The week of limbo...

Well...
That was fun....food, music, food, pretty lights, food, gifts and did I mention food?  I have been in a food coma for three days and have only now recovered enough to sit at the computer.

Christmas was certainly enjoyable,  I can hardly wait until the next one rolls around.


Now we begin the week of limbo, the week between Christmas and New Year, the week between gatherings, the week when everyone is still relishing the glow of Christmas and looking forward to the revelry of New Year, the week when no one really wants to do any work.

It is a week to ponder.
Ponder the year past, ponder the year to come, ponder all those resolutions.

It is also a week to plan.
Oh sure, there is New Year's Eve to consider.  There will be a party, drinks, food, music and how to get home.  However, I am more concerned about the food for New Year's Day.  The traditional food that is consumed to insure a happy and prosperous year.  I am making a list (and checking it twice) because I take my food seriously, especially if it is going to bring me good luck.

More later....


Love,
Buddy

Happy Yule Day!

Happy Yule Day to you.
Happy Yule Day to you.
Haaa-ppy Yulllle Daaay dear Pagan.and.any.others.who.wish.to celebraaaaaate.
Happy Yule Day to you.




http://www.earthwitchery.com/yule.html

http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm

I'm all for the sun coming back around to this part of the world.
(not looking forward to the long cold winter)

Love,
Buddy

Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Oh oh oh it is almost time and all the humans are getting excited. 

The most interesting topics of conversation revolve around the pretty packages under the tree.

The first question is do the gifts get opened Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

If the answer is Christmas morning then the next question is do gifts from Santa get wrapped or not?

Once that is answered the next question is do the presents all get opened in one free for all or do they get opened one at a time?

However, if the answer to the first question is Christmas Eve then the second question is how long do we have to wait on Christmas Eve before we get to open the packages, followed by do they all get opened at once or one at a time?

Who knew opening a package could get so complicated!

I am all for Christmas Eve so there is more room for the stuff Santa brings.  I'm not sure I have the patience for opening one gift at a time, I kinda like the idea of a free for all, but hey just give me a bone to chew on and I won't care.

Oh, and don't forget to go look at all the light.....that's one of the best parts of the season.

http://www.christmasdisplays.net/

Love,
Buddy

Oh, and Santa, if you are reading this... I really have been a good boy, or at least I have tried, or at least I thought about trying, well....I'll try next year...I promise.

A week?

 

 

Really!  Christmas happens in a week?  When?What?How?

 

How did we go from "oh, Christmas is later this month" to "Christmas is a week away"?

 

Oh the stress........................

Well, I guess I need to take a deep breath, take a step back and let's see what needs to be done.

 

Tell friends and family how much I love them? Check.

Christmas tree up? Check.

 

Christmas tree decorated? Check.

 

Christmas letter typed? Check.

 

Christmas cards addressed? Check.

 

Christmas cards mailed? Check.

 

Christmas tree acquired? Check.

 

Christmas tree decorated? Check.

 

Presents bought? Check.

 

Presents wrapped? Check.

 

Presents mailed? Check.

 

Tell my friends and family how much they mean to me? Check.

 

Hmmmmmm....maybe there is no need to be stressed....maybe I'm gonna be okay.....maybe everything is gonna work out, no sweat, no problem.  

Maybe I can look forward to...oh yes, Christmas dinner!!  

 

Love,

Buddy 

On-line, Catalog or Brick and Mortar?

Some people just don't like shopping.

Some people thrive on it.

Some people don't like to talk on the phone.

Some people thrive on it.

In my opinion (and I am an expert on my opinion) on-line shopping is the best of all worlds.  Those that don't like to go to the mall can get their gift buying done without having to find a parking place, pass the bell ringers at the door, put up with the crowds, or wear their feet to nubs. 

Those that like the mall, can let their fingers do the walking on the computer keyboard and once all the goodies have been found on-line can go to the store and get their shopping high in person.

Personally, I like to go through all the catalogs the nice mailman brings, go on-line to order, then the nice mailman delivers the gifts right to my door.

These are interesting on-line catalog sites:

L L Bean

FREE SHIPPING!

Sundance

Edmund Scientific's

Signals

Woolrich

Betty's Attic

Retro to the Max

Hammacher Schlemmer

Acorn

Bas Bleu

National Geographic

Hickory Farms

Stonewall Kitchen

Cheryl's

Wisconsin Cheeseman

The Popcorn Factory

Wind & Weather

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Wolferman's

X-treme geek

Catalog Favorites

Norm Thompson

Herrington

Nueske's

The BEST meat I ever wrapped a tongue around!






