UPDATE FROM EARLIER POST (below)

3:37 p.m. - Mom's been admitted to the hospital. Right now she's on an IV and is scheduled for a CAT scan. Kudos to Houston's Medical Center - they took good care of Tnk last year, and it seems they're on the ball this time, too.

I'M SCARED

This post is partially borrowed from a few emails I've received from my sister-in-law today.
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Mom started having convulsions around 5 a.m. this morning, and finally stopped around 10:30. Dad is with her and called the hospital at which her appointment is set for next week. They told him they couldn't do anything since she's not yet a patient with them and if he thinks it's an emergency to take her to an emergency room. (This was the same less-than-helpful woman Mom spoke with last week.) She couldn't even give Dad any idea as to what to look out for to determine whether she should go to an emergency room. Very compassionate advice.

My sister-in-law has e-mailed the neurologist we had contact with - perhaps he can tell us what to do. Other than that, MD Anderson does have an emergency room that we can camp out in and be pushy if the seizures start up again and worsen.

Mom and Dad don't think it's "serious" (OMG!!!!) and that it's just another symptom, and they are trying not to be concerned. Dad is also calling her GP to see if he has any advice.
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Update from the aforementioned neurosurgeon...

This is obviously an emergency, although seizures are very unusual for posterior fossa tumors. I would be concerned that she was developing obstructive hydrocephalus from the tumor. She should go to an emergency room, probably Hermann or MD Anderson in the medical center. Bring her MRI films so they can be compared to any new films. If these are seizures, she should begin taking an anticonvulsant.
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Hubby just called with a new update: Mom's now being taken to the ER. Please keep her in your prayers.


And thus the title of this post. :(

POSTPONEMENT

Mom's appointment with the neurosurgeon is going to be on the 22nd. She was unable to get in to see the other doctor last Friday, as she had a previously-set appointment with yet another neuro for the 29th. The not-so-nice appointment booker said something about repetition...I don't know. Anyway, since they'd promised her she'd be seen last Friday and then reneged, they bumped her up a week to make up for it.

I will most likely be taking Mom to the appointment, which I am honestly dreading. Don't get me wrong - I'm extremely grateful that she's letting me help her - but I am deathly afraid of what we will hear.

We saw Mom today, and she said she was having a very good day. No dizziness or headaches. She was happy we came over, and loved on the kids as much as they'd let her. I think they'll be more receptive to all the hugs when we tell them what's going on. Which won't be until after the doctor's appointment on the 22nd.

I just realized that I'm more afraid of telling the kids than I am of hearing what the doctor has to say.

THANKS, PEZ AND FISH...AND AN UPDATE ON MIL

Pez, your comment on my last blog entry made a lot of sense. I'm usually the one of the siblings who physically jumps in to help everyone, and I guess I never realized that I do the same thing emotionally, as well. Hugs to you, as you do seem to know how I feel.

Fish, I've pencilled you in. For sure. Please do call.
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Hubby's mom: She will be receiving much-needed "expedited treatment" (my SIL's words) at the best hospital in Houston through two avenues: one, the chairman of hubby and SIL's company*, who sits on said hospital's board, and two, SIL's friend's Dad, a physician who has been very open and generous in talking to the family - a nice change from the very loud silence of Mom's original (and fired) doctor!

The physician agrees with the report that the tumor is an ependymoma tumor and that Mom will, therefore, need a cranial surgeon. He spoke with a cranial surgeon at the above-mentioned hospital, who is also the head of neurosurgery, and he said he can get her in this Friday. Thank God for that, because after Mom told him her symptoms (she is not feeling well today; has been hearing loud ringing and her balance is off), he said she needs to get in immediately. The report also indicated the tumor may have calcification, which he said generally indicates a benign tumor, which is encouraging. However, you are not in the clear just because it's benign - if the tumor has grown into a delicate area of the brain, it can be just as bad.

