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Tag Archives: Christmas presents

Not Slacker, Not Scattered, and Not Even Saturday

It was partway through the evening last night when I realized I had not made a Saturday blog post and did not intend to.  It is not really a defense, but I worked all day and was having a very enjoyable evening.

Since I worked, I feel a Slacker Saturday Post is ineligible, and since I was only at work and home, it was clearly not a Scattered Sunday.  I have not started running, so no Saturday Running Commentary.  My husband, Steve, did watch a few movies.  Perhaps a Saturday Cinema Post.

Isn’t she pretty?

We started with Horror of Dracula, at my request.  It is another Hammer horror on DVD I got for Christmas.  Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, YES!  I spent a good deal of the movie telling Steven what was similar or different  from the book.  We readers often do that.  I have no problem with a movie making changes; it is a different medium.  I just like to point these things out, sometimes adding commentary on whether or not I approve of the change.  I’m sure some people would find me annoying to watch a movie with, but I mostly watch movies with Steve, so the problem does not arise.

He is the man!

We went on to watch a couple of episodes of Columbo, another Christmas present.  I received the entire collection, so we may be doing this for a while.

I see I am over 200 words, which is a good thing, because I am out of movies.  I will strive to make my Sunday blog post on Sunday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Here’s the Cow Bell!

This evening, I bestirred myself to take a picture of the Cow Bell I mentioned in my last blog post.

Is it not adorable?

I also took a better shot of the sugar cookies from the So Sweet Candy Cafe.

They tasted as good as they looked.

Yes, we already ate them.

For anybody just tuning, these were part of a Christmas present from my sister Cheryl. I wrote about it yesterday, I neglected to give any information on the local businesses where she shopped. In lieu of my usual Tired Tuesday Post, I shall do that now.

The So Sweet Candy Cafe, where she got the sugar cookies, is located at 531 Varick St., Utica, NY, phone number 315-765-6463. They are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Newport Marketplace, where she purchased the Cow Bell, is located at 7583 Main St., Newport, NY, phone number 315-845-8822. They are open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.n. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Awesome Country, where she found items pictured in yesterday’s post, is located at 106 Park Ave., Booneville, NY, phone number 914-489-1460. They are open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

I close with another picture of the cow bell, showing a few surrounding decorations. I am still feeling the Christmas Spirit, and I hope many of you are too.

There might be a couple of Halloween decorations there as well.

Present Company Excluded

So it is that time on a Thursday when I want to make a blog post and go to bed.  Yes, I have an early bedtime.  I get up early and I am old.  Additionally,  I have insomnia, so time spent in bed does not equal time asleep.

Ooh, that brings up something I may have written about here but is often on my mind this time of year.  According to song, Santa Claus is not reasonable in his requirements for the Nice List.   Case in point: “He knows when you’re awake.”

I have always been awake for some portion of the night, from when I was a very small child through now.  I wanted to sleep, but I could not.  Is this a reason for Santa Claus to withhold presents?  I feel this is unfair.

And while we’re on the subject,  “You better not cry.”  Say what?  What if I got hurt?  What if someone was really mean to me (quite a common occurrence in my elementary school)?  Am I to be penalized for expressing my feelings?  Apparently so.

I must say, one of the delights of being older is that I no longer particularly want Christmas presents.  Oh, I am grateful for the ones I get, and I admit to some slight frisson of ill-use if I do not get one from someone I gave a present to (I try so hard not to be a quid pro quo capitalist about these things,  but I am only human).  But in general, I am fine with getting nothing.

Where was I going with this?  I confess, I do not know.  But I see I am over 250 words, so I hope this is acceptable for a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  We’ll see what Lame Post Friday will bring.

 

Wuss-Out? Wordless? It’s Wednesday!

Some bloggers have Wordless Wednesday,  showing pictures.  Full disclosure:  I only remember reading one Wordless Wednesday post, and that blogger used words.  I intend to use words,too.

I like the pictures she picked!

