Merry Christmas!

I usually don’t write at this hour of the morning (5:45 am) but I realized that if I don’t write this now, it wouldn’t get written this weekend.

This has been a long week at work – there is rumor going around that we’ll be getting off early today – but nobody knows exactly when….

We’re going to overdose on Star Wars this weekend.  That’s right we’re going to watch all six movies, in order. <grin>  I’ve seen everything but the third prequel.  It will be interesting to see how the stories intersect.  One thing is for sure – the special effects are much better now than they were back in the 70’s when the original Star Wars came out.  

I don’t that special effects only make a good movie – there has to be story there as well.  When I watched Twister, I found I could tell the difference between the real tornado footage and the computer generated ones.  But then, I watched a lot of tornado films during my time as a weather guesser in the Navy.

One thing that I loved about the first Star Wars movie was the soundtrack.  I have listened to that John Williams score numerous times.  

We have a friend that will be giving us a deep fat fried turkey for Christmas. That seems to be a southern thing.  I did notice that the hardware store that sold turkey fryers – complete with demonstrations this time of year - has gone out of business.  Hmm…  I’m not too sure about how the fried turkey will turn out that so I have a Butterball turkey breast in reserve.  I’ve never had a bad Butterball!

I’ll be making sugar-free sugar cookies this year.  I guess they really aren’t sugar cookies…  I mentioned to my husband that I had to find my cookie cutters.  I know I have a couple squirreled around somewhere.  So yesterday, my husband went out a got me a bunch of cookie cutters – including some that I have no idea of what they are– so I guess I’ll just use the ones I recognize.

I haven’t done much baking since our home went sugarless some five years ago. But the urge to bake never really fades … so I spent some time looking at recipes on the Equal site.  The apple pie has been a bit hit …

I hope that you and yours all have a very Merry Christmas!

Take care & enjoy,
Florence

Christmas is Just Over a Week Away!

There is always a sweet spot during the holiday season when all the cards and gifts have been sent out.  I’m nearly there – I only have two cross-stitch items to frame and wrap.  One is going across town and the other I will give to my friend when we get together for lunch after Christmas.  Everything is else is on its way!

Still working at the cookie factory.  It looks like I’ll be there through the end of the month.   I’m sure that I’ll be getting temp job after this one ends.  I’m with the 4th temp agency this year and I must same I am impressed with this one.  But I will go with whichever one calls me.  I find it interesting how many phone calls about work come while I’m on another job…

Finally getting some rainy weather around here.  It was so very dry during September and October.  I’ll take the rain during the winter months since that is the wetter part of the year around here.

Currently I’m reading the English Standard Version of the Bible.  I have finished the New Testament, Genesis, and most of Exodus.  Except for the Lord’s Prayer, this version keeps much of the grandeur that the King James Version does but with more modern English.

I’ve also been doing a fair bit of fiction reading.  I’m currently reading The Last Juror by John Grisham.  Other books I’ve read recently are Popped by Carol Higgins Clark; McNally’s Alibi by Vincent Lardo; Moon Shadows by Nora Roberts, Jill Gregory, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Marianne Willman; and Cape Light by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer.

Still working on the stamped piece.  I need to put that down and pick up the geese I’m stitching for my husband, but until this weekend, I haven’t really had the time to make the switch!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Take care & enjoy,
Florence

The Rush to Christmas is On!

November just flew by and December probably will as well.  Today is our 29th anniversary – got married back in the bi-centennial year.  Don’t quite know how we made it this far but we’ve managed to muddle through…

It was quite a week at work – Monday I worked at the medical supply place, Tuesday morning I quit – the atmosphere was not good over there.  Later that morning I got a call from another agency I’d been working with and Wednesday I started a job at a cookie factory with yet another temp agency.  That the fourth one this year!  The atmosphere at the cookie factory is so much better…. but it’s tough smelling cookies and muffins baking when you are on a sugar-free eating plan!

I’m on my 4th reading of the Bible this year – this time I’m reading the English Standard Version (ESV) which does maintain some of the grandeur of the King James version.  What I find interesting is how these revised standards leave things out of the Lord’s prayer – the ESV omitted “thy will be done on heaven and earth” and “thine is the power and glory forever”.   Sort of changes things!

I had to put the Salty Santas piece down since there was no way it was going to get done for this Christmas.  I’m working on a stamped cross stitch piece now – I started out with stamped pieces but have stuck with counted cross stitch ever since I discovered it in the late 70’s/early 80’s.  I kind of like starting out with a blank piece of fabric – seeing everything laid out is little different.  So is using a sharp embroidery needle – normally I use blunt tapestry needles.  Doing my best to get this piece done so I can get back to the geese I’m stitching for my husband

I managed to synch my Yahoo! Address book with Microsoft Outlook so I can print the Christmas card envelopes using the envelope and label wizard in Microsoft Word.  Might as well use the technology you have. <grin>  There’s not much time to get everything done – I still have to assemble some gifts (cut-out and frame) and have a few more to wrap up ….

I hope you all have a great week!

Take care & enjoy,
Florence