Happy New Year's Eve

The Recipe For Tink

3 parts Boldness 2 parts Love 1 part Style Splash of Savvy Sip slowly on the beach

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

The Recipe For My Real Name

3 parts Success 2 parts Intellect 1 part Fun Splash of Impishness Limit yourself to one serving. This cocktail is strong!

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

So which do you think?

Resolutions or Tribulations?

Mon 12/31 Blog Prompt: Hard to believe we are at the end of another year already. Did your year go as you planned? How about a highlight of your resolutions and/or special events?

Well, I got ahead of myself didn't I? I'm going to let you in on a little secret, but don't tell anyone, okay? When it is going to be my turn to come up with the blog prompts, I start writing them ahead of time in a text file and save them. I don't look at them again until the day they need to be posted. So when I wrote my End of the Year Tribulations on Saturday, I had completely forgotten about this prompt. For some of the highlights of my year take a look there.
As for resolutions, I didn't make any on January 1, 2007. Somehow I just didn't want to feel guilty if I did not obtain the goals I set for myself. Good thing too, because if I was going to make one it would have been to lose weight and I certainly did not do that this year. :)

I may make one this year. Not to loose weight or anything like that, but to try and be a nicer person, more compassionate. I think I can manage that one, don't you?

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This Week in Space #11

Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 21 - Horizon to Horizon. Credit & Copyright: Laurent Laveder (PixHeaven.net)
December 22 - Tyrrhenian Sea and Solstice Sky. Credit & Copyright: Danilo Pivato
December 23 - Moon and Mars Tonight. Credit & Copyright: John Harms
December 24 - Emission Nebula IC 1396. Credit & Copyright: Kent Wood
December 25 - Mars and Orion Over Monument Valley. Credit & Copyright: Wally Pacholka (Astropics.com)
December 26 - Trifid Pillars and Jets. Credit: J. Hester (Arizona St. U) et al., WFPC2, HST, NASA
December 27 - Earth at Twilight. Credit: ISS Crew, Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Lab, JSC, NASA

Cosmic Log
The year in space

NASA Image of the Day
December 24 - Greetings From Apollo 8. Image Credit: NASA
December 25 - Snowflakes in the Universal Sky. Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, P. S. Teixeira (CfA)
December 26 - Trifids!. Image Credit: NASA, HST, WFPC2, J. Hester (Arizona St. U) et al.
December 27 - Earth at Twilight. Image Credit: NASA
December 28 - The Equal Night. Image Credit: NASA

Sky & Telescope
Odds of Mars Strike Now 1-in-25 by Kelly Beatty
That Was the Year that Was by Stuart Goldman
Sky Highlights of 2008 by Tony Flanders
This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert

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End of the Year Tribulations

Hard to believe the year is nearly over and soon we will be entered 2008. And some of the highlights of this past year are:

The Princess attends her first Valentine dance
Nuke makes down to take the Princess to a Renaissance Faire
Ballerina gets a Jack Russell Terrier which she names Aussie
I get my computer desk set up and now have my own computer/craft room
Indy figures out how to play Star Wars Legos by himself
Pan's conference this year, while still held in Orlando was at Universal instead of Disney
Pan and I got to meet Writer's Block, her husband and their daughter, RTY, at Pat O'Brien's for dinner
Scamp and Ballerina flew over from Hawaii to spend a week with us
Scamp, Ballerina, Indy and I drove up to spend a weekend with Nuke in his new house and help him move
I had surgery which necessitated Indy starting daycare
I bought a bathing suit and started going to the pool with the Princess nearly every day
The Princess had her birthday party at the pool this year
She also got to spend a week at aquatic camp as our birthday present to her
Bombshell nearly runs over a 5 week old kitten, when she can't find the owners and can't keep it at her house she brings it to ours. Which we promptly rename KFKAP
The a/c & furnace broke down and we had to have it replaced. At the same time we had to get a new range as well as a new washer and dryer.
School didn't start until August 20 this year as opposed to August 4 last year
The Princess starts ballet
I get a new Canon Rebel XTi for my birthday
The Princess stars as a mouse in the ballet "The Nutcracker Suite"
I get a tripod for my camera from my sister and her husband at Christmas
The television in the living room died and it will be some time before we replace it, I fear :)

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The Tribulations are Catching Up

Mon 12/24 Blog Prompt: On the twenty fourth day of December I thought about my all-time favorite commercial about the Mercury Cougar. Remember the one where they actually had a cougar sitting on the hood and the announcer walked up next to the car and the cat took a swing at him. I will never forget that commercial.

