Unbelievable!!!

We went out today!! Out to the stores, that is. Oh my goodness. What a mess!! We decided to stop in Jo-ann's to look for some Christmas stamps. Nothing. Not surprised being it is so close to Christmas. But haven't been in a scrap store for over a year and was really surprised. Jo-ann's, where I usually shopped, had virtually nothing. They had scrap things, just not much. They always had so much. And my goodness...was it ever expensive!!! And of course everything was 40-60% off as usual so that you couldn't use coupons on them.

So we went on down the the street a couple of blocks to Michaels. Wow! They used to be the ones that didn't have much and they had quite a bit. Their prices were up a bit from last I was in but they were still more reasonable. But still no stamps.

It was fun to look around again, though. I can't say I would ever go back to hands on. Just not there anymore. And I would hate having to go hunt for everything I need again. Now I sit and browse and when I find it, it is very inexpensive.

Anyway, back to my point. The stores, the craft stores at this point, were PACKED. People were not friendly, clerks or customers, so you could tell the holiday was pressing in on everyone.

After going to Michaels we decided to stop at the mall next door and grab some Chick-fil-A in the food court. PACKED. Everyone there was growling, too. 

Really. If this is what the Christmas celebration is...I say we either need to change our ways or give it up. I am wondering what God is thinking as He is seeing all this kind of attitude in honor or the birth of His son, our Saviour. Makes me sad.

We ate and started for home. Traffic was horrendous. We were probably six miles away from home at the farthest point...a straight line up the street to our house. Took forty-five minutes. First traffic was just slow. Then it came to a standstill. As it was...an accident. Got past that and as we were in the last couple blocks from our house we could see flashers at the intersection where we had to turn left to our place. We thought the street was open, but as we approached...road closed...accident. Did a "huey" as we call them  here and went around the block and came in from the other way. Traffic at a standstill again. So on and henceforth. We finally got home safe and sound, forty-five minutes later, thank the Lord!!

I think I will be staying home as much as possible.

Got a couple more LO's done, though. One is a collage of Gloria's stampers group's Christmas party. I like the way it turned out. Oh, BTW, I do need to say that the "liquid" that was being consumed out of the bottles was none less than Sparkling Grape Juice. You can't see the labels in the small pictures, but I can assure you it was indeed!! They were all laughing...but that was strictly from all the fun they were having!! LOL

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The last one I just finished today is one of where I worked. I was going through pictures and saw them and thought I need to do a retirement LO. So I did. I like this one, too. It is starting to scare me that I am liking my LO's. Perhaps I have finally found the style I like. That would be nice. It has only taken me about three years!! LOL

That is about it for today. Think I am about to curl up in the chair for a night of TV. Have recorded a bunch of Monk and they make me laugh. Jim says it is because we are so much alike!! You know, I did find myself straightening the apples in a display at the grocery the other day so all the stems were in the same place!! No kidding. (I just like stuff to be organized. OK???) Jim got a good laugh out of that one. I didn't even realize I was doing it. I was just by the apples waiting on Jim or something so I started straightening them. Duh!

Again, you have made my day stopping by to read my ramble, but I do have to say, I can ramble well!! LOL  (Quiet, Terry! I just give the facts!!) Thanks and hope to see you back here again.

A Yukky Day`

It is cold, dreary and raining, and neither Jim nor I feel like doing much. So I have been sitting at this computer most of the day giving myself a gigantic backache! Guess I can't complain about it then, can I?

I am seriously considering going and putting on my Eeyore slippers. I am that cold. It is about 77 in the house but it is damp and I still feel cold. I had wanted to go out on the screened porch and look at some things in my hands on stash but it is too cold. I will wait till tomorrow. Yowser, though, Tuesday we are supposed to have a high of 48. I might reconsider that thought and go out in a few minutes.

Did one LO this morning...actually really early this morning. Woke up thinking about it at 3 this morning, so I got up and worked on it till 4:15. Went back to bed and finished it when I got up this morning. I love to scrap about 3 in the morning. I don't know why, I just seem to do my best thinking then. I have to watch, though. When I do that, I keep going for several hours and if I do it too many days in a row, I want to reverse my days and nights like little babies do. That is not fun to try to get over. So I try to keep it under control and only do it once or twice a week.

Started another LO. Have the pictures in place but no idea what paper or anything I am going to use. I am leaning towards browns but one is never sure until you start looking at what you have!!

I had such a nice thing happen the other day right outside my own door. I was going out the door and standing at the car at the end of the driveway waiting for Jim to come out of the house when the cutest little girl about 8 or so came walking by. She lives about four houses away and has just recently moved in.

She was smiling so big and had a book opened in her hands. She couldn't wait to talk to me. She beamed as she closed her book and held it against her chest. She said, "I finally got the book I had been wanting!!" She was really honestly thrilled. She said, holding the book out away from her and looking at it, "I have to keep my cat away from it so it doesn't hurt it. It is a library book and I wouldn't want anything to happen to it!!!"  

She was the  most precious thing. I have not seen a child so excited about a book or so conscientious about taking care of one...or anything for that matter, in a very long time. We chatted until Jim came out and she said her goodbyes and was on her way. I need to see her again. She made my day and I have to find out if she enjoyed her book. She seemed happy, too, that someone was interested in her new "find". My hope is renewed. I was beginning to think kids were not reading anymore and that is a tragedy!! Sounds like teachers are teaching somewhere around here!!!