I have been meaning to take a picture of these mugs to share on Facebook, but I’d like to share them here as well.  This is the awesome Christmas present my sister, Cheryl, got me and Steven.  Even if I did have too many coffee mugs (and I DON’T), these would be a welcome addition to the collection.

I did not want to do a post with only one picture, so I took a couple more.

Who, me, lolly gag? Say it ain’t so!

This is my birthday present from Cheryl.  She says it sounds like something I would say.  The idea!  In fact, I do prefer dilly dallying to lolly gagging, due to the alliteration involved.  Steven found a good place to hang the sign when he redid our mantle after Christmas.

I’ll have to do some detail shots, to show off specific things.

Steven often goes from holiday to holiday with our mantle.  After Christmas is Valentine’s Day, sometimes followed by St. Patrick’s Day, sometimes going directly into Easter… This year, he went with an any time theme.  Actually, he added a couple of Valentine rubber duckies, in honor of February 14th, but I don’t know if you can see them in this picture.

So this is my Wednesday post.  I think it is a bit of a Wuss-out Wednesday, because all I did was share a few pictures and chatter about them.  I do not think it is such a much as a Wordless Wednesday, though, because I am over 250 words. I can’t do anything right.  Oh well, as usual I am going to hit Publish and hope for the best.  Hope to see you all on Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

Seasonal Scattered Saturday

I pause in my Christmas gyrations to make this week’s Scattered Saturday post. Full Disclosure:  I sat down to make this post earlier and just did not want to do it.  I felt down, I felt stupid, I felt completely disinclined to make a blog post just for the sake of making a blog post.  Remembering that doing something, anything often helps (if you can get yourself to do it), I did the dishes (there were not that many) and started another batch of Chex Party Mix (although I used the store brand version of Chex cereal) (I guess that is another Full Disclosure).  I have one, maybe two more goodies to make (however, I have found that it does not pay to get too ambitious), then I can start packaging and wrapping.

The packaging is often the most fun.  My husband Steven likes to put a present in a present, so we pick up various size tins and decorative boxes whenever we see them for a good price.  For another reason, I am a terrible wrapper, completely unable to fold the corners in anywhere close to a neat fashion.  However, I am thinking I will wrap the presents for my great nephew and niece, who are four and one.  I think they will like to tear the paper.

I had been hoping for a return of Saturday Running Commentary today, but the early weather report warned of possible icy roads early on, when I would have liked to go.  I am clumsy enough on my feet without adding slippery into the mix.  Additionally, I wanted to run to Hannaford for just a couple more things.  I felt like an independent, take-charge kind of woman when I went to Hannaford shortly after they opened, thus beating the crowd (although I kept walking into people; I did mention I was clumsy, did I not?), then drove to the Mohawk YMCA, arriving shortly after they opened.  Half an hour on the elliptical made me feel even better about myself.

Steven got a little ambitious himself, scoring a same-day appointment appointment at the Hot Shot Salon and Spa in Herkimer to have his beard and hair trimmed.  I admired his handsomeness before starting my first batch of Party Mix.

Later on, I went to Ilion with my friend Kim, to visit the New 2 You Consignments.  We mostly went to visit our friend Robbi, the proprietress.  We also got to see her lovely daughter, Megan.  Megan is ultra-talented and is studying musical theatre in New York.  Kim and I worked on a couple of shows with her when she was still local.  We looked around at the merchandise, but the only thing I bought was a pair of Christmas socks.  I love Christmas socks, and I do not have enough of them.  I know, this is the time of year I should be purchasing things for other people, but, hey, Christmas socks.  There could be no possible objection.

Before leaving Ilion, we stopped by Ilion Wine and Spirits, where I picked up a bottle of my favorite champagne, Great Western Extra Dry, made in New York State.  Wine purists will point out that technically it is not champagne if it is not made in a specific part of France, but I do not care at all.  Call it whatever you like, I like to drink it!