Tue 12/25 Blog Prompt: On the twenty fifth day of December I just said no to one more glass of wine. LOL. 'nuff said.

Wed 12/26 Blog Prompt: On the twenty sixth day of December I understand why, ummmm, I really had an excellent philosphical answer for this when I came up with the prompt, but then I got sick and lost some brain cells. The ones storing the answer. But I can say that now in my life I can understand that all things happen for a reason. And while I may not see it in the moment, it will eventually be revealed.

Thu 12/27 Blog Prompt: On the twenty seventh day of December my advise to a 5 year old would be to laugh long and hard. Have fun. Play. And remember.

Fri 12/28 Blog Prompt: On the twenty eighth day of December I will time-travel back to maybe just two days ago with the Nuke home. Spending more time listening and talking with him. Sure it would be nice to travel back to when they were children, but I also love my time with them now and I have so little time with the boys. So for me it would be two days ago as we discussed fission vs. fusion power which was the result of an article about a room size nuclear power plant. We also discussed the stars (as in astronomy) and the stars (as in the movies). But if not then, I would travel back to when I was 11/12 years old and sitting with my mom in the living room with the encyclopedias opened and scattered all over the floor as we looked up whatever hit our fancy.

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Sickly Tribulation Woes

Got back from the doctor's today with the news that I have a sinus infection and maybe (but a very little maybe) that I have strep throat. He is treating for both. So now I have some medication and soon I shall start feeling better. Well maybe.... Today after the doctor's visit, Nuke and I headed to a relatively new grocery store here that I had been telling him about. But when we got back to the truck, it wouldn't turn over. Had to call Pan to come rescue us. And the two of them got the jumper cables on and sure enough the truck started. But at the next stop, it wouldn't turn over again. Finally got it to Auto Zone who ran a diagnostic on it and my battery was dead. One new battery and some Tylenol and I was up and going again.

Oh back to the medication. One of which the doctor prescribed was Allegra-D. As he was telling me about it, he mentioned that it could make me cranky, irritable and hyper. And with a quizzicle look, I told him I didn't think my family would notice the difference. Sure enough when I told Pan and Nuke what he said, they wanted to know how they could tell the medicine was working. So much for sympthetic family members.

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Sick of Tribulations

Apparently I have come down with something and have a doctor's appointment in the morning (the only doctors available today were for pediatrics, go figure). And my son, Nuke, is in so, I will be spending time with him until he leaves. Will try to get the prompts done this weekend.

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hawksmont graphics

Merry Christmas

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And Indy, Pan and the Princess

You Should Have a Silver Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of glamour and sophistication. You love to make things fancy - whether it's having classy decorations or upscale cocktails. While you aren't very traditional, you like your holidays to have a retro feel. You prefer to have a few decorations that have stood the test of time. You're not big on disposable junk. Your silver tree would look great with: Simple, bold ornaments You should spend Christmas Eve watching: Eyes Wide Shut What you should bake for Santa: Homemade cookies. You're not the type to wear an apron.

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

Compliments of Mrs. Who

It's that time of Tribulation

Being that it is the 24th and I do celebrate the Christmas season, I am opting not to use the blog prompt today or tomorrow. Instead today looking above is my house in lights. This is the first year since our children were little that we have decorated outside. I'm sure the pleas from the Princess had a lot to do with it. LOL.

May Santa bring you all you desire tonight. Merry Christmas.

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Naughty Tribulations

You Were Nice This Year

You Were 35% Naughty, 65% Nice Okay, so you weren't *entirely* nice this year But Santa doesn't expect a modern girl to be perfect You were good enough - and you'll be rewarded for it

Were You a Naughty Girl or Nice Girl this Year?

