A hard time

It has been 4 years since Doyle's dad passed away.

The holidays are always the hardest.

Melissa walked in the door Christmas Eve crying her eyes out - carrying flowers.

I couldn't figure out what she was meaning when she said "I took flowers to Grandpa" as my dad was standing there.

She walked over to me and bawled her eyes out on my shoulder. Once she calmed down a little bit, I got her talking and it turns out that she went to Doyle's Dad's grave and took him some flowers so that he would know that we hadn't forgotten him during the holidays.


She sure misses that man...as do we all.

He never took anyone for granted and treated everyone equally.

What a hassle - Dec 24

I woke up on Christmas Eve day with a few things left to do:

1. Drive into the city to pick up our Family Pics that were taken on Dec 14.
2. Go to the Liquor Store and stock up before the family gathering on the 26th.
3. Get supper from Stawnichy's meat house - BBQ ribs that just require heating.
4. Get Mark and Luke their final gifts.
5. Do a little more "man in the red suit" shopping.

Sounds pretty easy and straight forward right?

Well, it sure WASN'T.

I got to Wal-Mart to pick up the pics only to see the line from hell. Stood there for almost 45 minutes before it was my turn. They grabbed the envelope and went through the pics with me. I said "they aren't all here". They said "are you sure". "Umm...YUP". The girl tried to go through them with me...but the line was horrendously long and I said "look...let me take these over there and I will write on my copy what is missing". She said "okay.". So I went over to a little chair, sat down and figured out that more than half of our picture package was missing. NOT IMPRESSED.

So back up to the counter I go...with my sheet in hand. They look all over for another envelop but nothing is found. So the girl says "I will make a new CD and take it to the photolab and make your pics". I asked how long it is going to take and she says "at least 45 minutes". As I had other stuff to do, I said "okay." and left.

So off I go to the liquor store...where the line-ups are even longer. I get all we need, head out the door. Many thanks to the nice gentleman who opened the doors for little me with the little box. LOL

Then it is off to Future Shop to get Mark's gift...the bank to get Luke the rest of his. And then off to Superstore to get the "red suited man's" stuff for the stockings.

Final stop is Stawnichy's Meat House for their absolutely fantasic ribs. I also grabbed some of their famous sausage.

Headed back to WalMart with time to spare...so I wondered around there and found one more gift.

Went to the photolab...and guess what - NOTHING WAS DONE. The girl I had been dealing with, who ended up being the district manager, had left and not left instructions that this was to be done. I lost it!!! I had to wait for yet another 45 minutes while the CD was made and the pictures were processed.

So again, to kill time...I did more shopping. This time at IGA.

In the meantime, Doyle and the kids were at home cleaning the house. And my parents were expected for dinner...jof which, I had it in the car with me (the ribs).

I finally got out of the city after 6 hours...it was HORRIBLE.

Last minute changes

I got a call from Mom and Jodi asking if Christmas dinner could be held at my house again this year.

We always do the "Wood Family" turkey dinner on the 26th as the 25th is usually so hectic. Plus the fact that everyone is so into the chocolates and other goodies that no one is hungry by the end of the day.

This year, it was supposed to be at Loralee and Pat's house. With the numbers of people coming, it was determined that we may be a might cramped and that the parking outside the house would not accommodate everyone.

So, the dinner has been moved back out to the farm.

This means though, that we are now in PANIC mode to clean the house as we had slacked off. OOPS.

E-mail updates on two puppies

I got a couple e-mails on two of the puppies we sold in November.

Kirby:

He's come a long ways, he now weighs over 40lbs, and is taller then my knee! I forgot how little and cute he used to be! He still has most of his colouring, and all of his puppy fur, and for the most part is a very good puppy! He's started marking in the house, so I'm thinking of getting him neutered early if someone around here will do it. They both graduated from puppy class a couple of weeks ago, and are on hiatus until they are 6 months old for beginners obedience. He's loving this -40 crap and is difficult to get in from outside, which is a little embarassing because we live in town, and when people see a puppy out in this weather, they are thinking animal abuse...LOL. I will send pictures in the new year so you can see what a big boy he has become!

Nora:

Nora is doing great, what a friendly giant she is! She loves the other dogs--sometimes is a little rough with the little ones, but they give her what for and she's great. She plays for hours with one of the Jacks, and one of the terrier mixes we have. They are great buddies. Grown tons!! She is bigger than all of them but the Rotti now. Max (the Rot) doesn't like her, but that's okay, not unexpected--he will like her fine next year when she's bigger and can play with him. She sleeps in the kennel and I guess that's where she'll stay for this winter. Probably by next winter she'll want to stay out. Anyway, thanks for her--she's a cool pooch. So goofy too, she is a lot of fun. She loves to chase the mop--doesn't often catch it, but tips over trying to be quick. Pretty funny stuff.

So I know that at least two of the pups are doing really well. I can hardly wait to get new pics of them.

