Currently

Outside my window...it's 43 degrees, there's rain in the area (though it's not raining right now), and the wind is blowing like crazy. Some of the gusts sound like a freight train running over the roof! We've cooled down from today's high of 53 degrees and yesterday's 60 degrees.

Also outside my window I can see all the beautiful Christmas lights up and down the street.

I'm reading...nothing. I'm in between books and haven't chosen the next one.

I'm watching...tonight's new movie debut on Hallmark. It's pretty good, but I forget the name.

I'm enjoying...the lights of the Christmas tree. It's finally up. I'm about a week late this year.

The weekend...got started Friday evening with take-out Chinese for dinner and a quiet night at home watching TV. Tim was working Saturday and I expected to do all the Christmas decorating, but my sister-in-law called first thing and invited me to ride along to the mall and then have lunch at Olive Garden. 

Our trip to the mall wasn't very successful. She wasn't able to get what she wanted for her granddaughter and while I did buy a Christmas dress for my granddaughter, as requested by my daughter, there were only 3 Christmas dresses in the entire mall in her size and the one I got ended up being too tight. She's apparently having a bit of a growth spurt and making the jump to the next size. My daughter is going to try Burlington this week.

I had to take my daughter to Walmart to do some grocery shopping Saturday evening so I did some of my own and also ended up (with her direction) getting a few more things for the kids, including our grandson's big gift...an electric Razor mini bike. We had to call Tim to come pick that up in his truck.

Today I stayed home from church because my leg is really hurting again (it was hurting to begin with yesterday and then I did too much) and I had all the decorations to deal with. Tim worked so I just did a little at a time and took breaks to put my leg up. The kids came over for a little while, too. We had lunch and watched a movie so that was a big break. I also didn't put out all the decorations this year. I don't think anyone but me will care.

This week's agenda (so far):

Monday - work (so much to do to get ready for the big Christmas party on the 15th)

Tuesday - work, haircut after work

Wednesday - work, get nails done after work

Thursday - my Bible study group's Christmas party

Friday - Staff (from work) Christmas party

Saturday - baking with a client

Giggling at...

Have a great week, my friends!

Saturday 9: Rollin' Stone

Saturday 9: Rollin' Stone (1958)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) The title comes from the proverb, "a rolling stone gathers no moss." What do you suppose that proverb is trying to teach us?  Maybe that we should make the most of each moment in life so we don't end up with a lot of regrets or "should haves" in our lives? I really don't know.

 

2) The lyrics warn us not to be lazy stay-at-homes but to go out and learn about the world around us. Tell us about a place you haven't visited yet but would like to.  I don't know where to start. I haven't been that many places and would love to travel to just about anywhere.

 

3) Karen and Cubby were Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club, a TV show which ran from 1955 to 1959. Then, from 1962 to 1967, local TV stations reran it in syndication. In 1989, there was a Mickey Mouse Club reboot, which launched the careers of Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilara. So The Mickey Mouse Club has entertained generations of kids. What shows did you enjoy as a child?  Captain Kangaroo, The Brady Bunch, Sesame Street, Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes.

 

4) Karen was Karen Pendleton, among the youngest of the original Mousketeers. Producers discovered her at a local dancing school. Have you ever taken dance lessons?  Not officially. We had to learn how to polka, square dance, and disco dance in my junior high gym class.

5) When The Mickey Mouse Club ended, Karen left show business. She went to public school, graduated, got married, and had a daughter. When she was in her 30s, she was involved in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Still, she went back to college, earning first her Bachelor's and then Master's degrees in psychology. Have you considered continuing your education? What subject would you pursue?  I used to think about it, but don't really these days. I don't know what I'd want to study now.

 

6) Cubby is Cubby O'Brien, a drum prodigy who began playing professionally when he was just 8 years old. After the Mickey Mouse Club he went on to The Lawerence Welk Show. As he entered his teens, he prioritized school over TV. He later returned to television as musician on The Carol Burnett Show. He also performed in concert behind The Carpenters. Do you have a favorite Carpenters song?  No, not really. They weren't a group I really listened to.

