Christmas 2008

Another Christmas season done and memories made. It seems that we prepare for weeks, months even - and it's done in a matter of hours. The wrapping paper dots the floor, Christmas goodies eaten, the wine bottle(s) empty, and the guests have left for home. The build up is exciting and the winding down is bittersweet.

T and I had a most enjoyable holiday (sort of).

Christmas Eve was spent at my sister Peg's house - as has been tradition since I was 10-years (?) old. Her daughters Joan (with Matt in tow) and Karen were both there this year, which was wonderful. We had a delicious meal that was beautifully prepared, and of course, my personal favorite - wine! We managed to inilate 3 bottles again this year.

After opening presents, Matt and Joan suggested that we play their Wii Fit. Now, I've never done video games in my life - I'm just not a fan of them. But, not wishing to be a spoil sport on Christmas Eve, I made the trek to the back room and commenced to play Wii Fit. First on tap? Yoga. Yep...the Yoga instructor was going to do Yoga via video. Now, I want to set the record straight here. I'm a damn good Yoga instructor (if I do say so myself!) and I know my stuff, but get me on a video game and try to do tree pose on a little 2x2ft platform - AFTER drinking several glasses of wine...well, let's just say it wasn't pretty! And, the half-moon pose is NOTHING like I teach in class! Needless to say, we quickly moved on to bowling.

Let me say something about bowling....I'm not good at it! Several years ago, while Director of the local Special Olympics Area 9, I was required to be at all of the sports practices, even bowling. I'd never bowled at all, and was heckled by several of the athletes that I should try it. Not wanting to look like a spoil sport then either, I relented and put on those funny little shoes and made my way up to the line and swiftly threw the ball......behind me! I brought down the house...."Ms. Sherry can't bowl, Ms. Sherry can't bowl!" was heard across the lanes with much laughter and glee! I haven't improved any judging by my Wii-bowling scores.

We moved on to Wii-racing Mario something. I took on my nephew Matt. Big mistake. His hobby and relaxation is video games. What WAS I thinking. Must have been the wine! At one point, he said, "Sherry....you are going the wrong way!" After much coaching by a patient Matt, I was able to turn the car around and ran right in to the pilons. Definitely a lesson here - don't drink and drive...even if it is in video games!!

The night came to a close though and it was time to go home and put an end to a wonderful evening.

The next day however, Christmas, was not such a bright one. Yours truely woke up sick with the flu - and NO, it was NOT the bottle flu. Ok, at first I thought it was too - but it was wayyyyyyyy worse than the bottle flu. So much so, that I cancelled going to my brother-in-law's for Christmas dinner, and so did T as he was feeling it to. Between the two of us, we kept the bathroom busy and the couch occupied. Neither one of us felt worth a hoot until around 6pm. T now has a horrible chest cold and I have a sore stomach from wretching violently.


It's alright though. We had a good time on Christmas Eve with my sister and her family. I talked to both of my brothers on Christmas Day and wished them a Merry Christmas.

Sometimes that's the way life goes - nothing you can do about it, just laugh it off, mark it down in the memory book, and look forward to the next time.

Music in my head...

I have a song in my head and I can't get rid of it! I keep hearing it, humming it, singing it, and it won't go away! I'm held captive by a song! What is it you inquire? "Start Me Up" by the Stones. Not the most soothing of songs to have playing in my head! ~LOL~

Which leads me to a question: If you had to have a song playing in your head - quietly in the background - for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Would you choose an instrumental, jazz, rock, classical, vocal?

I've given it some thought and I think that I would choose an instrumental. I don't believe that I'd want to hear words or voices in my head (any more than I hear now! Hahahaha!). Seriously, that was a joke...I do NOT hear voices in my head! :-)

I definitely think it would be an instrumental. Perhaps a by Jim Brickman or George Winston who I admire for their expertise at the ivory keys.

Five days....

until Christmas and it is storming outside! Geeez! How am I supposed to get the rest of my shopping done? It's my own fault for procrastinating I guess. Those who know me know that I do my best work under pressure! (Some say that I pull it out of my a** quite well!) ~L~

Truthfully, I do not have all that much to get; a few things for my mother-in-law, and a house gift for my brother-in-law Bill and his wife. I don't buy for my side of the family anymore - although Peggy (my sister) will get a nice bottle of wine for our Christmas Eve dinner.

That takes me back to a memory of Christmas of five or six years ago.

My brother was living and working in Germany at the time. He came home at Christmas with bottles of a German wine that can be served warm or cold. He brought Peg and me each a bottle for Christmas Eve. Now, Peg already had a bottle of wine opened, so we drank that as we were preparing dinner. We then, of course, HAD to open a bottle of the wine Terry had brought us. We tried it both warm and cold and decided that cold was better.

It wasn't long and the guys were in the kitchen wondering when dinner would be served, which got the response of "when it is ready". Duh! ~S~

Peg and I were having sooooo much fun cooking that we finished off the second bottle and started on the third bottle. Life was good. We got on the phone and called my brother in Bismarck and wished him and his family a Merry Christmas..and I'm pretty sure we called someone else (though I can't remember it now any more than I could then!).