Please pray that the surgeon is able to get her in this Friday, that he correctly diagnoses her, and that he provides the best treatment plan for her. Please also pray that her tumor backs off for a bit so that she is able to make it in before it's too late. Feel free to add more prayers too!
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*Hubby and SIL both work at the same place; I don't know if I've mentioned that before. They both started there last October.

I HAVE THE PERFECT SHIRT

It's a brand-new-with-tags, greenish-brown, ugly as sin, oversized t-shirt. On the front is a picture of Charlie Brown and the words "Sick and tired of everything." I bought it last March during all the family bullshit following Tnk's accident. I've never worn it, but that's about to change.

You all know about all the stuff that's going on in my family right now. Yesterday I told my sdad and one sister about my brother's impending divorce. I then called Tnk to let her know so that she wouldn't feel out of the loop, so to speak. She responded with a gruff "well, that's too bad, but I'm not surprised" and other things that we've all been thinking but have not voiced.

Today she called and said she was sorry she couldn't talk yesterday, but there were people around. I told her that I understood, and that I just wanted to let her know what was going on, as communication has been a big problem in our family in the past, and I am really trying to keep things open. She proceeds to gripe about our brother not calling her and her not having his cell phone number. "I have never had his cell phone number!" was one comment - and one which I seriously doubt, by the way. I told her I could email it to her if she wanted, but that I don't know it by heart. Which is true, because with my new cell phone I just press Talk and say "Brother" and it dials him (I may never know anyone's number again, heh). She responded that it didn't matter because they never talk anyway.

Then she starts asking me questions about his kids and visitation and such. I told her that I didn't think that was going to be a problem as the divorce seems amicable, but that I don't honestly remember all the details because this past week has been a very emotional one and I didn't retain much of the conversation. I said, "You know, this has been a very bad year so far. I guess I just didn't and don't want to hear about anything bad for awhile."

I can't believe she responded with a short, "Well, bad things are going to continue to happen! You'll just have to ... "

I cut her off with "okaaaay, I'm sorry, but I just can't continue this way. So much has happened...right now all I really want to hear are positive things and optimistic views."

She said fine and hung up. That surprised the heck out of me. It would have been more like her to say that she was sorry and that things were going to be okay. Even if she was lying, that would have been better than what she did. I didn't think I could be even more down than I have been, but she made that happen.

Thanks, Tnk. You just inspired me to expand my wardrobe... :(

EDIT: She just emailed me and said "Umm...All I was trying to say was: I guarantee there will be more bad things, but we're tough and we'll handle them." That makes sense, and I know she's right, but sometimes all you want is sympathy, you know? Because I sure don't feel tough right now.

TODAY WE SHOULD KNOW MORE

MIL sent a long email to her primary doctor last Friday. In it, she told him that she'd gotten two recommendations for neurologists and asked him to contact her about submitting referrals. She said, "I know that Mondays are busy for you, so I won't expect a call first thing. If I don't hear from you by lunchtime, I'll contact you."

Wow, does this woman have patience. I am not sure I'd be so nice were I in her shoes. He's already blown her off once; there should be no second chance. How can you tell someone they've got a brain tumor and then ignore them for three days?

Good grief.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. They mean the world to our family.

TONIGHT I'M GONNA GET DRUNK. WHO'S WITH ME?

Well, despite my optimism about 2007 being better than 2006, this year - all six days of it so far - are in the crapper.

Thursday we find out that my mother-in-law has a brain tumor. I SO cannot tell the kids, but with all the skirting the subject that's been going on around here, they're bound to be suspicious by now. Top that off with this: her doctor not only didn't set up her appointment with the neurosurgeon, (as he'd promised he'd immediately do); he didn't even bother to let her know he didn't do it. In the words of my sister-in-law, "he's SO fired!"

Friday, the day after we found out about MIL's tumor, the aforementioned sister-in-law's husband got laid off from work. While he was on a business trip in San Francisco. Before he even got back to Texas. His company let him close two business deals - then fired him the same day. Asswipes.