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This Week in Space #10

Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 15 - Mountains of Creation. Credit: Lori Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) et al., JPL-Caltech, NASA
December 16 - The Holographic Principle Image. Credit & Copyright: E. Winfree, K. Fleischer, A. Barr et al. (Caltech)
December 17 - Saturn's Ancient Rings. Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA
Decmeber 18 - Unusual Silica Rich Soil Discovered on Mars. Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, Cornell, JPL, NASA
December 19 - Stars and Dust through Baade's Window. Credit & Copyright: Stephane Guisard
December 20 - Reflections on the 1970s. Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

Cosmic Log
December 18 - Mars gets its close-up by Alan Boyle

NASA Image of the Day
December 17 - Black Hole Bully. Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/D.Evans et al.; Optical/UV: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/VLA/CfA/D.Evans et al., STFC/JBO/MERLIN
December 18 - Beauty From Above. Image Credit: NASA
December 19 - Apollo 17. Image Credit: NASA
December 20 - Another Historic Day. Image Credit: NASA

Sky & Telescope
December 17 - Fred Hess: Evangelist for Astronomy by Alan MacRobert
December 17 - How to Find Uranus and Neptune by Tony Flanders
December 18 - A Gamma-Ray Burst Out of Nowhere by Alan MacRobert
December 20 - Tunguska's Blast: Less is More by Kelly Beatty
December 20 - David Levy's Binary Asteroid by Roger Sinnott
December 21 - Mars in the Crosshairs? by Kelly Beatty
December 21 - It's Official: 2009 Is the Year of Astronomy by Rick Fienberg
December 21 - This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan MacRobert
December 21 - Sky Highlights of 2008 by Tony Flanders


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Seeing Tribulations Through Indy's Eyes

Fri 12/21 Blog Prompt: On the twenty first day of December I would love to see

How Christmas really looks through 3 year old Indy's eyes. What I can see is the sparkle and joy that appears whenever he sees Christmas lights or watches Christmas movies. The grin when he starts pushing the buttons on all of the Star Wars and Star Trek ornaments just to see if he can get them all going at the same time. It's so fun to watch him as he points out which presents are his and which are Sissy's. I had wrapped one of the Ballerina's presents in the Disney princess paper and got chewed out when I said it didn't belong to Sissy, LOL.

Yes, I would love to be able to see the holiday through a 3 year olds eyes once more. But since I can't, I just have to take what I can get by watching my little 3 year old enjoy it.

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Pulling My Tribulations Out By the Roots

Thu 12/20 Blog Prompt: On the twentieth day of December I will prepare

to start stressing when I realize that all well-made plans are probably going to unravel next week. I still don't know what the daycare's schedule. Just found out that it is an early release day at school. Still have no clue where Nuke is going to stay the night of the 25th. And no idea how I am going to schedule my work week, being that it is both a holiday week and the end of the month. Arrrgggghhhhh......

But at least all my Christmas shopping is done :)

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A Tribulation of Pet Food

Wed 12/19 Blog Prompt: On the nineteenth day of December I think I tried pet food when

Okay, okay, I haven't tried pet food (knowingly anyway, unknowingly who knows what my kids got me to eat). But I know someone who did.... And it was a total accident from what I hear. Seems my uncle got home one day when no one was around and was a bit hungry. Opening the fridge he saw a container that looked like it had left overs. Sure, that will do in a pinch. I would have loved to see his face when his wife told him it was dog food. Then again, he may have thought it rather tasty. As I recall he was the same one who ate chocolate covered bees.

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Conversationally Tribulant

Tue 12/18 Blog Prompt: On the eighteenth day of December I will have small talk (or deep conversation) with my mother about where Nuke should stay when he gets into town on the evening of the 25th. Actually at this time we have had the conversation and we both agree he should stay with ddpup and bear that night then have a big breakfast with my mom and other sister the next morning at mom's and head over to my house that afternoon to spend the evening and possibly the next day with me, Pan, Bombshell, the Princess and Indy, since we will have to leave before he gets there that evening, I am sure. And I think that sentence was too long but I'm to tired to figure out how to make several sentences out of it, LOL.

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Natural Tribulations

Mon 12/17 Blog Prompt: On the seventeenth day of December I wanted to visit a Museum of Art OR a Museum of Natural History.

