WINTER SOLSTICE 2009

[Nasoosie]

GOOD MORNING ALL!

It's the shortest day of the year today---Winter Solstice!!! YAY! Each day after a couple where the darkness hours remain somewhat steady will now get longer daylight! I so LOVE this day! I would love to celebrate it with a massive campfire in the snow and some (careful) dancing around it, as they did in the days before civilization took us from nature and isolated us from the rest of the animal world, inside our little houses. I must admit, however, that after the outside celebration in the snow, it is fine to come back into my little isolation booth and get warm by my wood stove!

It's 15 above zero this morning, and no wood fire to have to stoke and get burning. I let it go out last night when it was very warm in here. I will save the wood for when it's really, really cold, or when/if we should lose power.

Today my class goes on its shopping field trip to buy Christmas presents for their friends and family with the money they earned making the wreaths and signs. I, too, will do some shopping for tiny things at the dollar store, as my family has agreed to NOT spend money on each other this year. I will need to pick up some things for my students, too, if I can get free from them long enough to sneak some things into my basket! I really wish this dollar store where we will be going had clothes, so I could buy our girls something decent to wear, but no clothes in this one. Then we will go to lunch with the entire crowd. Some have never eaten out in a sit-down restaurant. I hope we can get through the meal with no farting or nose-picking! I will warn the usual perpetrators of my morphing into a creature they never want to encounter if they should behave in such a manner in public!

I hope I can also buy some more coffee and coffee creamer while I am out, too. Tomorrow will be our last day before vacation at school, and then I can go to the big city about 40 miles from here and do some serious browsing.

One week from today I pick up the kids from FL at the Plattsburgh airport, and then we're off to their grandmother's for a night and a day to celebrate. I can't WAIT!!!

I hope you all are having fun with your last minute decorating and baking or whatever you do at this time! Pull up a chair and sip some warm Hazlenut coffee with vanilla creamer, and tell us about your day!

Happy Solstice!

[AlmostThere]

Morning, Soos! And a happy Winter Solstice to you and the rest of us that cheer that we will be past the darkest days and will gain daylight! Always a mood booster for me. I started taking some Vit. D to help out with that.

Today I go workout at Curves and then need a few groceries. I wanted to make some peanut butter balls but they need to be dunked in some melted choco. bark and there's none to be had in my town. Same thing happened last year so I'm not surprised. I really didn't need to make any more sweets anyhow so it's a good thing.

Yesterday there was a break in the rain so I took Choco with me to visit Little Missy to exercise her genny. I'd like to think she was happy to see me. It felt good to rev her up. I pull her out of her slot before starting the gen. as the exhaust backs up otherwise and it sets off all the alarms inside. Found that out he hard way. Oh, my aching ears!! I watched a little TV to kill time and then saw I had company. The owners of the huge motor-home parked beside me was also there doing the same thing. Very nice young man with a wife and a little girl.

Tomorrow is bowling and our potluck/gift exchange. Actually the first strike you bowl you get to pick a present. I'm generally one of the last to pick! This year I decided to make some sloppy joes. Everyone seems to bring only sweets so thought I'd try something different.


Got a call from another RVer from the other forum. She's arrived in Portland and will drive over to visit on Wed. Can't wait to see her. She's such great fun!


Ok need to see about something to nosh on and refill my coffee mug. Take care!
On Edit:
I can't believe I forget to add that my son made it home from the Philippines yesterday. He's military and was embedded with the Filipino Marines fighting Al Qaeda cells over there.

[Echo]

GOOD MORNING SISTAHS!!!

Have no idea what the temp is outside as I haven't bothered to check. It's chilly but not bad and overcast plus we still have snow on the ground! Going to do a little running around today just waiting for Kelly to get up and around.

Went to visit a lady we use to work with at the call center who we became pretty good friends with. It was good to see an old friend. She now has 4 chickens. Good grief, she calls them her "Ladies" and pokes her head out the patio door and talks to them. Sheesh.

Was gonna make potato soup last night for supper but Jenny let us know that she had invited a few people over and was making lasagna. We ended up staying at the friends house as she had put extra chicken in the oven and made up bigger batch of home made mac & cheese. Plus had all kinds of veggies. So when we got home only ate a small piece of lasagna. Jenny makes good lasagna. She made two pans of it so not sure if we will eat the left overs or if I'm gonna make the soup?

Well Kelly's phone alarm has been going off for the past 1/2 hr, I think it's time for "The Mom" to wake her butt up!!

Better hurry up and get your Christmas shopping done if you haven't finished yet. Christmas is only 4 days away. We only have a couple of things to get yet. Will probably pick them up today or tomorrow, then we are done. YAY!!!

Hope every one has a great day today. And please stay safe!!!

Love to all

[Liz]

Good morning ladies!

It's sunny Florida again, albeit chilly.

No adventures to tell about. Today's chores include a run to the bank. Later this afternoon I'll pick up Dunkin' Donuts....my contribution to the refreshments at the McIntosh Live Nativity this evening. Sure to be a hit with the hot chocolate. It's going to be cold out there.

Got an email this morning from my college friend in North Hero Vt. Her brother died suddenly in his sleep last night...probably a heart attack. So sad anytime, but especially so close to Christmas. I remember from our college years at UVM that her mother had died young, while my friend was still in high school, and her father has passed since then, so this brother was the only family she had left. I believe he was a state representative in VT.

On a lighter note, I hope your day is sunny and bright. Stay warm.