We laughed, we joked, we cooked, we drank..... life was good!

We put the meal on the table at 6:30. I sat down next to my husband and proclaimed, "I'm toast!" (laughing) I was hammered.

Wine goes to my head anyways, but sharing 3 bottles of wine (some of which was warmed) with my sister pretty much ensured that I was going to have a very MERRY Christmas! Oh lordy, I have to wipe the tears from my eyes even now.

Memories. Thank God for them!

Well, since I'm not going to make it in to town today, I guess I'm left with the option of playing Domestic Diva!

Have a warm, safe weekend everyone. I'll check back in later.

I am fortunate...

Today seemed to go on forever. I am so backlogged at work it isn't even funny. I am encouraged with that, however, as it surely means job security! (Fingers crossed!) ~L~ Seriously, the State would have to be in dire straights before they riffed anyone from our facility - hopefully.

This day and age, one can never be too sure though. I try not to let the doom and gloom of the economy affect my psyche - after all, I AM a "glass 1/2 full" type of lady. But, I admit that it is hard to ignore the stories of hardship that hit the news every day.

So...for as long as my day was, I'm thankful for it. I have a job to go to that puts food on the table, pays the bills and the little "extras" that come up. There are many who are not as fortunate.

I'm thankful that I am healthy, fit and able to work - there are many who wish they could.

My heart goes out to those that are experiencing difficulties this time of year - either with job, money, health or family issues. I say a prayer for them that they'll find comfort, work, shelter, food (anything that will help their world become a brighter place, if even for a moment).

Then I take a moment of gratitude for all the good and wonderful things in my life and say a prayer of "Thank You" to Him.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

You've GOT to be kidding me!!!!

-18 degrees for a high??? Wind chills in the -45 range?? Lows tonight expected to be -25 (without the wind chills factored in)?? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Well, as you can see, my efforts to dig myself out didn't work real well. I got up, pulled on the layers of clothing and made the trek out to the garage to start the snow blower. Didn't go so well. Don't know why I thought I could start it when T has problems with it himself. So, I thought to myself, "well, if I can get the garage door open, I'll just grab the shovel and shovel the snowbank out in front of the door so I can drive out." Yeaaaaaahhh, right!

I couldn't get the garage door open. It was frozen shut. I tried to pry it open but no matter how much I think I may resemble Superwoman, it wasn't moving!

So, then I thought....well, let's walk out to the driveway and see just how much snow there is anyway. (Insert snort here). Hello! I think all of the snow in the county ended up in my driveway.

I went back in to the house, called Vickie and said, "I'm not going to make it this morning." She was great about it and said that she didn't think that I'd be able to make it and not to worry if I don't make it in at all.

So, I'm sitting here - at 9:30am - waiting for T to come over from the main ranch - hopefully with a tractor/blade because honestly, the snow blower won't move the snow too fast.

I'm dressed and ready to head in to work whenever I can get out, although truthfully I don't think I'll make it today. (Sorry co-workers).

Stay warm everyone!

Yes, it's officially a blizzard!

Goodness gracious! As the wind comes howling through plains, it brings with it cold Arctic air and snow! They predicted this one dead on and they were right for a change!

It's 10:46 am and I'm looking out my window to the north and cannot see the garage (that is my visibility gage). When I cannot see that garage to the north, I make the migration to the south windows and look for the 1st line of trees in our yard. Nope, cannot see them either. It's official - we're in a blizzard! ~L~

Last night around 8:00pm, T bundled up and made the trip over to the main farm to stay with the cattle. Noooooooo, he isn't literally staying WITH the cattle, but in the main house. He and his brother do this during storms to make sure that everything goes OK; water fountains stay unfrozen, cattle stay in the feedlot (they tend to want to break out and travel with the wind in the storms - silly cows!) and that they are fed (cattle lose a lot of weight during storms and cold weather so its good idea when running a feedlot to keep them fat and happy!).

Of course, getting the machinery to run in helacious weather conditions such as this is always a treat! T called this morning and said that things are a mess over there. I don't envy them at all.

Me? I'm doing just peachy! I'm warm, I'm comfy and all is well on the home front (knock on wood!). I drank 1 Mike's Lemonade last night (the extent of my "wee-hour party for one"!) and fell fast asleep around 12:30am.

I have a bunch of things I want to get done today (mostly yoga things) but I think that I'm going to be a bum later and watch a movie. Hey, how often do we get snow days anymore???! ~L~

Tomorrow is supposed to be cold as hell....highs in the -10 degree range with windchill factors in the -30 area. Tell me again why I live in the frozen tundra??? Sheeeesh! Anywho, I'll get things ready for work and hope to heck that I can get the snow blower started and shovel myself out tomorrow morning. I'm supposed to be to work by 7am, but that will depend largely on weather conditions and snow removal. Will I be dressed in my work finery? Not on your life - not with those temperatures predicted! Triple layers and jeans will do just fine! ~L~

Will write more later (maybe...if'n I don't take a nap or watch a movie!)

Blizzard Prep....

