The Telemarketer's Opposite

We ate dinner last night at Cafe Angelica. Funny how we always go out when the older son is not home. (Sorry, sweetie.) We had a great lunch there on Tuesday..I highly recommend the chicken panini. Last night's dinner was delicious too. The topper of my evening was when the waitress said they had mistakenly thrown my leftovers away but they were cooking another steak for me. I was given a whole new meal to take home. Pretty nice service!

Please sir, may I have s'more? (Not!)

alternately known as the mammogram.

The joys of being in your 40s. The feeling of having each breast squashed like a marshmallow --twice-- between two plates…roast me over a fire and call me a s’more.

Alpha Dog or Queen Bee

For the first time in a while, there are 3 males home at the same time...alpha dog syndrome has been rampant ...alpha daddy dog has made major accomplishments in networking my new computer, and rightfully asserts himself as the computer alphadog.... but betadog and gammadog are unused to the alpha presence and are right back at'cha with their computer needs. (Thank you to Wickipedia for the correct greek alphabet.) So we're trying to find a balance. Alphadad got to make his own set up on the laptop. Beta/Gamma got to set up a GameFly account.

BUT I feel the queen bee really controls the hive mind of the family. I am the queen.............I must direct the hive.... Hmmmmm...... Eventually, they bow down to me. Bzzzzz.......

Here's a Twist

Yesterday a telemarketer swore at me. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. He said he was so-and-so, customer service manager from blah-blah magazine, and I had been sent the wrong renewal card. But...I already renewed the magazine a few months ago...I renewed it for 3 years. He apparently didn't like me talking back so he said, and I quote, "you don't know what you're talking about you stupid bitch" and hung up. Excuse me? I'm the one that should have been swearing. I called the magazine and found out that the subscription solicitors don't actually work for them. They work for an outside agency. Well, that was interesting. I feel sorry for the next one who calls me.

Best Christmas Ever

OK, I think I said in my last blog that one of my best gifts ever was about 3 years ago when my husband surprised me with a computer... Tonight he surprised me again with a laptop, which I have been pining* for, especially since my sons started playing Guild Wars on our only computer and I could never get enough computer time to do what I need/want to do. That's why my Christmas letter was so late. I was also given an epson printer which will print 12x12 scrapbook pages. I'm not [totally] materialistic , it's just nice when I'm given something I really want! So here I am, connected, sitting by the fireplace, happily typing away while older son works out his stomp box, younger son listens to his iPod, and kind husband watches Dirty Jobs and thinks about trying out his car gadgets tomorrow. And we had a lovely dinner with Grandpa Pete and JoAnn. (Sorry Pete [who was hiding the laptop], I could not wait till breakfast to open the big package and no one stopped me!) So, Merry Christmas, talk to everyone later.

* excuse me, I must say it: PINING FOR THE FJORDS!!q!!&j!!!*s(*!!!!!!

Christmas Quiz

I “borrowed” this from http://stukjebijbeetje.blogspot.com/, which I found while hitting the next blog button.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap his gifts or does he just put them under the tree?
He fills the stockings on Christmas morning.

3. Colored or white lights?
Colored lights.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
If I can find it. I guess I could get out the pole pruner and lop some off the neighbor’s tree.

5. When do you put up your tree?
Second weekend in December.

6. What is your favorite Christmas food?
As a child it was my aunt’s Norwegian cookies. Now it’s See’s Candy. I used to work for a large company and we would receive huge boxes from the company that managed our computer system. For a while my department was close to the mail room so we would get our box first, and then spread the word to Accounting: “The See’s Candy is here!”

7. What is your favorite Christmas memory from when you were a child?
My uncle taking us driving through San Francisco to see the Christmas lights.

8. Do you open presents on Christmas eve?
Yes.

9. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
With as much stuff as possible. The more interesting an ornament, the better. I have Star Wars, snails, Barbies, pickles (hey, they are a German tradition). I got a sequined fish at the aide’s gift exchange at school and it fit right in!

10. Snow! Love it or hate it?
Nice to look at. The one time we went to Lake Tahoe in the winter, we didn’t have the best time. It didn’t help that I had the flu while we were there.

11. Can you ice skate?
As with most sports, badly.

12. Do you remember your best gift?
The pearl necklace Jeff gave me years ago, the computer (which was completely unexpected and hidden at his dad’s house for weeks), and anything made by the kids.

13. What does Christmas mean to you? What is the most important thing about it, for you?
It’s important to be with my family (husband and sons).

14. What is in the top of your Christmas tree?
It varies. This year it’s Matthew’s peanut people, which he made in 3rd grade.

15. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Decorating the tree, although I wasn’t really into it this year. I’d been sick with a cold, tired, and discouraged because the tree was in a corner and I couldn’t decorate the back. As I put it, “I can’t get enough ornaments on it.”

16. What do you like better, giving or receiving?
Giving. I love shopping for the perfect gift.

17. What is your favorite dessert after Christmas dinner?
Pumpkin Pie.

18. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Anything from the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to the Peanuts Show. Matthew plays “Linus and Lucy” and “Christmastime is Here.”

19. Kerstkransjes. Do you like 'em?
This was from a Dutch blog, so I don’t know what they are. Cookies? Candy? They look like Aunt Ollee’s spritz cookies.

20. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Nightmare Before Christmas. A Christmas Story. The Peanuts special.

Procrastination

over the first blog...

So I've been meaning to blog something for months now. Still not ready, but somehow I've gotten to this point on the website. And I'd like to see something when I egotistically search for myself.

Today was a good day. I painted scenery for my second grade's class play. A lovely brick wall, and a house. (The mice will say, "hello roof" and "hello cellar.") My roof is quite spectacular. I am pleased. No rants today.