Today I called my brother in Oklahoma to see how he and the wife and kids were doing. He informed me that he had a new address. Of his very own. I can't believe it...he's getting a divorce. The funny thing is, we always told him that if he ever left his wife, we'd keep her. But now that it's a reality, I just hope we can keep all of them.

Man, this sucks. This, 2007, was going to be the GOOD year. I just knew that nothing could top last year for general suckitude, but these first six days have been a bitch.

I'm off to make the title a reality.

SOMETHING ON HER MIND

I got an email yesterday from my mom-in-law, which said:

"I don’t know if you know that I have been having problems with dizziness and sometimes have a ringing in my head. I went to the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure was very high. So today I had an MRI—it was hard to lie there that long without moving! I quoted Scripture and had to start over because it took so long. Of course my whole body would itch and I could not scratch. All in all not bad though. I am to go in tomorrow to find out the results."

High blood pressure is not uncommon for her, but the MRI worried me. Today my brother-in-law and I (the in-laws referred to below) received this email:

"I tried to call you, but you did not answer so I thought I would email you. I am doing a rotten trick on the in-laws—I just got back from hearing the results of the MRI that I had yesterday, and hate to tell M [dh] and A [my sil] how it is over the phone so I am going to make you guys break the news. I have a tumor in the back of my head. It is in the part of my head that can affect my balance. They are not certain if it is benign or not; it could go either way. There was something the radiologist did not like about it, but the doctor did not have the full report yet. He is making an appointment for me, hopefully next week, to get more insight. [Several years ago] my sister had a tumor in the back of her head and it was benign so I am hopeful this is too. I get a little weepy when I talk about it, but I really am not upset about it or scared. I feel fairly peaceful. I know God is in control of my life and He will work everything out for the good of all.
Sorry to put this burden on you, but think it is best."

Long story short, mom has a brain tumor. Hubby and I have decided not to say anything to the kids yet, as we don't know anything definite and don't want them to worry. What I *do* know is that I'll be awake half the night alternating between tears and prayers. Dear Lord, please watch over mom. I ... don't know what else to say. Amen.

I GOT A NEW TOY

Ever since hubby's new employer supplied him with a Blackberry of his very own (going on three months now), I've been saying that I was going to downgrade our cellular service. No need to pay for an extra phone and minutes you don't use, right? Well, today was the big day! I decided to go with Sprint because they have a family plan wherein you can call other Sprint customers for free. The vast majority of my family uses Sprint, so with all that "free" time, I was able to get the cheapest plan with the fewest minutes, saving us somewhere around 40 bucks a month.

My new phone is very cool, if I do say so myself. First of all, it was free - no mail-in rebate or anything. Can't beat that. It has voice dialing, which I didn't have before and will be using constantly until the novelty wears off, lol. It's a flip phone, which I like because I've never had a phone that could cover up the number pad and I was always accidentally dialing someone. Yes, I knew how to lock the keys, but I didn't always remember to do so.

But my very favorite feature of my new phone? It rings. It doesn't play "SexyBack" or "Doncha" or "Copacabana" (although it could). It just rings, kinda like old-timey non-portable phones used to. One ringey-dingey...two ringey-dingey. Whee!

Tomorrow's plan: contacting Vonage or Skype to cut down on our landline costs. Anyone use either of those (Pez?)? Suggestions would be welcomed. And thanks in advance!

TO HELLOS, GOODBYES, AND FRIENDS MADE IN BETWEEN

First, let's bid a fond farewell to 2006. In particular, farewell to last March:

1. Farewell to K's broken ulna and the painful surgery and recuperation that ensued.
2. Farewell to the drunk driver who nearly killed my sister, and who is currently behind bars for the next seven years.
3. Farewell to half-forgotten birthdays; Ry, I think we owe you a do-over of your 10th birthday. I'm so sorry, son.
4. Farewell to toxic family members. Forever.
5. Farewell to family trauma, and here's to the ever-growing maturity level in this family.
6. Farewell to losing beloved family members and those who just felt like family, too.
7. Farewell to hubby's old job and the crappy way in which they laid people off just.like.that.