Making Chex Party Mix is a relaxing activity, because once it is in the oven you have 45 minutes to wait, needing only to stir it every 15.  That part is sometimes a little stressful for me when I start to think I did not set the timer this time after stirring.  Then I go to check, thinking I will set the timer for less than 15 if I have indeed forgotten.  Then I have not forgotten, and much more time has passed than I realized, so it is good I remembered to set it.  But other than that, a perfectly relaxing treat to make, and so tasty.

So this is my Scattered Saturday post.  Only two more days till Christmas!  Yikes!  Well, I will be ready or I won’t.  My family will not mind if I am not. They will not even be surprised.  They have known me for a while.

 

Meandering towards Monstrous Monday

I tried to write a blog post while at work today, but all I seemed to want to write about was how this is a three-day work week and how happy I was about that.  However, I think I touch on that subject every year during Thanksgiving week.  Well, just for something different from Monstrous Monday, I thought I could use this space to ponder my Christmas shopping choices this year.

Um, yes, that means I have not purchased all the Christmas gifts I intend to give this year.  Some years (oh, all right most years), I am a last minute kind of gal.  I MAY have picked up one or two things along the way, but I can’t say anything about those IF they in fact exist.  I don’t know who all reads my blog.  One of the prospective gift recipients may tune in.  Already I’ve said too much.

Now that I think of it, I don’t think I should talk about where I intend to shop either.  People might guess what I’m going to get them. Worse yet, they may guess wrong that it’s something better than what I actually buy.  I would hate to disappoint anybody.  Oh, this gift giving season is fraught with peril!

I think it would be a better idea to wait till AFTER Christmas and tell my readers what I DID buy, after people have unwrapped their things.  Hopefully I will get around to buying them, but let’s not catastrophize, shall we?  In the meantime, I need a blog post TODAY.  Maybe I should have gone with a Monstrous Monday after all.

A festive monster.

You know, I am over 250 words.  I’m going to call this a Monday Mental Meanderings and drive on. Happy Monday, everyone!

 

Bride and Bunny at the Barn

Saturday when we were out and about, I introduced Steven to a the Old Barn Marketplace, which I have been touting to all and sundry but had not been back to in a while.  I cleverly remembered my Tablet, so I have some pictures to share.

Obviously Mohawk Valley Girl would like this vendor.

There were new vendors which I was happy to check out.  I got two pictures of Mohawk Valley Candles

Ideas for Christmas presents already? I’m still waiting for Halloween!

I know a few people who would like wine glass or beer mug candles.  I personally love the look of the head of foam on the beer mugs.

There were vendors on both lofts.  I noticed a bride dress from below and happily went up to take a picture.

Not a corpse bride, but nice (yes, I still have Halloween on my mind).

As we went through one room, I pointed out to Steven where a skeleton had sat in October.  I think I still have a picture of him.

Taken last October, but I am always in the mood for skeletons.

No, the skeleton was not there last Saturday, but I will go in looking for him again in October.  I like skeletons.

The last thing I took a picture of was a bunny doll I saw.

Isn’t she nice? I love her ensemble.

We have two nice bunnies of our own.  I must share a picture of them and tell their story sometime.  I wonder if we ought to buy them a friend.  I’ll check for a price on this lovely lady the next time I stop in at the Old Barn Marketplace.

The Old Barn Marketplace is located at 6266 State Route 5, Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-508-5254.  They are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  You can Like them on Facebook.

 

That Squirrel Didn’t Bring Me a Present!

So I have about twenty minutes before Steven gets home from work and thought I might be able to get my blog post done.  He fooled me yesterday.  I thought he worked till 5:30 but it was only till five.  He’s sneaky that way, but I think I have the right time today.  What I do not have is a blog post, but we’ll see what I can come up with.

Earlier today, I was out on our deck, taking out the trash and recyclables, when I heard a hoarse chirpy kind of sound.  This dumb squirrel was on our tree, eating a nut and, apparently, taking exception to my presence on my own deck.  I told him what I thought, but he was not impressed.  Like any self-respecting person of the 21st century would do, I went inside to get a device to take his picture.

If I only had audio, you could hear how audacious this critter was.