 

7) In 1958, when kids were watching the original Mickey Mouse Club during the day, adults were watching Westerns. The most popular TV shows of that year included Gunsmoke, Wagon Train and The Rifleman. Have you ever fantasized about life as a cowboy/cowgirl?  When I was a kid I sure did! I was a real horse fanatic growing up and dreamed of riding the range.

 

8) Also in 1958, Dwight Eisenhower became the first President to appear on color TV. Not many Americans saw him in color, though. It wasn't until 1972 that color TVs outsold black-and-white sets. Did you ever own a black-and-white TV?  I think my parents got our first color TV just around that 1972 mark. It was one of those big consoles of the 70's...a major piece of furniture.

 

9) Random question -- Did you pass your driver's license test on the first try?  I did.

Thank you, Sam, for the music and questions!

Join in the fun here.

Thankful Thursday

It's already 9:00 pm, but I want to take the time to list some of the things I'm thankful for...especially since I've missed the last few weeks.

This week I am thankful...

** We had a nice Thanksgiving and everyone made the client I invited feel welcome. Also that we had lots of leftovers to enjoy.

** The Thanksgiving leftovers are finally at an end.

** My leg is feeling better. The arthritis is still there to be sure, but the course of Prednisone calmed down the sciatic inflammation. What's left is bearable. When it's not, I've found that both Motrin and Advil make a dual action formula that combines 250mg of acetaminophen with 250mg of ibuprofen. The combo seems to take care of the pain fairly well. Now if only I could kick the leg and foot cramps to the curb.

** Our daughter is finally getting a colonoscopy and an endoscopy tomorrow. Praying it will reveal what is going on in her stomach. The most recent guess at the ER was pancreatitis but the scopes are needed to really know what's happening. All of these issues began after she took a single dose (1 weekly shot) of Mounjaro. There are apparently others in her same predicament. I've advised her that if her doctor says this is all due to the shot she should contact the law firm I found that is looking into a possible suit against Mounjaro and Ozempic for not emphasizing how severe the side effects can be. It isn't a settlement that is important, rather if this class of drugs is causes this many problems, they need to be taken off the market.

** We are losing two coworkers in the next two weeks, but another is returning after being off since July for back surgery and they just hired another person. So far it looks like I'll be staying in the Adult Training Facility all the time...for now. With my leg issues that's really good news.

** The new refrigerator is finally here and in place and I LOVE it!

** The boxes from Amazon just keep coming every day and just another one or two and I will be done with that type of shopping. There will only be a few gift cards and certificates left to get. Then all I'll have to do is wrap everything...a job I hate, but I am thankful we can bless our family and friends at Christmas.

** Everything at work is about Christmas. It's impossible not to be filled with cheer! It's kind of like working in ELF's world.

** There are countless moments each week, each day even, with my clients that just bless my heart so much. One stood out today. A client walked over to my chair wrapped her arms around me for the biggest hug then she planted a kiss on the top of my head and said, "I love you, ya little pumpkin-head." It made me smile so much and all the other clients thought it was so funny. We laughed and laughed. 

** I haven't decorated the house yet and I'm not freaking out. I kind of was on Black Friday, which is typically my decorating day, but I've adjusted and I'm okay. It'll happen this weekend. Good enough.

** There are so many reminders, so much focus on the reason for this season of hope and joy. I love celebrating my Savior's birthday! This year I'm more involved at church and will be narrating the Christmas program. 

** For each one of you, of course!

As we begin December I pray you have a wonderful weekend blessed with all the best of the Christmas season!

Currently

The weather...is heading south. It's a mild 44 degrees right now, but it is raining and with the rain the temps will drop tonight. The morning may bring a nasty mix of rain and snow or freezing rain. I'm saying a prayer for our niece who is setting out from Erie at 5:00 a.m. to drive her son to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for a checkup. 