Getting things in order

For our vacation in January took some doing...especially for Shayne and Bailey.

In November I had talked to all the kids teachers at P/T interviews and informed them that we would be gone for the first two weeks of January and that I would be asking for the kids homework. All were great and said "no problem".

I mentioned it again on the last Tuesday of school and it was a good thing as nothing had gotten into the office for the kids by this time. The principal came out of his office and said that he had sent a memo out but had not received anything. The secretary, while I was standing there, sent out an e-mail.

I called the school on the Friday - the kids last day of school - and confirmed that there was stuff for the kids.

Shayne and Bailey both arrived home with books in tow...along with brown envelopes full of homework.

What a wonderful Christmas vacation they will have...two weeks of school work to complete before we leave.

New renovations started in the house

During my cleaning spree before Christmas, I had mentioned to Doyle that it would be so nice if the hallway going into the backroom from the tv room was wider - just in passing mind you.

It was only around 2 1/2 feet - way narrower than the norm...so in some ways it was hard to move stuff around back there.

Anyways...I went to town one day only to come home to this:


The entire wall of the spare room was gone...the wall to my storage room at the top of the stairs was gone...and part of the tv room wall was gone.


And what the heck were people thinking "way back when". Look at the ugly wallpaper we found under the beautiful pine slats on teh wall.


OMG - I started a monster. I really did not want this started before Christmas with all the other stuff we needed to get done. And I had thought that the kitchen was our next project...guess I was wrong.

But it got done...or as done as possible in the time frame. We have to finish the walls...put up doors on the storage room and then widen the doorway into the backroom.

I have to admit it is really nice to be able to walk through the one doorway straight when carrying things. And the ability to get into the storage room is much nicer from this direction.

Doyle was also able to utilize the shelving unit that his dad made us 10 years ago when we were living in the mobile home.

More pictures to come once it is complete.

Computer woes

It was a horrible start to December. My laptop crashed. Sort of.

It would freeze up after shutting down...which I thought was weird. When starting up again...all the lights on the keyboard would come on...you could hear the cd drive kick in...and then NOTHING.

I took it into Computer Geek Squad and they played with it and all was well.

For a few days, at least.

Then it started again. It didn't matter what I did...it was just dead.

Doyle took it into work and one of his co-workers took it apart and THE PROCESSOR DIED. So that meant a shopping spree to get a new one.

In the meantime, my tower was now acting up as well. Numerous programs would no longer function and my new "much loved" high speed internet connector could not be read by it.

I tried to download all new drivers and all the security stuff from microsoft but being on dialup meant that the computer was out of commission for hours at a time. And once all those were downloaded, NOTHING worked. So then it was off to do a "system restore".

I bought a new Toshiba Satellite laptop and LOVE IT. The keyboard is fantastic...and it is sooo LIGHT. I took the old laptop and the new one into Geek Squad and they hooked them up and did a data transfer. So far so good...nothing missing.

Once that was done, my tower has gone into them to be fixed as well. If all goes good with that one...I will take in the really old one and get it done up for the kids.

More job interviews

Well, the job interviews continue.

I had three interviews with "Staffing Agencies" in late December.

They all sound promising...with ideas on what type of job I would be good for...and having some to send my resume out to right away.

I did inform them all of my vacation plans in early January and all are willing to wait until I get back before really pushing my resume...so that is good.

A couple of the potential jobs that they are pointing me at sound really good...so I am excited...and hopeful.

Photography course arrives - Dec 08

YIPPEE - I am soo excited.

My first lesson from the New York Institute of Photography has arrived.

I am now reading through the four lesson books and will be taking them on my vacation with me in January. I won't be able to complete them as I won't have my computer to do the dvd's but it will be good to try to put the lessons into practice as I take pictures.

Oops...guess I should have mentioned in my last post that I am going to work on catching up on my blog in order of date.

Busy times

OH BOY...Did I ever get behind again.

I am going to be doing some serious backtracking to get my blog caught up and I hope I don't miss anything.

The month of December was hectic for us as usual with all the birthdays in the family as well as getting ready for Christmas.

This year, I got a headstart on the shopping and thought I had everything done...but alas...i didn't.

I also went the extra "mile" or more in cleaning this year...for my Mom.

Mom's health has not been good. She was diagnosed with COPD last February and has been struggling to get her medication in order so that it is working the best way it can for her. She has also been trying to exercise etc. She has also quit smoking - I AM SOOO PROUD OF HER FOR THAT ALONE!!!

Her doctor's have recommended that she try to not be around cats (due to allergies) and smokers. Well, in my house that can be hard as I have to smokers living here and we have three hosue cats.

I bought a small steamcleaner (carpet cleaner machine) and set to work in early December cleaning EVERYTHING. I did all the carpets in the house - even the small kitchen rubberbacked rugs...and then started on the furniture. Every piece in the upstairs of the house that could be done got done.

Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the two weeks. But very proud of myself for setting the goal and in attaining it.