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Showing posts from December, 2009

Pressing NYE Issue

As we get ready to usher out 2009 and ring in 2010, there is a horribly pressing issue that we've got to address... How are you going to say 2010? Is it two thousand ten or is it twenty ten? Apparently there is a HUGE debate going on and it is very important because whatever we choose, we're going to be stuck with it for the next 90 years. The younger generations are leaning toward two thousand ten because they think the other option "sounds weird". You know, they don't recall that we didn't say one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, but instead said it was nineteen ninety-nine. We switched to the two thousand back at the turn of the century, but do we want to stick with it? Once we start adding more years to it, doesn't it kind of become a mouthful? Which will you be saying tomorrow? I am rooting for Twenty Ten. To be perfectly honest, I expect to be writing 2009 well into March on anything that needs a date anyway!

Sigh of Relief

It may be too early for this post, but I truly hope not. I am just about ready to breath a sigh of relief over no major illnesses this holiday season. I know the holidays aren't quite over yet, so I'm knocking on wood as I type this post. 4 years ago on December 27th my Dad had his oil field accident. I wasn't blogging then, so you might now know about it, but he fell off a pumping unit that he had climbed for some maintenance. He laid out there alone for a while and finally was able to flag down a truck passing by waving his leg around. Luckily he managed not to get any head injuries (we discovered after the CT scan), but he did shatter both arms (elbows down on each) and totally blew out both shoulders. After all his surgeries, and 9 months of rehab, his arm x-rays look like the hardware aisle at Home Depot, but he recovered far better than any of his docs had ever thought possible. Last year of course, poor Lola was the one in the hospital. After those two inciden

What's Next?

This isn't a very uplifting topic, I'm just going to warn you up front. It's about terrorism. Really it is just a couple of questions that I have about terrorism. (1) They are now not allowing passengers (at least on international flights) to get up and go to the bathroom during the last hour of flights. If you were a terrorist and so inclined to blow up a plane, couldn't you blow it up during the first hour too? In fact, I'm going to go on out there and say that if I'm on a 10+ hour international flight and someone is going to blow it up, I would prefer that they do it in the first hour, you know before I sit in a cramped seat for 10 hours! Of course that wouldn't apply if I got a free upgrade to business or first class. Then I would want to enjoy the flight. (2) The last time a guy tried to blow up a plane using his shoes. Now, we all have to remove our shoes at airport security. This recent guy hid the explosives in his underwear ... What we will

Loyalty

I believe that I am one of the most loyal customers any place could have. Have I ever shared with you that I have had the same checking account since 6th grade? Well I have. I have never had any other checking account. Last night I was taking a look at my checking account because I have a new pair of black Ugg boots on hold at Dillards that I have to be there at 10 a.m. to pick up or else they are selling them to someone else (they have a no hold policy on Uggs, but since it was 5:45 and I couldn't get there before they closed, I talked them into it...and this was about the last darn pair in the metroplex). Anyway, I was checking to see if I could spend some Christmas dough on them or if I needed that money somewhere else, like paying the electric bill or something. As a little background, I had told my Dad the other day that he needed to put some money in my account to cover the personal shopping that I had done on his behalf for my Mom's Christmas gifts. I notice that

Christmas Wrap-Up

I know that I have been dreaming of a White Christmas, and I don't want to sound too demanding, but it was a little TOO white! To quote my Dad~ A White Christmas is overrated! Here's how it all went down: At 8:45 on Christmas Eve, my Dad called and said "What are you doing?". Nothing , I replied (translation: sleeping). "You better hit the road soon because it has started snowing here," he replied. Ok, I'll try to get off in the next couple of hours , I answered. Once I woke-up, I decided that I would just hit the road as soon as possible. Lola riding in the back seat (she cracks me up the way she sits appropriately in the seat!) We didn't hit any precipitation during the first 30 minutes of our trip, then we encountered rain. Then about 15 minutes later, we hit a winter mix. Then about 25 miles outside of Nocona, we entered this This is what we saw as we entered Nocona... (this is the old Nocona Boot Company in case you were wondering) I saw

White Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is finally here. Time to hit the road (Please don't rob my house. I have a neighbor checking on it and the alarm is set. I've paid my monthly payment to Brinks. I've paid my yearly alarm fee to the city. The police will come for you. Plus I believe I have most everything of value packed into my 4Runner). I finally talked to my Mom last night for really the first time since they got back from Mexico. Seems I am invited to Christmas. I was beginning to wonder. She informed me that she is making two cakes that I requested (I requested but never believed it would happen). That coconut cake from Hominy Grill in Charleston that I raved about here, well I e-mailed those sweet southern folks and would you believe they sent me the recipe? I forwarded it to my Mom and, well, that is dessert for Christmas Eve! Then for Christmas Day she is going to do a Red Velvet Cake. Seriously, I couldn't imagine being happier.... well, I could imagine, but it would involve George

Christmas Eve Squared

Today is Christmas Eve Eve...Eve Squared as I'm calling it. I got my hair colored and cut today, so now I'm ready for the Christmas photos. I'm currently trying to get piles of laundry done so that I have something to pack and wear on Christmas. I should have mentioned in yesterday's post that that was my first EVER gingerbread house to decorate. I know, I know. Where have I been all 33 years of my life, right? The girls were so appalled.... What? You've never decorated one before. Gosh! This is like our 10th to do THIS year! I grew up in a small town. What can I say. For those of you SATC fans, I'm giving you an early Christmas present. I was overjoyed to discover it a bit ago and I wanted to pass it along. The FIRST official SATC Movie trailer! Enjoy!

House Decorating

I picked up my cousins Maddie (8) and Gracie (10) just before lunch today. We had big plans, but first, we had to fuel up, and we did so with burgers at Scotty P's. While having lunch, the girls had me cracking up about various things. Here were some of the funny statements that I heard... Miss (insert name, I don't recall, but it's Maddie's teacher) has a boyfriend and no offense, but he is SO NOT HOT! ---------------------------------------------------- Gracie: Bolten said... Maddie: That's her boyfriend in her imagination Gracie: Not my imaginary boyfriend, but my CRUSH Maddie: Whatever you need to tell yourself... Sorry, I just got another case of the giggles thinking about these two! After Lunch we headed home to get to work. Houses needed to be decorated! All prepped for decorating... Everything was so nice and neat at this point! I wish I had taken a photo of the table at the end...think polar opposite We had to don the proper attire... Then we got down to bu

Christmas Plans

I don't have tons of plans for Christmas. Last night, Jennifer, Lisa and I all celebrated Christmas at Pappadeaux. Of course I forgot my camera, so no pics are available for posting. I got some great gifts from the girls including a Tech Hoodie sweatshirt, new wooden spoons (I've needed them and refused to buy them), nifty gloves that are Iphone friendly (and aren't fingerless), gift cards to Hobby Lobby and Half Price Books, a Tech plate, and a cute picture from Etsy (if it acutally ever comes in...seems some venders are not real dependable). Tuesday I intend to have a special day with my cousins, which of course I will blog about, if a hearing that I have to cover for Jennifer doesn't spoil all the fun. I'll go to Nocona at some point, but I don't really know when yet. My Mom's family decided that we were going to have Christmas on the 26th, which makes me say bah humbug! While I don't shop the day after Thanksgiving, I do love to shop the day after

Christmas Cards

One reason I love this time of year is because usually every trip to the mailbox contains a good surprise. For a month, gone are the days of only receiving bills or junk mail, and instead, you get a great sampling of Christmas wishes from your friends. Several years back, I found a wire Christmas tree on sale after Christmas at Target. It is great for displaying the cards that I receive. Sadly, I wasn't in love with the card that I sent out this year. Originally, I got it in my head that I was in some way, saving money. That didn't happen. At all. I'm not the best with money. Anyway, here is the outside of my card... when you opened it, on the inside left was this... and on the right was this... I also got carried away and did a newsletter with photos which of course meant that I had to do color printing (and I don't have a color printer). After evaluating the cost, about half of the people on my list got an actual copy of the newsletter and the other half got one via e

The Bedroom Re-Do Reveal

I think I am finally ready to reveal my big bedroom redecorating project! I'm not 100% sure about one of the paintings (whether it is staying put or being replaced) and I'm not sure that I won't hang more up eventually, but I am showing you what I've got so far. Like my Christmas tree, I think it looks better in person than in photographs...highly skilled interior photographer I am not! First, I want to show you some before pics of the rooms so that you have a point of reference for the re-do. I do want to ad something first (I know, I know, all the caveats!). It didn't occur to me that I should take "before" photos until I had unloaded my dresser and nightstand and stripped the bed for the guy that was coming to purchase the furniture. So, the room isn't at it's "best". In fact, it is probably at it's worst (complete with paint samples up on the wall)! These pics start pretty much as you walk in and turn in a circle around the