The tree decorating is proceeding. The tree is up and lights are on. Need to take another picture. I love having stages in pictures because I love each stage. So I need to do that as soon as I am done.

I have a few LO's to post this time. Going to the remainder of them just to get caught up.

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This is our son, Russ' daughter, Mariah. Pretty, pretty girl!!

This is another Gloria album page. They went to Cedar Point in Ohio, but only took a family picture. So I contacted Cedar Point and they were sweet enough to let me grab pictures off their web site. Would you believe they have seventeen roller coasters there? But many thanks to Cedar Point!!

This is Russ' youngest daughter, another beauty, Tabitha. She is the youngest.

And this one is of Nancy's daughter, Siana. I love this...seeing how her looks have changed through the years!!

Hang on, only two more!!!

And this little guy is Braisen, Nancy's youngest. I love the look on his face as if he can't remember what word he is supposed to say!!!!!

And last but not least...another of my favorites. Man Ideas. This one is of Buck, at work, when we were invaded by bees and he thought he would get rid of them after the bug man chased them from above the drop ceiling in the office. The bees waited outside the building for their scout to come back and tell them where to go. Buck, though, was afraid they would come back into the building. So he made his move. It never entered his mind that the bees would be faster than him. You know. After he sucked them up in the vac, I never asked what he did with them. Some things are just better not knowing.

Now I think I am about caught up. I have one hidden away, yet and one I am working on...that is it. I do need to take some new pictures.

So I am off and running. I don't know to where, but I am on my way.

Hope you have a great night and stay peaceful as the holidays get closer. Remember the reason for the season.

Blessings.

Floridians Don't Need It!!

I thought that Mother Nature knew this, but obviously she doesn't or perhaps it has slipped her mind.

Floridians DO NOT need cold temperatures to get into the Christmas spirit! We are quite content to experience a somewhat cooler climate than usual, but there is no need to get crazy about it! One cool snap, I repeat, cool snap, and we are good to go for the Christmas season!

We are the ones that really appreciate shopping in stores for Christmas presents, without sweating from wearing our coats inside where the management keeps the heat up because it is regulated from a state up north where it is below zero and they think all stores are experiencing the same deep freeze, or lugging it around with everything else while trying to look through all sorts of racks and shelves.

We are the ones that like to drive around looking a Christmas lights with the top or windows down, not freezing or trying to see out steamed up windows!! Better yet, we LOVE to take walks up and down the streets, being able to talk to everyone as we see the beautiful displays and hear the music they are playing to make their display even more meaningful!!

We don't need snow. We don't need slush. We don't need the wind blowing. We don't need a below zero wind chill. We don't need the winter coats. We don't need boots. And we sure don't need dead batteries!!

So she is on official notice. We have already had enough. We are in the Christmas spirit. Now you can move on. We get it. We remember what the holiday up north was like. Thank you for the reminder. Now scram!

Next week, we are to have a high of 48!! Come on. We don't have coats...at least most of us don't. We have a high transient population, especially in winter, that come here because they can not live outside up north. What are they to do? Freeze is the word. I feel bad about that. We have some shelters, but not nearly enough. It is very serious. And so many fires burn down homes and kill occupants because they are trying to stay warm with heaters and even candles. I don't think most people realize how hard it is here when the temps get so cold. So I ask for your prayers for the homeless and families not fortunate enough to have heat in their houses. Many, many homes have no heating system here.

With that being said and feeling very blessed, it has been a good week. Busy. Had to start getting ready to renew my driver's license. Have you done that yet? Oh brother!!! What a winner that is.

There is so much you have to take with you now to prove that you are not a terrorist. You only have to do it once unless something changes about you like your name or something, so it reads in the info.

I had to send to my birth county and get a certified birth certificate. $22. I had to locate my marriage license because my name had changed from my birth name. If it is not original, you have to get a certified copy. Get my original social security card. Still have mine so that was no problem. Get two proofs of residence. Home loan, credit card statement, bank statement...you get that one. I think that covers it for me. You are given a few options. No biggie if you plan early enough. It takes about a month to get a certified copy of anything...so beware. 

Then we have an eye test. Needed to get new glasses. So did that Tuesday. Will get them soon.

Then had to go online and set an appointment. If you don't you can wait three hours in line. Three of the places near me were already booked for all of December. My license expires the first couple days of January. So I finally found a place and got an appointment. 

Then would you believe...I had a two page form to fill out to take with me unless I wanted to do it when I got there. My idea of a good day is to get in there and out. So I filled it out and printed it off. It is ready to go now, too.

So everything is underway. Now I can go back to having fun again!! LOL Don't like being forced into time slots again. I gave that up when I retired. But I guess you can't get away from it all.

I have scrapped since my last blog. Let's see. Wow. I have done more than I thought. OK. I will just post a couple right now.

The first one is Gloria's album cover. I think it turned out pretty warm and homey feeling which is what you always feel at her house.

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The other one is of a bird and it's trainer that we saw at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay. It was so cute to see how this cute bird reacted with the trainer. You knew for sure they had a love for each other.

So that is it for now. Going to get some things done. We are starting to put the tree up but we do it in stages. It is a bear to do. It is so old, as I have stated before, the same one we had for all the kids and Russ is 44. All the color is worn off the ends of the branches that tell you the order and there are 250 branches. But I just can't get rid of it! LOL

Hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for sharing part of your day with me. I love each of you!!!

OH. Forgot that I haven't written about meeting with Serene. Had a blast!!!!! Will tell you more next time!!