It's not what you think, dirty brains!

My boss gave me a lovely pearl necklace for christmas this year
WOW, stunning, I love it.
Now for you dirty brains out there - EW! IT'S MY BOSS! sicko's

He was in China in the Spring and it was there that my strand of black pearls were purchased.
SO COOL
so in fashion for next year too

To top it off, my other boss - She gave me this FABU Kenneth Cole bag - DUDE!
I love me some Kenneth Cole! Black leather... mmmm... Brass Hardware... mmmm.... So much cooler then the purses the other gals in the office have... priceless!

We now return to the not so snotty, not so label lovely (expect for Kenneth Cole), not so materialistic maggi (expect for when it involves Kenneth Cole)

=)

I'm a sucker for a sweet story

I love stories like this!!!!


Dallas Man Gives Away $5,000 to Servicemen

KILLEEN, Texas - A real-estate developer carrying a sign that read "grateful citizen" passed out $5,000 in $20 bills Wednesday to members of the military and their families.

"I just want to say thank you for your service," Jim Johnson, of Dallas, told the recipients as he shook their hands in a Wal-Mart store in Killeen. "We're safe and secure because of you."

Johnson said in a story in Thursday's Killeen Daily Herald that he and his son Matt drove from Dallas with the hope of meeting as many soldiers as possible. He said Killeen, which is home to Fort Hood, seemed like an obvious choice for finding soldiers and their families.

Killeen is about 130 miles southwest of Dallas.

Johnson held a sign that read, "Grateful citizen. You make my life possible."

Store owners gave him permission to come inside to hand out the money after he had to vacate his post on a corner near the shopping center. He handed out the money in about three hours.

At one point, he shook the hand of a timid military wife, reached into his pocket and found he was out of money, the newspaper reported. His son gave his father the last $20 bill.

Johnson said he was just trying to show some gratitude.

"We all have ways to give back to these families that don't complain and serve," Johnson said. "It's a tough life, and I'm so grateful for what they do."

He promised to come back next year and bring some friends along.

Uber fabu cookies from cookiefest 2005

Shout out to Lauren H - New Addition to Cookiefest 2005 - this was sooo yummy!!

Pumpkin cookies with icing

Cookies:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup reg pumkin pack (like Libby's)
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup golden raisins
Cream together shortening, sugar and pumpkin. Add egg and mix well. Mix together dry ingredients and blend with the wet ingredients. Stir in raisins with a spoon. Batter should be fluffy and WILL NOT TASTE GOOD. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees. Bake 9-12 minutes. Use about 1 TBSP of batter per cookie. Cook until the edges turn brown. Cookies must be fully cooked.

Icing:
3/4 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP real butter
4 tsp milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Dissolve butter, milk and brown sugar in a saucepan on fairly low heat.Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar and keep warm on lowest heat. Drizzleon cookies while they are still hot on the cookie sheet.

Smokey, fuming, goin to hell

Ok short history to my shitty past two weeks

Evil Relative spends life is United State with no savings - Evil being she's not really related to us and she hadn't called in 25 years.

2002 ER is having a tough go of it and then taps Only Other Relative in the US (my mom)

Mom bends over backwards to find ER a home, $$, doctors

ER has nice home, nice benies and family (who never offered to help her) back in the mother land, BUUUUUUT no.

ER choose to stay here.

FINALLY after years of monthly trips, hundreds of phones calls, ungrateful behavoir, ER Decides to return.

HOWEVER she needs help to get around so again Mom saves the day.

Mom pays for her ticket, Mom leaves her job and family on 7 days notices for the mother land.

ER - totally ungratefully says the day before the flight "I don't want to go now"

Mom -who for the last 3 years has shown kindness beyond love to ER sweetly says "ER, you have two choices, you can go in the seat next to mine or in the cargo hold"

Needless to say - they arrived, ER is with her family in the motherland and as of today Mom is free of ER.

NOW - the going to hell part: I know ER is older and ill and lives not in reality - I know she is not all the way right and needed help. But she never ever said thank you to my mom. for anything. She would drive my mom batty with crazy requests and calls at all hours of the day. Mom would bring her groceries, help find her a really great home, helped fix her social security. She'd smoke around my mom and dad know they have asthma. Er would critises how Mom was helping. ER knew she was in the shit but still wanted to live the fabu life she had inteh 60's and 70's when she turned a mans head and had anything she wanted. An hour with ER would have my mother fuming. Mom would spend hours with ER at the doctor's or the tax mans office or where ever.