I’m afraid it is a little too dark, but my Tablet does not have a flash.  At least, maybe it does but I don’t know how to turn it on.  OK, I am not really a self-respecting person of the 21st century, but I would like to be someday.

Anyways, I sat down to write a blog post with the words “But Here’s a Squirrel” in the title, then I thought I’d like to add a couple more pictures.  So here is an update on a couple of our Christmas decorations.  We’ve added presents.

Steven surprised me with this tableau.

It seems so appropriate for Santa Claus to hold my Christmas presents until you remember: he gives presents to GOOD little boys and girls.  I’ve always suspected that elf was a pushover.  These presents have been on our stairs for a few days now, but I just added the following yesterday:

But can we trust this motley crew not to open them?

This scene is a little busier, and the presents are not wrapped as well.  No matter.  It is Christmas Eve.  This is the day we realize we are not going to have the Norman Rockwell, Hallmark Card Christmas we envisioned back in November, and that is OK.  Enjoy your Christmas if you celebrate it; if not, enjoy whatever you do.  Peace.

 

Maybe If I Left Out a Couple Geese A-Laying

I am even more tired now than I was on Tired Tuesday!  What the hell, me?  No matter.  I have one more day of work to get through, then I have the next week and one day off.  And only about a million and twelve things to do before Christmas on Monday.  Ooh, I randomly decided to put 1,000,012 instead of a more mundane 1,000,000, then I realized “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”  So I went ahead and changed my headline.

I had originally put, “At Least I Chopped the Celery.”  I was going to do a kind of a Scattered Thursday, because I did a bit of running around after work today, which is no doubt why I am so tired (yuh think?). However, I just realized that I cannot very well talk about where all I stopped, because I was buying Christmas presents.  The recipients MIGHT read my blog post (or do I flatter myself?) and guess what I got them!  Worse yet, they might guess wrong and get their hopes up for a better present than I actually selected.  Oh, the pain. (Yes, that is a period there, not an exclamation point; I was being Dr. Smith from Lost in Space; remember how he always said that in such a quiet, tired voice?).

So this is your basic Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  At least I got it over 200 words.  And I like the headline.  I hope to see you all again tomorrow on Lame Post Friday.

 

It Wasn’t a BB Gun

In lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday, I offer a personal Christmas Story (I was going to say a story about a Christmas present from my past, but I thought that might be getting too cute) (but that I could get away with it in a parenthetical comment).

I thought of the story after reading another blog post (once again procrastinating writing my own blog by reading others’). The blog was Return of the Modern Philosopher. The post was about buying the perfect present for a girlfriend. This is the story of the first Christmas present my husband Steven gave me.

We had just barely kind of sort of started dating in late November. In fact Steven went home for Christmas and said to his mother (as he told me later), “I think I have a girlfriend.” In the meantime I was saying to my friends, “He’s NOT my boyfriend,” largely because I did not want to jinx it (I never had many boyfriends, despite being quite the looker in those days) (no, really, I was cute, and I wore really short mini-skirts).

Steven was going to school at the time and had a couple of papers due. I remind you that these were the days before computers were common equipment for these things, so I offered to type them for him. I love to type. We arranged that he would drop them off at my apartment while I was at work. This was a new apartment I had just moved into, living alone for the first time. In fact, I was not even fully furnished.

I had told Steven the story of how I had a craving for tuna noodle casserole (my dietary needs were simple in those days). After working till nine, I walked to the grocery store and purchased the ingredients, then eagerly walked home only to find… I did not have a can-opener. I ate noodles and butter instead. It was a funnier story when I told it. I used gestures.

You probably all know where this is going. Steven dropped his papers off to me at work with a cute, self-deprecating smile, telling me he had “put a little something” in with them. Yes, it was a can-opener.

I have told that can-opener story for years. I now have a sneaking suspicion it is a funnier story when I told it. I must have used gestures.

However, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday. Now I can go back finishing out my weekend with my wrist properly on my forehead saying, “My blog post wasn’t very funny today!”