I'm reading...A Snow Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller.

I'm watching...a Christmas movie on UPtv.

I'm thinking...about going back to work tomorrow. I've been off since last Tuesday thanks to the holiday and problems with my leg. Last Monday night I couldn't sleep due to the pain in my knee/hip/leg. I called off on Tuesday and went to MedExpress. After several x-rays they decided I was suffering from inflammation of my sciatic nerve and the arthritis in my knee. I've been on a course of Prednisone ever since. The sciatica seems to be better, but I can't say the same thing for the knee. The MedExpress doc said if it doesn't get better an orthopedist is my next step.

I'm loving...the season. I really have my Christmas mojo back this year. Between the atmosphere at work and the grandchildren, how could I not be feeling jolly? We put up the outside lights today and last night I went with my daughter and grandchildren to see the lights in Ligonier (a Hallmark worthy town).

I'm looking forward...to the new refrigerator finally being delivered tomorrow. What an ordeal getting it has been. Our daughter and her husband will be here tomorrow to hopefully make sure the delivery goes smoothly.

I'm grateful...we had a quiet, but nice Thanksgiving. Gathered around the table this year were Tim and I, my mom and stepdad, our daughter and her family, and Mike, one of the clients from my work. I'm glad I was able to do it even with my leg acting up. I'm glad I invited Mike. He'd have been home alone otherwise.

I'm on top...of my Christmas shopping. I had created a shopping list on Amazon ahead of Black Friday so all I had to do Friday morning was get online and click "Add to Cart" when the prices dropped. Nearly everything on my list was ordered and over half of it is already here! 

Giggles...

Have a great week, everyone!

Saturday 9: Long Cool Woman

Saturday 9: Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress) 1972

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song begins with Hollies' lead singer Allan Clarke telling us of a Saturday night trip downtown, taken at the behest of the FBI. What are your plans for Saturday night? (No, we don't expect you to tell us you'll be working undercover for a government agency.)  I'm hoping to take the grandchildren to see a local light display I read about on Facebook.

2) At a bar, he meets a woman in a black dress. The LBD, or little black dress, is a wardrobe staple for many women because it's appropriate for almost any occasion. Let's say you get a last-minute invitation for a "dressy" dinner this weekend and you don't have the time or money to buy something new. What's your go-to outfit from your closet?  Ugh, I rarely get "dressy" but I have a few things in the closet that would probably do. It would definitely be black with maybe a dash of color. It would depend on temperature and location whether I'd wear a skirt or slacks.

3) Everyone at the bar starts to run when they hear sirens. Do you often hear sirens in your neighborhood?  Only the ones on fire trucks or ambulances...which doesn't necessarily mean they are "in the neighborhood." It's a small town, we are on a hill and by one of the major roadways so pretty much everything goes past on the way to somewhere else or the hospital.

4) In 1972, the year this week's song was on the charts, Popeye's opened their first fast-food chicken restaurant in Louisiana. Now that the Thanksgiving feast is over, will you be eating any carry-out this weekend?  We will probably get something tomorrow or Sunday because we'll be sick of leftovers.

5) Black is this week's signature color because November 24 was Black Friday, when retailers historically have slashed their prices and the holiday shopping season begins. Have you begun your gift shopping?  Yes, I did quite a bit of online shopping on Black Friday. My mailman is going to hate me this week.

6) Walmart, Best Buy and Target all advertise heavily on Black Friday. If you could have a $100 gift card from one of those stores, which would you choose? What would you buy?  If it's for me, I'd choose Target, but if it's for anyone else on my list I'd choose Walmart. As for what I'd get if it's for me, something for the house. Target has the cutest home furnishings.

7) This Monday is sometimes known as Cyber Monday because shoppers can find big savings online. Do you shop confidently online, or do you worry about security breaches and identity theft?  I shop fairly confidently. Any problems I've ever had with my card have not come from online transactions.

8) What are you thankful for this year?  My family and friends, my job, and that while others are struggling in this economy, we are actually doing better than ever...and I am trying to let my giving reflect that.