My first impulse would be the head straight to the Museum of Natural History. Oh, I love art and love visiting art museums, but am more of a natural history type of person. I've been to them from Hawaii to San Fransciso to Chicago to Orlando with a lot in-between. There is just something about wandering around a museum and seeing what life and history was like in years gone by. Then if there was enough time, a quick pop over to the art museum. :)

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This Week in Space #9

A Picture a Day
December 9- The Fairy of Eagle Nebula. Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI/AURA), ESA, NASA
December 10- A Jet from the Sun. Credit & Copyright: Hinode, JAXA, NASA
December 11- The Universe Nearby. Credit & Copyright: 2MASS, T. H. Jarrett, J. Carpenter, & R. Hurt
December 12- Mars Rover Races to Survive. Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, USGS, UNM, HiRise
December 13- T Tauri and Hind's Variable Nebula. Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman
December 14- Apollo 17: Shorty Crater Panorama. Credit: Apollo 17 Crew, NASA; Panorama Assembly: Mike Constantine

NASA Image of the Day
December 9- Afterglow. Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
December 10- A Classic Beauty. Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Wesleyan Univ./R. Kilgard; UV: NASA/JPL- Caltech; Optical: NASA/ESA/S. Beckwith & The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Az/R. Kennicutt
December 11- True Colors. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
December 12- The Fairy of Eagle Nebula. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI/AURA
December 13- Phytoplankton Bloom off Namibia. Image Credit: NASA

Sky & Telescope
December 10: Saturn's Sci-Fi Moons by Kelly Beatty
December 11: Dust in a Hot Jupiter's Atmosphere by Alan MacRobert
December 11: 200 Million Objects Shining in Hydrogen by Alan MacRobert
December 12: A Big Step Toward a Big Telescope by Kelly Beatty
December 13: Earth's Magnetosphere: on the Ropes by Kelly Beatty
December 14: Deep Impact's New Assignment by Kelly Beatty
Meteor Showers in 2008 by Paul Deans
This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan MacRobert


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Tribulations of Having a Middle Name

I was tagged by Loonyhiker for a meme.

Tag Rules:
1. The players must use the letters from their middle name as facts that are relevant in your life. If you do not have a middle name, you can make one up or one you would have liked.
2. When you are tagged, you need to do a blogspot, containing your own middle name and the game facts.
3. At the end of your blogpost, you need to tag a person for every letter of your middle name as well as leaving them a comment to let them know you have tagged them.

Royal
Energetic (though less so these days, LOL)
Nice
Exuberant and knows
Everything, according to grandkids

And like Loony, I can't think of any of the blogs that I read on a regular basis that start with the letters of my middle name. Well I do know of one blog but since he hasn't done any of the last several memes he's been tagged with (none from me), I figure I'm not going to add to his list of memes to do. Though he is welcome to snag this if he wants.

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Decisions & Tribulations

Fri 12/14 Blog Prompt: On the fourteenth day of December if I had a choice I think I would rather have a 3 day week or fifty extra dollars a week

Guess I should have been more specific now that I look at it, LOL. It should have read a 3 day work week. Oh well. Personally I'm going to take the extra $50 a week as I currently work only two days a week. I really like being able to choice my hours. Though if the Big Man keeps putting more on my plate, I will either have to start working more days or quit again. Decisions, decisions.

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Cheeseburger in Tribulations

Thu 12/13 Blog Prompt: On the thirteenth day of December I really wanted a hamburger with

cheese, onions, extra pickles and easy on the lettuce and tomatoes. Funny, on the way home from running from one end of nw Florida to the other (or so it seemed), I seriousl considered stopping at a Whataburger and picking one up to order. I just love Whataburger's sauteed onions.

Instead, I opted to stop at the grocer and pick up hamburger, taco dinner fixings, avocado and cheese (already had lettuce and tomato) and fixed that instead with a glass of red wine.

Now I think I'm going to post tomorrow's prompt at DSP, then take a hot shower and crawl into bed and finish reading "Brother Odd" by Dean Koontz. :)

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Christmas Dreams and Tribulations

Wed 12/12 Blog Prompt: On the twelfth day of December I remembered my favorite dream and it was

that I had all my kids home for Christmas. Actually that is more of a daydream than a dream at night. I tend to have night terrors and try very hard to forget them. So I start my nights with pleasant daydreams to ward them off (sometimes it works, LOL). But lately, I have really been dreaming of having both boys and my daughter all together again for Christmas, along with spouse, special friends and children.