And with that, I hereby bury last March.

In 2007, I hereby resolve to:

1. Be less critical.
2. Write a book, or at least a short story, about my childhood experiences. It doesn't have to be published, but it needs to be said.
3. Eat at least five salads a week.
4. Clean out the garage.
5. Clean out my closet.
6. Have a garage sale.
7. Stay current on the laundry.
8. Play at least one game a week with the kids.
9. Get a passport.
10. Take a family vacation.
11. Accomplish something just for me.
12. Help hubby accomplish something just for him.
13. Make more resolutions as I see fit.

The one I'm most likely to break is number seven. I'm already pitifully behind. Maybe number 14 should be "Teach the kids to do their own laundry." Ooh, yeah, I like that one!

ORTHOPEDICS, REVISITED

Yesterday I took K to the surgeon (Dr. J; but not the hoopster) who'd repaired his ulna earlier this year. X-rays were taken, and the doctor said that more surgery would be necessary in order to remove the steel plate from K's arm.

K is not happy.

Had he been 15 years old instead of 12 when he broke his arm, the plate could just stay put. But the doctor said that the textbook recommends prepubescent kids with screws and plates have them removed before the growing process is complete. Dr. J went on to tease K about having to buy shirts with one long arm and one short arm.

Fortunately, since hubby changed jobs, we seem to have better insurance now. The deductible is half of what it used to be, the insurance company will pay 90% instead of 80% this time, and the office visits are $15 instead of $30. Hopefully this will all add up to a cheaper surgery - the last one really knocked us for a loop.

The scheduler will be calling on Tuesday to set up a time for the second operation. Hey, why does K suddenly feel like my baby instead of my teenager...?

THAT WAS FAST

I can't believe how quickly the holiday season passed. I started decorating early this year on purpose, so that the festivities would (seemingly) last longer. I guess it's true that the older you get, the faster time flies.

Christmas was great. I received lots of excellent gifts, but was even happier to see the recipients of my gifts open theirs. Hubby's big gift from me this year was a collection of our family movies on DVD. I've spent the last two months at T & J's house transferring them all from VHS - and not a moment too soon, from the sad shape of some of those tapes. It has been a long process, and we're only halfway done! Eight years down; eight years to go. In other words, I'll be spending lots of time at T & J's house in early 2007, too.

As for me, I received the following:

From K - Phase 10 Anniversary Edition, at my request
From Ry - tall vanilla-scented candle, which I always welcome
From Pey - a sweater cap and gloves/mittens (they have a flap that opens up so that the tips of your fingers are exposed, in case you need to grip something; or the flap can stay closed in warm-mitten fashion), which I'd actually requested from Ry...boy was he disappointed. Pey got to go shopping with Daddy first. Poor Ry.

From DH - Two beautiful, soft sweaters; a large cake carrier; scrapbooking die-cuts; an adapter so I can play my IPod in the car (WAY cool); a purse; socks; pajamas; a pair of sexy panties, which he threw in with the pj's, lol.

From SIL and BIL (and partially MIL and FIL, too) - tickets to see "Spamalot" next June.

From MIL and FIL - A silver serving fork, which was labeled "To Pley and DH," so I have to share. And a funky purse which I call my wooly mammoth, as it really does look like someone went back in time, skinned a wooly mammoth, and made a purse out of him. I like it because it's different and roomy, but by spring I'll be switching over to the purse DH got me. Somehow wooly things don't really go with sunny weather. Maybe it's just me.
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Now for something totally different. This is from Fishie's blog: Today's assignment: make a list of what people you may have to buy for next year. Then jot down what they received this year. It may help jog your memory next fall. Or it will give you a direction to go in. Get ten names down on paper and some things they received or spoke about wanting. We can do that much!