9) Random question: Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone (texting doesn't count)?  My daughter. She calls me more than anyone else.

Thanks for the music and questions, Sam!

Anyone can play along here.

Ten Things Tuesday

* Borrowed from Kwizgiver 

Ten things I have too much/many of...

1. Planner stickers

2. Blankets/throws

3. Sentimental knick-knacks 

4. Socks

5. Shirts I don't wear

6. Journals (I haven't been writing like I used to)

7. Kitchen stuff (because I know as soon as I get rid of it I'm going to need it)

8. Craft supplies and unfinished crafts

9. Snack foods

10. Extra pounds

Currently

The weather...is a brisk 34 degrees with clear skies. Tomorrow's high will be close to 50 with some windy weather ushering in rain and slightly warmer temps for Tuesday. In fact, it should remain in the 50s through Thanksgiving (big change from a couple of days ago when the forecast for the big day was low 40s with a mix of rain and snow flurries in the morning). The cooler temps are supposed to start moving in on Black Friday. 

Reading...still slogging through Anxious People. I don't know why I'm having such a hard time reading this one. Oh, life is busy, but that doesn't usually stop me if I like a book. It's really not bad. I love Fredrik Backman's writing, but for some reason this one is just not gripping me like his other books.

Watching...I just finished watching Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees on Lifetime. It wasn't the best Christmas movie I've seen, nor was it as good as Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...but it was enjoyable enough.

Listening to...one of the local all Christmas stations in the car. Yes, I know it's early, but between the movies, the grandkids, a coworker who channels Will Farrell as Elf, and the fact that we are already working on Christmas at work...I am super in the mood already!

Loving...how helpful my daughter is being when she herself doesn't feel great (this week's trip to the ER gave her a diagnosis of pancreatitis). I try to help her with the kids as much as I can and she is trying to help me get the house cleaned and organized before the new refrigerator comes tomorrow and before Thanksgiving since everyone is coming here. It's been a blessing as my leg hurts so much lately that it keeps me awake at night and at times I can barely stand to sit, let alone walk. I am hoping it truns out to be an inflamed IT-band (the large tendon or whatever it is, that runs from the hip to the knee and stabilizes the knee). When I worked at the nursing home I had that issue in the other leg and had to go to physical therapy to get over it. I have some exercises I can do at home, but this time is much worse so I want to know it's really that before I do something and make it worse.

Thinking...about Thanksgiving, what to make for sides, how much there is to get done, and about how it will all play out since I've invited a blind gentleman from work to join us. I don't think he has any intellectual disabilities. If he does, they are very mild. I think he is just...quirky...and at 70, a bit set in his ways and demanding as men of that age can sometimes be. Don't get me wrong, on the whole he is a sweetheart.

Also about the fact I've been drafted to be the narrator for the church's Christmas program. Me. Ugh!

Feeling...maybe not quite content, but happy.

Celebrating...Thanksgiving, the Christmas season, our anniversary...so much really.

Grateful...there is no chance I'll have to work in the document destruction part of my work any time soon (or maybe ever again). With my leg as it is there is no way I would be able to do it.

Enjoying...the absolutely gorgeous sunrises and sunsets we've been having. The heavens have been dressed in all their finest colors!

Looking forward to...Thanksgiving and being off work for 4 days. I never call off or call in sick as so many of my coworkers do and I neeeeed a break. I actually have two PTO days I can use before the end of the year, but everyone is trying to use theirs up so the list of days we can't ask to be off is very long. Add to that the fact that we are very short staffed. Since I just earned my two days (I'll get my full 12 for next year in January) the only days left to ask for are a couple of Mondays, Tuesdays, and maybe a Wednesday or two. I asked for a Monday and Tuesday in December, but the boss says she will try but can't promise. I guess if all else fails I can just take them at Christmas so I get paid for the days we are off.

That's it for now. I really need to get off of here and get to bed. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!