/08---Mom and Dad and Baby Nessa are doing well. We arrived at the hospital at 7:42 and baby was born and hour and a half later! She was very eager to make her arrival!

That Krys!  Her babies are always early.  Not like the rest of us that had to suffer through 2 1/2 weeks of lateness because we had to move when we were 8 months pregnant.  No doctor is really all that excited to be a part of your blessed event when you show up in overtime.  I had Taylor in Arizona and there was one hospital that covered all this sprawl of young family expansion.  I think there were 30-40 babies born daily at that hospital, so they had this crazy system for induction.  Everyday past your due date, you could call the hospital at 9:00 am to see if they had room for you to come in to be induced.  For 2 1/2 weeks, there was no room in the inn.  I would hang up the phone and cry.  One day, they called me and told me I would need to be there in an hour if I wanted a spot.  She was born an hour and a half later.  She just needed a little push.  Note to self: don't move when your're 8 months pregnant.

I can't wait to hear all the details like how big she is, if Krys had time for an epidural, if she has hair, and what sister Sofie has to say about the whole deal.  Nick was three when Taylor was born and he used to tell people that this one was too loud and we were thinking about taking her back for a new one that was a little more quiet.  Nice.

Can't wait to meet you Vanessa!

Election Night

I hope everyone is getting settled for an evening of election results.  We can't wait!  We are having Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, and I'm having mine wit.  For those who don't know what I mean, a trip to Philly is in definite order. Nick is really excited and has been memorizing the election map for weeks.  I remember 8 years ago during Bush/Gore making him go to bed at 11 pm without the result of the president.  Little did we know the little guy would've been up for days had we let him stay up for the result.  I'm not sure we still really know the truth.

The thing that sucks is that when you live on the west coast, no one gives a crap that you're not off work, school, or finished getting an interview on a prominent Nevadan before we start to get election results.  By the time we pick up our sandwiches, it could all be over. 

I've read about the long lines at the polling places.  Everyone in my district must be big losers because I didn't wait at all.  In and out in 5 minutes!

Enjoy the returns!  I hope your five-year-old goes to bed knowing the next President of the United States!

Halloween

I know I promised some pictures of Halloween yore, but my scanner broke and I didn't get it fixed in time.  I will still post as they are quite enjoyable.

For now, I will tell you about our day.  Taylor bought a costume for $35 and was such a cute Red Riding Hood.  The kids were supposed to wear their costumes to school on Thursday, and so off she went in her Hood outfit.  Now, those cheap costumes are not meant for a full day of school plus PE.  Needless to say, she refused the costume when it was time to dress Halloween night, which made me totally crazy.  I finally decided to get over it and she pulled together a hippie from the 70's(ish).  Whatever.  Nick was a scary clown and conformed with the face make up and was really scary looking.  Enzo wasn't happy with his costume.

Earlier in the day, we bobbed for apples as we have doing since they were 2 and felt comfortable with them putting their head in a bucket of cold water.  Nick was convinced we were using a smaller bucket this year.  I finally had to convince him that he was just getting bigger.

For dinner, we had Dead Man on Worms.  It is actually just the meatloaf winner from Loaf-A-Palooza shaped like a dead guy with blood coming out over pasta.  It was a big hit and I highly recommend it before trick-or-treating next year.  I think next time I will pipe mashed potatoes that I might tint a blood color. 

Happy Halloween.  I'm putting up my Christmas decorations today.  Will explain later.