Heating fuel in the tank................................................check

Gasoline in the snowblower..............................................check

Animals fed and taken care of...........................................check

Essentials (Tpaper, ketchup, milk, bread, sodapop, pretzels, peanutbutter, CHOCOLATE,).............................................................check

Good book to read ......................................................check

Feel good movie to watch (if taking break from good book)...............check

Warm fuzzy slippers.....................................................check

Electric blanket........................................................check

Projects to do in case of boredome (Christmas Cards)....................check

Jammin tunes and plenty of Mike's Lemonade for wee hour blizzard party (OK, it may only be a party of ONE, but that's beside the point,I'm prepared!!).....check


Hangs on cuz it's gonna be a bumpy ride but dangit, I'll be comfy!!!


Y'all stay home where it is warm and safe now, y'hear??!

Venom...

... and I don't mean the type from a poisonous snake. This is the human type of venom - and it wasn't pretty.

My paths have crossed with this individual on more than one occassion and each time I walk away with a sense of remorse. He/she carries a grudge - a chip on their shoulder that has turned in to be a boulder. It's all about them, the wrongs done to them, and how the world is out to get them. They do not speak good of others, and they do not trust a soul.

I can feel the hatred oozing from them the minute I get within 5 feet of them.

They hate the world and they want you to hate the world with them.

How sad.

I don't pretend to know what kind of life this person has led, nor do I know of the injustices done to them that have made them feel such hatred toward the world. I do know that I limit my contact with this person whenever possible, as I never feel good after the encounter.

I do understand the right to be independent and to look out for oneself. I, too, have learned that if you don't look out for yourself, no one is going to do it for you.

But I've also learned that the human race is pretty amazing and there are some wonderful people in the world. Good, loving people who will drop everything they are doing to help you through the rough times.

There is a commercial on TV right now featuring the beautiful Jane Seymore (Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman) that states, "You must have an open heart in order to give and receive love."

It's sad to say but I think this person has had so much hurt in their life that they are incapable of opening their heart. Their wounds are too deep.

The "zen" in me wants to connect with them somehow and help them to realize that life is beautiful and not to waste a moment of it being hateful and vengeful.

I can only pray that the light touches their soul and heals their wounds, and they find a way to open their heart once more.

Calgon

..take me away!

Better yet - just give me a bottle of wine, some jammin tunes, and leave me alone to readjust my attitude! (Ha!).

And you all have a nice day now, ya hear?! :-)

Why is it....

...that we need reasons to get together and visit, catch up, laugh, cry, or just feel companionship? I went to Buck's funeral today - a touching and sad event, with a lot of tears, remembrance, and a few chuckles at his "antics" throughout the years.

I sat with co-workers of mine who work in different departments and later, went to the fellowship lunchon and again, sat with them and talked. We were a group of people who used to frequent "staff debriefings" or, in other words, "happy hour" after work and let our hair down. I heard a few people (co-workers and also Buck's family members) make the remark today, "it seems like we only get together for funerals and weddings" or "it's been so long since we have had a chance to sit down and catch up."

I know from first hand experience that life can be busy, hectic, and just plain irrational at times. However, I've come to the realization that I'd rather sit down and visit with friends/family while I'm alive than to have them remember me when I'm dead, know what I mean?

I used to be known as the "social coordinator" of the facility - trying to set up those "staff debriefings" - but relinquished the task when it became too difficult to pick a night when "everyone" could make it, myself included. I'm thinking that perhaps it's time to put that title back on my chest and start shooting out emails or "word of mouth" about those beloved staff debriefings once more. I enjoy hearing what my coworkers are doing in their lives outside of work, or even taking a moment to say "geeez, I had the day from hell!"

And while I'm at it, I'm going to call my sisters this afternoon and say "hi, what are you doing?" After all, we're not getting any younger. I had a rude awakening last week while giving my family history - realizing that four of my five siblings are in their 60's. Our parents died in their 70's. I don't want to wake up one day and say "I should have spent more time/talked to them more."

There shouldn't have to be a reason.....

Saddened Once More

Sadness

It is with sadness that I write this post. Another of my friends has succumbed to his illness and passed on to a better life. “Buck” was a former co-worker of mine. He passed away Tuesday at the age of 50 – his 51st would have been this coming Saturday – which now is the day of his funeral.

Buck and his wife Chris have had many battles to overcome in their lives – many of them would have made even those with the strongest of wills crumble. Buck’s health started to decline due to an incident at work from which he never really fully recovered. Heart issues, diabetes, PTSD, and other issues took their toll on him.

I remember Buck for his humor and quick wit. Although I didn’t always agree with him on certain issues, I knew him to be a loving father and husband.

Donna (close friend and co-worker) and I took a meal over to Chris, Alaina, and Otto and visited for a while. Chris is heartbroken as she just lost her best friend and husband. She’s trying to be strong, as she always has been, but I told her, “it is alright to take the “S” (for Superwoman) off your chest now, and give yourself time to grieve.”

Once more, my heart goes out to the family, and my prayers and thoughts will be with them always.

To Buck, my Buckaroo, your spirit lives on in my memories. I hope that now you can finally find the peace that you’ve been looking for.