Here we go:

DH - family videos to DVD; portable DVD player; new DVD player (notice a theme here?)
K - IPod Shuffle; MP3 speaker/pillow; guitar tab paper; guitar picks
RY - IPod Shuffle; Star Wars "Build Your Own Lightsaber" kit
PEY - IPod Shuffle; FLYpen computer
SIL - plush robe; BBW soaps and lotions
BIL - egg separator (SO gross, but SO funny - check it out here)
MIL - bracelet; History of Christianity book
FIL - flashlights; Maps of the Civil War book
J - BBW pedicure kit
T - Tootsie Rolls; homemade white chocolate fudge
TNK - goodie bag: magazines, BBW lotions and soaps; other health & beauty items
EMTsis - see TNK
ECS - magnetized memo board for her room

Thanks, Fish, for getting me on track. Now I'll know next year that FIL doesn't need any more flashlights. I'm sure that's getting old. :)

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Tonight we went out to dinner with the in-laws, as is our tradition. We'd called ahead to make sure that the restaurant, Los Compadres, would be open. They told us they'd be open until 7:00 p.m.

We got there just after 5:00. As it turns out, we were the only ones in the entire place. For once, our table for seven had plenty of leg room. We were there for about an hour, ate our wonderful dinner, then paid and left at 6:00. As we walked out, the restaurant - which still had no other diners - turned out the lights and closed up an hour early.

Merry Christmas, Los Compadres, and thank you for the delicious tamales.

After dinner, we went to church for the Christmas Eve service. Our church is in transition, meaning the old building has been sold and we're waiting for the new construction to be completed. So in the meantime, the entire church is meeting in a local junior high school. The.place.was.packed. There were at least two hundred people in this service (the church had had another service prior to this one). The majority of the service was singing, which is my hands-down favorite part of church at Christmas, so I enjoyed myself very much.

The only drawback to the service was that we weren't allowed to use candles this year. Typically, everyone holds a small candle and we pass the flame from person to person. But the school district does not allow open flames on its campuses, so our pastor came up with a rather ingenious (and kind of weird) solution: glow sticks. Everyone took a glow stick from the basket, and we all cracked them at the same time. You'd think, as I did, that this would be cheesy, but somehow it worked. All the congregants' faces were lit by a soft glow, and really, it didn't matter that the light did not come from a flame.

Oh Holy Night. Happy Birthday, Jesus. You ARE the reason for the season. Amen.

FRIDAY

I am never, ever going to finish wrapping presents.

It would help if I were not such a procrastinator, but that's not gonna change anytime soon. (Heh, I crack myself up.) As I said before, though, I *am* a successful procrastinator, so I guess I bring it all on myself.

The kids and I spent the day lazing around and watching movies. Today's fare: "The Wild" (an animated flick) and "The Pacifier." The latter starred Vin Diesel, whom I'm not typically a fan of, but this movie really wasn't that bad. It was a tad predictable, but I have to admit that I didn't see everything coming. Vin's commanding officer in the movie? He, I knew from the start, had ulterior motives. Oh, and watching Brad Garrett play a jerkwad who eventually gets his butt kicked was just FUN to watch. Hee!

Last night the family watched "Superman Returns." Again, not a bad flick. Ry kept saying "COOL!" at all the special effects, so I guess kids would give it a thumbs-up. The scene where Superman lands the plane on the baseball field was neat. Okay, it was more than that. Ry was right - COOL!

I also caught up on six days worth of Rachael Ray which I've been DVRing. I love having the option to fast-forward the show, as some of the celebrity guests are SO obviously there to push their latest charity, and not actually there to visit with Rachael. Wow, I guess I have a soft spot for her after all.

Looks like I watched a boatload of TV today. And now I sit here blogging. Wonder why those gifts aren't wrapped yet?