We would open one gift each on Christmas Eve then watch "The Night They Saved Christmas," before putting the children to bed and then watch one or two of the Christmas Carols I have on hand before heading to bed ourselves. Pan & I would rise early the next morning (okay, I'll get up early and make Pan get up with me), so he could tape black cats to the bedrooms doors before we started knocking to get them up (we actually did that to the boys when they were younger, it was a hoot). Into the living room to see what Santa brought and take down stockings filled with oranges, nuts and peppermint sticks, while the table is decked with danishes, fruit and hot cocoa. Afterwards we would pile all the other gifts into our cars as we headed over to mom's or ddpups and Pan's parents homes to celebrate even more.

Yes, that would be a lovely dream come true.

And about the layout below, this is especially for you Linda. I am the one in reddish brown shirt circa 25 years ago, LOL.

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Foodly Tribulations

Tue 12/11 Blog Prompt: On the eleventh day of December I think about how the best food comes from...

Oh, I love food (and it shows, LOL). But I would have to say that my very favorite is Japanese food cooked on a teppan table. Shrimp, chicken, steak, scallops, onions, bamboo shoots.... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Of course, there is always true southern cooking too. Turnip greens, pork chops, black-eyed peas with onions, chicken and dumplings, red beans and rice. For spice, Mexican food can't be beat. We have an authentic Mexican restaurant here and I love going (although I think they are starting to Americanize their food to appeal to a larger group). For a real meat and potatoes meal, it has to be German with their potato dumplings and bratwurst and a good lager thrown in for measure. Need I go on, LOL....

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A Movie Star's Tribulation

Mon 12/10 Blog Prompt: On the tenth day of December I wished that Kathleen Quinlan as she portrayed Marilyn Lovell in Apollo 13 would play me in my life story movie.

Oh not that she looks anything like me (I wish I looked like her sometimes). But the way she portrayed her character of Marilyn Lovell is sooooo like me. Just ask Pan. Definitely caught me to a tee. :)

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This Week in Space #8 & Scrapbook Teaser

I had almost decided not to post any astronomy links this week as it has been a very busy week and so far weekend and I read everything before I post the link. But for my own sake for looking back, I have chosen to post at least some. Enjoy.

A Picture a Day
December 2 - Gibbous Europa. Credit: Galileo Project, JPL, NASA; reprocessed by Ted Stryk
December 3 - A Complete Solar Cycle from SOHO. Credit: SOHO - EIT Consortium, ESA, NASA
December 4 - Movie: Analemma Over New Jersey. Credit & Copyright: Tom Matheson (Guidescope.net)
December 5 - Comet Holmes Over Hungary. Credit & Copyright: Tamas Ladanyi
December 6 - Mars in View. Credit & Copyright: Jean-Luc Dauvergne, Francois Colas
December 7 - Double Cluster in Perseus. Credit & Copyright: Volker Wendel, Josef Popsel, Stefan Binnewies
December 8 - Star Trails at Dawn. Credit & Copyright: Koen van Gorp

Cosmic Log
Science getting an orbital boost. Posted: Friday, December 07, 2007 11:30 AM by Alan Boyle
Saturn's greatest hits. Posted: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:11 PM by Alan Boyle
Teams go after moon money. Posted: Thursday, December 06, 2007 1:45 AM by Alan Boyle
Moon photo mystery solved. Posted: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:30 PM by Alan Boyle

NASA Photo of the Day
December 2 - Steamy Solar System. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
December 3 - Ghost Head Nebula. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Mohammad Heydari-Malayeri (Observatoire de Paris) et al.
December 4 - Cluster of Galaxies. Image Credit: NASA, ACS Team, Rychard Bouwens (UCO/Lick Obs.)
December 5 - Baby Picture of Our Solar System. NASA/JPL-Caltech/UIUC
December 6 - Atlantis Once Upon a Time. Image Credit: NASA