In the last two weeks I helped make arrangements for mom, run errands, help mom get christmas ready (she's not coming back until the 21st), buy want ER needs to travel, make phone calls. Dealt the with Airlines. The whole time my Dad, who is so quiet, informed me of the history of ER and our family, all of it. And Mom and Dad still helped her.
ER had left so many bridges smoking, my mom was the last soul here that would help. ER had lied so much, mistreated so many. She really had no left here who cared about her.

I am hoping and praying on the flight something occured to ER to just say thank you. for a moment to appreciate what my folks did out of love and familial resposibility. Just for a moment. AND that ER will leave my mom that PHAT gold Rolex she refused to sell.

Voila - Me - Hell bound - I'm an evil child =)

I remember ER from when I was younger: she was stunning, had anything she wanted. I have three memories of her all good. I told dad, despite the history, I have to remember those three good days with her. I feel every memory you have and the people around you have of you are noted in your "Book of you" up there in St. Peter's library. I just feel like i need to remember the good things about ER so they'll stay in her book.

Mom will be home soon =) - and she will be free of this weight. ER will be somewhere warmer, where the US $ goes really far and will absolutely not call my mom for stupid stuff anymore b/c the call is too expensive.

Company Holiday Parties

Ok, I'm not a huge fan, but for politics sake... I'll go.
What drives me batty is a Staff Memeber in our company who seems to not only know everyone who came and didn't come, but will then discuss your absense with your superiors. AND this Staff Memeber will point out the other times you've missed corporate events. THEN this Staff Memeber badger you about it on Monday morning and continue to discuss.

When I missed a dinner [b/c I had promise my choir director and famliy priest I would sing at Christmas mass and would not miss a rehersal,] it was made a huge point I was absent. Several times, so much so that people I don't regularly work with informed me it was a topic of conversation. That particular Staff Memeber brought it to my attention 3 times - on the third time, I said "So-and-so, you know I'm so lucky to be working with you. I've never had coworker care so much for me and my whereabouts. It's great that you think so highly and so much about me"
[deer in head lights] the only description I have for this Staff Memeber's reaction.

Anyway, think they'll miss me on Friday in this?

Even with a lack of sleep...

I'm reminded of one of my favorite lines in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." I heard this particular bit on the radio this morning and my love for one Miss Lucy Van Pelt was brought to the fore front.

Yes, she's bossy and abrasive. She's opinionated and a little crabby.
I like her! She's got furvur and spunk.

From the 1965 Classic, Ms Van Pelt and Mr Brown are discussing his Christmas woes...

Lucy: I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.

Charlie: What is it you want?

Lucy: Real estate.

That's my girl

These are a few of my least favorite things...

When I can't sleep
When I can eat, all i see in sight
I simply remember the things I can't fix
and then I can't SLEEEEEEEEEP AAAALL NIIIIIIIIIGHT.

It's a question that will not have answer: Why do people suck?

The relief is that sometimes, those People move away and you can help them do so. They'll just take what they can and then slap you for not having what they want. Why do People expect everything and do nothing in return. Why can I not just accept that some people are unkind and willingly or not, suck faith and kindness dry to the marrow. I'm an adult, I should have this skill. I'm usually not a downer - but I am a worrier. I want to see the good side, the brighter side

Soon, They'll be home soon and in return we'll have her back
I can't wait to pick her up at the airport and she'll finally be back

I'm sure my relief at sending them back will find me a particularly choice spot in Hell, but I'll have good company =)
And now I'll have that to worry about =) but not for too long.

Stretched

Help mom with a friend
Help mom's friend with new future
Help dad with mom
Help mom with mom
Help Brother with camera
Help Little Buddies with babysitting
Help Sister-in-law with Brother
Help co-worker with co-worker
Help part time job with success
Help full time job with success
Help strangers with holidays
Help Mom with holidays
Help Church with holidays
Help New Nazi Choir director with Holidays
Help mortgage with payments
Help wallet with holidays
Help Uncle with computer
Help Aunt with Uncle

I'm feeling the bundle of bands, pulled to help, to hold.
I'm honored by those who ask me for help but i'm too stupid to say no
From their view - I'm single, mobile and easily can be where they need me.
From my view - I saw my little condo for 12 hours of the 48 hours that where this past weekend.
Each had to happen this weekend

This coming weekend - I'll sleep til noon, I'll sing the Pie Jesu in a beautiful choir, I'll bake 35000 cavities worth of cookies.
My bands will rest and eat cookies

Current Mood/Disposition...



Desired Mood/Disposition...


Will explain more later...