New Years at Mom's House

Well, I am spending time with my mom in Rome. I got a laptop for Christmas and we are on the net looking at stuff. I wish my mom would get a computer so she can share in this fun. I've got to go get milk with Ray and the guy needs to plow the driveway. see ya.

Brown Paper packages tied up with string!!

Well, I am terrible in keeping up with blogging. but last night I had to laugh at myself because I had such a huge mess of jute twine and felt the need to untangle it. I had been wrapping presents all day and the kitchen was a mess. The jute twine was a mess to start with and I had been just dealing with it. But now is is all fixed. I had to cut it once because it was tied and frayed. I am much happier now with my BALL of TWINE!

Newfoundland Mummers

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=D8OPy7De3bk
Have you ever heard about Mummers? It sounds like fun. It is kinda like trick or treat for grown ups mixed with Christmas caroling and partying. People dress up and go out to friends houses to sing and try and see if the people can figure out whe everyone is. They cover their faces with cloths, hankies, doilies or what ever.

Reader's Digest Chirstmas songs

(sing to the tune of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)

Bark! The Hairy Angels Sing
"Bark!" the Labradoodles sing.
"Look at us, the latest thing.
Curly hair and tempers mild,
Big and small dog reconciled."
"Don't forget us!" call the puggles,
Shorkies yap, "We're best for snuggles."
"Wait a sec!" the mutts proclaim.
"Neath our fur, we're all the same.
Hark! Tho' wondrous breeds abound,
Don't forsake the local pound."

Okay, I thought it was funny. I found it in the December Reader's Digest
But wait there's more.

Taken for a Ride
(to the tune of "Sleight Ride")
Just hear that cashier jingling,
Ring ting ting-a-ling, ooh!
That will be 16 dollars
For three bananas for you.

Come watch our dollar falling
While friends are bawling "boohoo!"
Because it's 16 dollars
For five green olives for you.

Giddyup, giddyup, giddyup, they go,
Those prices we know.
They're leapin' like those
heatin'bills we owe.
Going up, going up, going up, it's tons
For hot dogs and buns.
We're tryin', our credit's dyin'
Did somebody say "bank run"?

Our cheeks are red from sneezing
Since it is freezing in here.
We're bundled up in blankies
And craving hankies and beer.

Let's move into the Taurus
And sing a chorus or two
Because it's 16 dollars
For seven fish sticks for you.

Deck the Malls
Deck the malls with stuff from China.
Fa la la la la la la la la!
Hats and Bratz and Dad's reclina,
Fa la la la la la la la la!

Don we non-U.S. apparel,
Fa la la deficit, Blah blah blah!
Shrug "Oh, well" and watch Will Ferrell,
Fa la la la la and lad-di-da!

Christmas Survey - I hate surveys

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift wrap..like brown paper bags or craft paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Always had real tree growing up and after we were married continued the tradition of cutting down a fresh tree every year until the kids moved away. The year I worked retail at Christmas I did not have time to do anything to enjoy Christmas and we ended up with a discounted pencil pre-lit Christmas tree. Now I just decorate it and push it into the center of the picture window. After Christmas I undecorate it and push it back into a corner of the living room.
3. When do you put up the tree? In the past it was always one to two weeks before Christmas.
4. When do you take the tree down? When we get around to it. Sometimes not until the end of January.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but not the calories!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Tiny Thumbalina I still have her and special clothes that Aunt Esther knit for her. Stocking hat, mittens, shirt & jacket, skirt, booties and even a knit diaper.
7. Hardest person to buy for? It used to be my Dad but now it is my husband. Men are always hard to buy for.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom or daughter, Kira. They love everything.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, Ceramic, hand painted it myself with 3 coats of underglaze and then clear glazed while my husband was in Turkey in the summer of 1978.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail but I don't send many. Sometimes I personally hand them out at church to friends.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't remember anything. I am sure it was something at a gift exchange at a party.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I'm thinking.......
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after for the next year and all year long, especially on vacations.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Italian Christmas cookies, (Chocolate meatballs)
16. Lights on the tree? clear. But I really like Kira and CJ's tree last year with the blue lights.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Joseph's Song especially when my husband sings it.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Growing up we always had to visit my dad's family on Christmas day in Utica. I never really knew them very well. I hated to leave my toys and stuff at home but was obligated to go to their house to visit. SO I did not want to do that to my kids. One year we traveled from Kansas to New York on a whim at the last minute. It was a great adventure. Mom and Dad did not know we were coming and we walked in Christmas eve. None of our presents were wraped so mom and I wrapped them all night to get them done for the morning. Tired but fun.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? I thinks so., Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen oops almost forgot VIXEN.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Again growing up we had an angel. Now we have a star. I have my parents original angel but don't put it on the tree.
21 Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning, unless there is a conflict. But I prefer to open them in the morning. It is more traditional for me.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People spazing about what to get everyone. and spending too much money.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like the Woodsy, Adirondack look to my tree and it's ornaments. However, it is hard to not use the traditional ornaments I have collected over the years. Ever ornament has special meaning. I don't like to just put them on if there is no meaning to what they represent or who gave it to me or a memory of some kind attached to it.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I don't really remember making a big deal of Christmas dinner. It was not like Thanksgiving dinner. I guess, I like ham.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? My family hanging out and laughing about good times.
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? No one.
27.Who is least likely to respond to this? Everybody.