Sky and Telescope
Results from Hinode: Sunrise on Coronal Heating by Jay M. Pasachoff
My Kind of Beauty Contest! by Kelly Beatty
Venus: The Un-Twin of Earth by Kellly Beatty
This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert

Hopefully before Christmas, I will get the Princess' Nutcracker page done but in the meantime here are a couple of picture teasers. Can you guess? (And no bug, you cannot guess LOL)



The Prima Donna hard at work signing autographs (she's on the left)



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So much to do, So little time.: HOLIDAY PRIZE GIVEAWAY

So much to do, So little time.: HOLIDAY PRIZE GIVEAWAY

And speaking of shopping, after the day we had, we really need to look into buying a new tree for next year. Pan's still thinking 11 foot and if that is the case can't you just see this under the tree:


Maybe along with the matching stockings and table runners. Everytime I check out The Sterling Pear my mouth starts to water. What perfect holiday items for a truly Victorian Christmas. Thank goodness Pan puts me on a budget because I would buy everything they have. You should go take a look, your mouth would be watering too. But before heading over there, make sure you stop by Derek M. Design's So Much to Do, So Little Time for a very special offer by The Sterling Pear. It will be worth your while, believe me.

Tribulations of Christmas and Pasts

The astronomy post will have to wait until tomorrow. I have been shopping all day. Yes you heard right. Me. The one who breaks out in hives just thinking about spending money, went shopping. Even more than that I actually walked inside a Wal-Mart.

But on the upside, all of our Christmas shopping is done. We got the package mailed to Scamp and family in Hawaii; bought more lights for outside (which will be put up tomorrow with the lost reindeer that was found). Got mom's ordered on line and it should be here in a week and a half. The nephews presents will be here this week. It's done. No more shopping. I even have everything wrapped (except what isn't here yet, of course).

After all that hard work, I took Pan to lunch (a very late one) where he ordered a ribeye well done. It came out rare (almost raw if you ask me). So they sent it back and out it comes.... even more rare than the first time. Third time is the charm though, it came out perfect. They gave us enough gift certificates to pay for the steak and then some. I have a feeling there is a chef who is going to get a royal chewing. Pan said the table across from us got their meal free as well. Yep, I wouldn't be surprised if he/she was fired.

The Princess was in the Nutcracker ballet last night as one of the mice. She was sooooo cute. Although they started out saying we could take pictures if we didn't use a flash, they changed that just before the program started so we only got pictures afterwards and, of course, the Princess changed before she came out. But talk about a Prima Donna. I died laughing at her. Just about everyone in the family brought flowers (Pan and I excepted. Hey we paid for the doctor visit so that she would be able to be in the show, LOL). So here you have the little tot who has only been doing ballet for about 5 months, sitting on the stage, surrounded by bouquets of flowers (and a pink bunny). Then to top things off, this little tyke of a girl comes ups and asks for her autograph. Next thing we knew there was a line of people wanting her autograph. Oh it was so funny and cute. I will get it scrapped sometime soon and posted so you can see. I just love my girl.

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Imaginary Tribulations

Fri 12/7 Blog Prompt: On the seventh day of December I will pay homage to my imaginary friend by

telling the Princess and Indy about him. Yes, my imaginary friend is a him and his name is George. He is not from my earliest childhood, but from about middle school and has been with me ever since. My mother made him for me, kind of like a watermark. She took my name and made a person out of it. I would draw him everywhere and talk to him, telling him about my days, my friends, my life. And I still use him as a watermark on photos, etc. Pretty cool imaginary friend, if I do say so myself.

And now I have to get in gear and start cleaning house as the AC guy is suppose to be here in a couple of hours to do a tune-up and check that the furnace is working properly (like we really need it, LOL).

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A Bookful of Tribulations

Thu 12/6 Blog Prompt: On the sixth day of December I will pick up Star Trek Academy Collision Course by William Shatner to read because of its entertainment value and because we have had it a month and I haven't read it yet. Pan says it is good. And that should be a good recommendation, don't you think? Maybe I'll have time this weekend (crossing fingers).

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Shows, Wishes & Tribulations

Wed 12/5 Blog Prompt: On the fifth day of December I watched absolutely nothing then wished I had a television in the living room again.

