Not to be outdone by my sister . . . an almost post

You Are "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, You would even say it glows. For you, Christmas is a mix of tradition and fun. You're not above strapping on a red blinking nose for a laugh.

What Christmas Carol Are You?

The Blurry Season

This is just the craziest time of year, isn't it? Days and weeks are passing by so quickly it's all just one big fuzzy blur. I went into the office on Monday after having not slept at all Sunday night. I mean my head did not so much as touch the pillow (which I don't advise, by the way, especially when you've got to get up and make a presentation). I got to see some co-workers I hadn't seen in awhile and meet others from out of town that I only knew through email. It was a good session but I was exhausted by the end and very shaky during my presentation. Stacy and I left the office relatively early and went to Sobeys to pick up a few groceries then had a late supper at Mary's Restaurant before hitting the Dollar Store in the Miramichi Mall. So, I still didn't get home until around 10 o'clock.

A kind of funny thing happened with the Mary's Restaurant choice for supper. We've NEVER eaten there before. We've never even really talked much about going there. We were driving up through Douglastown and Nordin chatting about where we would pick up something quick in Newcastle when we passed the motel with Mary's Restaurant. At the same time we both said, "We could always eat in there." So we turned around at the Pawn Shop and went back. They close at 8 and it was already going on 7:30 so we were their last customers. We picked a seat in the far corner by the window, ordered our food, talked, relaxed, everything was going great, when all of a sudden we smelled smoke.

That motel is pretty old. I think my parents stayed there overnight when they got married . . . it's THAT old ;-) (I sometimes wonder whether I was conceived in one of those rooms . . . perish the thought!) Anyway, the place is old and drafty and not that well heated, so they had a bunch of those portable little electric heaters plugged in . . . plus Christmas lights flashing in the window and Lord knows what else. Those little space heaters can be dangerous by times and the one by our table suddenly caught on fire. Sparks were flying out of the electrical wall socket. The stench was terrible. The waitress ran over and Stacy unplugged the heater. The waitress said they could smell something burning off and on all day but couldn't figure out what it was. So, it was a good thing that we went or maybe Mary's Restaurant and the rest of that old motel would have burned to the ground in the night. Maybe guests would have been killed. Maybe . . .

It's like God reached out and pulled us off the road to make sure they knew about that heater . . . or it's just a coincidence . . .

Off to Moncton tomorrow to see Magie Dominic and tons of writer friends. Going shopping too. A flying trip though, back on Saturday.

Mood: Content
Drinking: tea
Listening To: I was going to lie . . . but yeah, I'm listening to U2's Vertigo again, over and over continually . . . it's a marathon
Hair: beyond redemption, someone please remind me to make an appointment to get it trimmed before the New Year

Who Would've Thunk It?

As little as two or three years ago if you had said that one day winter would be my favourite season, I would've booted you out of the room with a good old fashioned Elaine-style "GET OUT!!"

But I gotta say I'm loving this little cold snap we're having. LOVING IT!!! It's not that I'm into winter activities or anything like that . . . I don't skate, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, sled, snowmobile or even make snowmen. In fact I rarely go outside at all in winter -- It's too damn cold!

The thing is that once the temperature stabilizes at a nice below zero figure, my arthritis improves. Yes, my bones feel brittle with the cold . . . but if I stay inside, dress warm, cuddle in blankets, turn up the furnace . . . I only have to endure a few minutes with Nick a few times a day. And the brittleness is not painful really -- it feels like my legs could snap in half at any moment, but it's more a threat than a promise.

The terrible joint-swelling can't-get-out-of-bed crippling pain comes more in the warmer months when the temperature fluctuates frequently and humidity sticks its nose into everything. Now, it's cold . . . REALLY cold . . . and I feel fantastic! Sad but true. Winter has become my best friend, my saviour, my favourite season of all.


Mood: pre-panic mode
Drinking: coffee (brewed not instant) with real cream not the light crap
Listening To: Vertigo, U2
Hair: Think Diana Ross only a bit paler

Now YOU can shut up . . .

Yeah, you know who you are . . .

So for those who wondered, it's Saturday night and here I am. I've been very busy the past week or so, not very chatty. Preoccupied. Highlights to catch you up to speed --

*I had to send a third (and final) copy of the WFNB newsletter to Freddy for printing due to the great INK fiasco of 2004 . . .

*I've got a new penpal from Italy who is helping me learn Italian . . . for my trip . . . someday . . .

*My sister was without water all week because her well collapsed . . . or something like that . . .

*I met a friend for coffee at the Books Inn on Thursday and bought new books while I was there . . . Larry Lynch's Learning to Swim and Margaret MacMillan's Paris 1919 . . .

*Met my writing gal pals at the Chatham library this week and got some good feedback on a couple of my short stories . . . LOVE those girls!

*Went in the Christmas Parade of Lights in Chatham with the Mighty crew (fun time and a really great parade, I just love Water Street during the holiday season) . . .

*Bought a kazillion dvds this week including The Nutcracker Ballet, John Denver's Montana Christmas, The Big Easy, Spartan, Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, The Last Kiss, 28 Days Later, Laurel Canyon, Far From Heaven, The Human Stain, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind . . .

In other news, I spent so much money on Express posts, printer ink, dvds, junk food, wine, books, coffee and other miscellaneous crap this week that I'm in a tight spot for my Moncton trip next weekend . . . hmmmm, maybe it really is time to sign up for some sort of 12 step program.

Judy and Magie are going to stay at Elizabeth's and have an old fashioned sleep-over where they stay up all night talking. She has rooms in the basement. I'm hoping we'll go for drinks or something, but I'm glad to stay at Hotel Beau. Can't wait to see everyone!

Mood: Playful
Drinking: Just tea (rolls eyes and sighs) . . . For now ;-)
Listening To: Peaches, Fuck the Pain Away
Hair: Half-in, Half-out . . . but not in that sexy soccer mom way