Sometimes I get so engrossed in the catalogs, I forget that I am actually shopping. I thrive on it.

I hate to admit this, and I wouldn't tell just anyone, but I had every one of these catalogs sitting right here by the computer, with duplicates of LLBean (five of them) and Nueske's (only two).  Most of them are from this year but I did find a couple dated 2008! Maybe a little spring cleaning is in order.

The good thing is I am now done with all my Christmas shopping.  Now aren't you jealous?

Love,
Buddy

To Tree or Not to Tree...That is the Question

Or is the question in your family "real" vs "artificial"?
I'm willing to give artificial a chance, especially if they have a bit of character.

http://www.neatorama.com/2007/12/03/worlds-most-unusual-christmas-trees/

http://www.oddee.com/item_96916.aspx

http://shop.treetopia.com/topnav/Category-Tree--Style-Funky

http://curiousphotos.blogspot.com/2009/12/100-unusual-christmas-trees.html

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-offbeat-traveler-christmas-trees-20111205,0,3341210.photogallery

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-unusual-christmas-trees.php

http://www.squidoo.com

Once upon a Christmas, a long time ago, a young married couple were expecting their first child.  Money was tight and a tree was a luxury they could not afford.  They went out, picked up a tumbleweed a fence had captured, and carried it home.  It was placed on the dining table, the only place in the apartment large enough to hold the dried plant (it turned out to be a lot bigger inside the house than it looked outside the house).  First they sprayed it with a fifty cent can of artificial snow.  Then they decorated it with red licorice and small red balls that cost $1.00 at the Five and Dime.  It didn't matter that there were no gifts under the "tree", it made them happy to have their own and unusual Christmas decoration.  Christmas was lean that year but the tumbleweed Christmas tree gave a feeling of cheer and hope.  It sort of represented the toughness of their life and the resilience of their spirit.  The couple had many years of Christmas trees, some real trees, some artificial, but never one as special as their first.

So you see, a Christmas tree doesn't have to be a real tree, it doesn't have to be a tree at all.  It just has to be what fits your life.

Love,
Buddy

Season of Giving

Giving gifts may not be the main reason to celebrate Christmas, but it certainly has become a big part of the season, and there is nothing wrong with that.  Gifts are something to look forward to, something that makes everyone feel better; the recipient and the giver.  Gifts are something that get you through the winter.

It is my opinion that gifts don't have to cost a lot to be meaningful.  In fact there are times when homemade gifts, one's that have really been thought out and personal, can be the best gifts of all.

However, homemade gifts take time, so if you are going to do it, now is the time to start.

So, whom do you need to gift?  Make a list, check it twice.

Now, what do you want to gift?

A personalize gift basket?

Soap or lotion?

Light up my life?

Gifts in a jar?

Feel like spending some time in the kitchen?

Sew much?

Sew and no sew?

No cost?








Now, go make Christmas happen!

Love,
Buddy

Drying your hands....

What's up with taking paper towels from restrooms and installing electric, hot-air-blowing, pretend hand drying, machines?  They don't work you know.  Have you ever noticed how many people are walking out of restrooms with semi-damp hands?  I only hope they are damp from water.

Not that it bothers me all that much, I lick my paws (and other body parts) to get them clean , but I have noticed some discontent among the humans.

I know, I know..... environmentally responsible, living green, easier to clean, less vandalism, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Have you ever tried to wipe a child's face with an electric hand dryer?

Or better yet, think about how many surfaces get touched between doing the deed and washing the hands?  Don't you wish now that you had a paper towel in your hands rather than an electric, hot-air-blowing, pretend hand drying, machine?

Love,
Buddy

Christmas Cards

One of my favorite parts of the holiday seasons is hearing from the far-flung friends and family who send cards and letters.  I love the annual "catch-up" letters where every good thing that happened all year gets chronicled.  They are ever so much better if read out loud to a group (a couple of bottles of wine couldn't hurt) with an English accent in Shakespearean style.

The first "official" Christmas card.  Read all about it here.







Even though these are the "holy days"; a time of spiritual reflection, sharing, and giving, a bit of funky and fun can be incorporated in gifts and cards.

 Funny site with a bit of quirkiness.
Five downloadable cards, & link to a commercial site.










 A commercial site with more than just Christmas cards.

Commercial site with stickers, labels and more.

Commercial site, all kinds of cards from business to personal.

Links to free e-cards sites and American Greetings.
















Get into the spirit and start writing those letters.

Love,
Buddy