Yes, this week our LR television did a nose dive. The whole picture is compressed into on tiny little line of light in the middle of the screen. And that was just a portion of what was going on this week.....

On Monday, had to take Indy to the doctor because he was complaining of his ears hurting and he was running a temperature of about 101.1. Was anything wrong? Absolutely not. That little excursion cost Bombshell and myself $130 (and that was after the discount, because she can't afford medical insurance). A little adult strength Afrin (doctor's orders) and Tylenol, he was bouncing off the walls by the next day.

While I was at the doctor's office, I turned my cell phone off. BIG signs posted everywhere not to have your cell phone on especially in the exam room. So Indy and I are sitting there waiting for the doctor when the nurse pokes her head in to say Bombshell is trying to get ahold of me but my cell phone seems to be off... Well, duh? She tells me to turn it back on and call my daughter. Seems the Princess is in pain and tears at school and I need to pick her up. By the time I get out of the doctor's office, I have several urgent calls from Bombshell and the school to pick her up. I get up there and sure enough she is tears. She never makes a fuss when she is feeling ill but just sits there quietly waiting for someone to pick her up, so when she couldn't stop crying they got frantic.

I started her on the same treatment as Indy but when she still wasn't getting any relief by the next day, I had Bombshell call her ex to say we needed to get her in to see the doctor. Before I go further, let me explain, I really like my ex-SIL. We talk just about every day with topics from the Princess to work and the newest movies coming out.

So that night SIL calls me to find out what is going on, I tell him to schedule a doctor's appointment the next morning and bring me the money and I will take her in. He has to call his mother and talk to her. He will call me back. Pan then tells me that if she is still feeling bad we will work it out, but to get her in.

This morning Bombshell calls and asks me to take Indy to daycare because she is running late. She will drop the princess off at school. She gets her and she still has the Princess with her. When I ask how she is doing, she says it still hurts so I tell her to get out, pull out my cell phone to call our doctor. She and I take Indy to daycare then head back to the doctors. We should have taken her on Monday instead of Indy, LOL. She has a severe middle ear infection. But she is now on medication (which by the way, if you have a Publix near you, fills certain antibiotic medication for free).

So anyway that is how my week has been going and no television to top it off. :)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAN!

It has been 43 years that you have lived among the human race and for the most part doing a good job of fitting in. Although your little quirks do show up from time to time, to remind us that you really are set above the norm. I am glad that you decided to make me a part of your life as do Bombshell, Scamp, Nuke, and it goes with saying the Princess, Ballerina and Indy. We all love you and wish you the best of days today.

There are Some Tribulations You Shouldn't Partake Of

Tue 12/3 Blog Prompt:

On the fourth day of December it occurred to me that I shouldn't have eaten that ice cream yesterday because as soon as I did I realized that it still wasn't cold enough outside when my stomach began to cramp. I do not do well eating ice cream and absolutely refuse to eat it in the summer. Most times I can tolerate it well if the outside temperature is cold enough and I think it was still in the 50's when I partook of my bowl of confection. Must remember to see how cold it is outside next time I decide to do so. :)

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Calling a Tribulation by It's Name

Mon 12/3 Blog Prompt: It's that time again. No, not Christmas, but my turn at the prompts. Most of them can at first glance be answered with just one or two words, but I would like to see you really expound on them. With that out of the way: On the third day of December I suddenly remembered that people use to call me (blank) because

I suddenly remembered that I was just always called by my name. Only one teacher gave me a nickname and he called me Sunny because he said I brought sunshine wherever I went (now that I am older, I think he probably could not remember my name, LOL). Whatever the reason, I really liked it at that time in my life. And I liked the idea that someone thought I was a pretty upbeat teen.

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Tribulating Decorating

Well, I got so busy this morning trying to finish off the tree and get all the other little knick knacks out that I completely forgot about a post or two. It was hard work, but someone had to do it, right Pan? Actually he did most of the work including getting lights put up outside. He's such a sweetie.
















So there you have it. Our various mini trees, santas and friends along with our 9 foot Leaning Tree of Neverland. Maybe one of these day soon, I'll get some layouts done of it now and in years past.

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