THURSDAY

Today the kids and I went back to T & J's because Pey had left her Christmas gift from them at their house. That, and I had gifts for them that I needed to deliver because they're leaving town in a few days and I may not see them again before Christmas. That, and I just enjoy spending time with them because I haven't always had - nor will I always have - that opportunity.

This was brought home to me this morning while we were driving to their house. Sara MacLachlan's song "Angel" came on the radio, and I just about lost it. That song was released the year my mom died, and it always makes me think about her. Particularly the part where it says, "You're in the arms of the angel...may you find some comfort here."

That was hard to type.

I know I've complained about my mother in the past, and goodness knows we didn't always get along. But she was my mom, and despite the fact that we didn't always see eye to eye (who does, really?), I loved her very much. I know she suffered at the end - the excruciating headache, the loss of the ability to see and understand, the knowledge that you can no longer control yourself, the eventual rupture of the aneurysm in her brain that relieved her pain - and took her life. That makes me ache for her. There's nothing like seeing someone you love lying on a hospital bed, unresponsive and vulnerable, to make you realize how much they mean to you. How silly your spats were. How ridiculous it was that you argued with and hung up on her during your very last phone call.

That...is hard to live with.

Then, as the beginning strains of "Angel" came through the speakers, I drove past a white Chevy Impala. That is the same kind of car Tnk was driving the night the drunk hit her. It's the same car that slammed her up against the truck she'd pulled over. It's the same car that very nearly took her life.

All those memories came rushing back - the 2:00 a.m. phone call that told us she'd been LifeFlighted to the hospital. How hurt she was. How scared we were, and how scared she was. How vulnerable and small she looked in that hospital bed. How close - thisclose, thisdamnedclose - we came to losing her. I felt the tears flowing freely down my face, and I prayed at the same time that the kids wouldn't notice mommy crying.

As I am, again, now.

WEDNESDAY

Today was the kids' first day off school for Christmas break. (The district calls it "Holiday Break"; I call that "BS.") Anyway, we spent the day at T (a.k.a. SDad) & J's watching movies and hanging out. I took J to Walgreen's because there was something she wanted to buy for T. I was sad that I didn't have my handy-dandy coupon organizer with me, because I saw some GREAT stuff on sale. Walgreen's even has Bionicle figures on sale for 3/$11.98. That's less than four bucks each, which is about half the price Target charges for the same toys. The kids heard about that and now they want me to take them to Walgreen's in the morning. Darn, another trip to Walgreen's...however shall I survive?

Tonight I made Robin's Peppermint Bark. Oh. My. Gosh. That stuff is SO good and addicting! I will definitely be breaking it up and portioning it out to give to other people so that I don't eat the whole thing! Robin, promise me you won't give me your mint cookie recipe. Promise!

Right now, hubby is playing Metroid 2 (an XBox game that I totally don't understand); the boys are upstairs playing Bionicle; Pey is watching hubby play the game; and I'm on the computer (duh). I still have what feels like twenty seven thousand gifts to wrap, but I'm a successful procrastinator. It'll get done. I just hope it happens before Christmas Eve.

TUESDAY

Today I spent the day running errands and getting hubby's Christmas gifts ready. Unfortunately, I cannot say more about that right now because hubby reads my blog and would definitely figure out what I've gotten for him.

Tonight we watched "Hitch," starring Will Smith. It was a fun movie, and I do recommend it to anyone who wants something mindless and entertaining to watch. Hubby even enjoyed it, which is rare since he's not a mindless-comedy kind of guy.

Next on our list of movies to watch include: Pirates of the Caribbean II, Superman Returns, The Pacifier, Surviving Christmas, and Walk the Line. All of which I've borrowed from SDad and J's (his girlfriend/significant other) stash. They own almost any movie you can think of, and every Tuesday you can find them at Wal-Mart buying the new releases. And they are more than happy to loan them out to us for free. Better than Netflix! Which we dropped earlier this month, anyway.