Found Pictures Photo Booth Fun

Trying to organize pictures. It is not easy. I need to go buy some envelopes to continue. However, I did find a set of pictures that I think Kira was looking for. For some reason my scanner did not scan them as a single picture. But I am still learning.

Kira and Adam always have fun in front of a camera.

They really cracked me up.

I don't remember where these pictures were taken but I'm glad I found them.

I discovered movie maker software on my computer and want to finish making the Video of Little Boy on His Knees with Adam's pictures growing up. But I can not find the Power Point of the pictures to put on the movie maker program. I will have to as Ray to tell me how to get the old backed up stuff from our old computer to see if it is there.

Talking Meadow

Kira thinks I need to explain the title of my blog. Talking Meadow.
Well what do you think?
Talk=Chat
Meadow=Field
What is there to explain?
Chat-field
Chatfield
Get it?
Got it!
Genius!
Explaination complete.

Interpreting went well.

Well, all that worrying about interpreting for the Sons of the American Revolution award ceremony at the Brighton Fire House for a deaf firefighter to receive an award from the SAR was not needed. Everything went well. It was only 30 minutes long. Seth Terkhorn is a very nice guy. He graduated from NTID and is going to MCC to become an EMT. He is a firefighter for the West Brighton firehouse. Robert F. had a typed letter that I had to read/interpret while Robert signed it. The President of the SAR had a typed out letter of what he was going to say so I had for warning on what was going to happen.

And they gave me a gift card for Applebees. MMMMMmmmmmmmm.

30 min of interpreting and $25 gift card. Awesome.

Short and sweet.

Training lesson

Take a look at this blog. It is Kira's blog site. I am just learning how to link stuff.

Thanksgiving cards

Yesterday I spent the day making cards with my friend Shiela. We spend way too much time trying to decide how to design a card. but one of my cards came out really nice.

And what is a card without a sentiment?

I had a fun day. I just wish I could get more done in a full day of working. I did make another card but don't have time to scan it this morning.

More later on card making.

And I am excited to go to Kira's pamper chef party on Nov 17.

Here I go again...

Well I'm going to try to post something. I never have very much to talk about. But ...I made more friendship bread tonight. two loaves chocolate and four small loaves are baking in the oven right now. Also a couple muffins in individual muffin cups (bought from the SHOP THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED.

They won't be done until 9:30 tonight.

Robert F e-mailed me to see if I could interpret for him at an award ceremony for a deaf fireman at the West Brighton Firehouse on Monday night. I am scared to do it..but I told him I would. It is really out of my comfort zone. There will be people there I don't know which normally is not a problem but..I will have to finger spell all the people's names. I hate that. But I will be doing a service for a friend and I love to sign and help people. So here I go again stepping out on faith to serve someone else.

All I need to know how to do is insert pictures now. I will try to stretch my computer abilities....here I go again.

Whoooo HOOOO! Look what I did. The picture came from one of Kira's files of pictures we had on our computer before she moved away two years ago.

That's all for now. untill I try again.

Kira is a computer genius.

Thanks for helping me with my blog. I am going to try to update it on a "regular" basis. We will see how well it works. I am still just learning.

Blogging is new for me!

I don't know why I just created a BLOG space for my family. No one will really read it. But I wanted to experiment with blogging and see what works and what does not.