What movies are on your watch list?

MONDAY

Today I ran a bunch of errands, including my very least favorite: going to the post office. (Fish, there's more than one reason I jumped the coupon train... :)

I stood in line for about half an hour at the post office just to use the scale. I didn't need a "real" worker; just the scale. Some numbnuts decided they'd take the easy way out and brought their 57 packages to mail - on the scale. The scale can only handle one item at a time, and it slowly prints everything out, then it slowly scans your credit card (apparently credit card systems are on nuclear overload this time of year)... Aggravating.

Then this genius beyotch comes up to mail a large package. She crammed it into the mail slot, raised the handle - and got it stuck. The slot wouldn't open again despite the heroic efforts of two civilians and three postal employees. One of the workers finally had to go to the back and bring out a rolling cart for the rest of us to put our packages in. I just hope they kept an eye on it constantly so that some other numbnut wouldn't be able to walk in and steal something.

My hat is off to you, USPS. I sure as hell wouldn't want your job this time of year. Or ever. Merry Christmas!

IT FEELS LIKE JUNE

This weather is nuts. At my house today, the thermometer hit eighty-three freaking degrees. It's December, for goodness sake. Where is my snow? Heck, at this point, I'd settle for "where is my cool breeze?" Pez, I feel for you and the Arctic temps you've recently encountered...want to send some of it my way?

Last night was K's guitar recital. He played "Time of Your Life" by Green Day, and "Carol of the Bells" by ... um, I dunno. K did a fantastic job on both songs, and I honestly could not be prouder. Oh, and the programs (done by moi) were also a hit. Although not so much a hit as the musicians, but I'll get there one day.

Today the family went to see "Eragon." The Houston Chronicle panned the flick, but it was actually pretty good. Even I enjoyed it, and I'm not much of a fantasy-movie type girl. ("Willow" and "Star Wars" the lone exceptions.) The only part that was kind of grisly was when the evil sorcerer was made up to look uber-gross, but if you point out that it's like a Halloween mask, most kids will get over it. Or you could do like hubby and say, "Boy, he needs some Chapstick!" That made me laugh and forget that the dude looked like Satan - I actually started feeling bad for the actor because it really did look like his lips had just spent an hour exposed to the cold air while he was skiing in Colorado.

Everyone is telling me they're hungry, so I guess I'll sign off for now. Wishing you all a good week and plenty of Chapstick. Ciao!

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Lots to do today...

1. Type up the program for K's guitar recital tomorrow night. I volunteered for this job because the programs from the last recital were very sad. Picture this - an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of white paper, all names typed in a rather large Times New Roman font, several misspelled names ("Go Tell Aunt Rhody" does not have an "e" in Rhody), misaligned tab stops (ooh, that is a pet peeve of mine), and the crowning touch: an old piece of clip art, which had been cut out of something else and taped onto the first draft before the copies were made. It was very 1982, let me tell you. I'm bringing the guitar programs into the new millenium. What a trendsetter I am! Who knew?

2. Take said programs to Office Depot and have 30 copies made. I really want to do color copies, but we shall see how much that costs first.

3. Use my Bath & Body Works coupon before it expires tomorrow. This is a "buy anything, get something free" coupon, so I plan to purchase a little gift bag for two bucks and get a $12 bottle of lotion for free to put in it. I love me a good coupon.

4. Mount Laundry, which will soon erupt if I do not get my bohonkus in there and shovel it down a bit.

5. Look up spelling of "bohonkus."

6. Continue wrapping Christmas gifts, but make sure to note what I've bought already before I wrap it. I've been shopping for months, and as such I'm sure there's some stuff in there that I've forgotten about.

7. Touch base with Tnk. Since her partner quit, I am constantly worried about her. I just need to make sure she made it home safely.

8. Go to the store and buy some bread already! Geez, we've been out all week.

9. Get off the computer and get busy.