I am not particularly fond of Christmas Shopping (in fact, I'm a rare woman in that I personally would rather go to the dentist instead of going to the mall..........now thrift shops and garage sales are a totally different story).
Spent the day yesterday with the hubby going through Penney's, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, and K-Mart to pick up Christmas gifts for our 8 kids, 10 grandkids, and son-in-laws (no daughter in laws YET....6 girls then youngest 2 are boys....27 year old anthopologist who spends way to much time in the Peruvian jungle.......and 26 year old CPA who is too busy working/partying to settle down)
When did Christmas shopping become a sporting event? It was horrific..........considering Christmas is still 20 days away. We were elbow to elbow, cart to cart crammed into the toy aisles of Walmart and K-Mart!!! And trying to find a "black dog" that one 5 year old grand daughter had on her list....well, sorry, no go........lots of fluffy white dogs that come in cute little carriers just for the 5 year old set........but no black ones. She'll have to settle for some Tinkerbell things, dress up stuff, kids makeup, and a Spongebob Operation game!! Twin 3 yr old grand daughters wanted something called "rose petal cottage sink".........we did score that one!! Son-in-laws were much easier than the grand kids......clothes! (with return slip and free "gift" boxes in red from Penneys.......just have to stick a label and bow and it's done!!) We have half of the girls presents done, so still more shopping to go!
Personally, online shopping for next year is the way to go.........or a hand full of mall gift certificates and I'm done!
Full contact marathon shopping is not for sissies!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Another Possum story
I seem to draw possums to my houses for some reason. We had the young possum who fell in love with our cat Muffin. I would go out to the shed and find Muffin and the possum sleeping together on the old futon stored there. I would look out on the porch at night and Muffin and the possum would be standing side by side eating out of the cat food bowl together. One night the possum tried to follow Muffin into the house, but my husband stopped him at the door!!!
When I delivered papers in the country, I would drive the country roads for 3 hours every night from 2 am until 5 am "dodging possums". Little suckers love to meander across the roads at night!
I stay at my mom's during the week and we have a big, fat possum who comes each night to eat bird seed that falls to the ground under the feeders. I sit on the porch in the dark, smoking cigarettes and watching the possum snack on the discarded seeds. Sometimes the big female raccoon that hangs around the area joins the possum and they will eat side by side.
Tonite, another possum incident!! The husband went outside to walk the dogs. Both of the bigger dogs made a beeline to our big cedar tree. Under neath they attacked a possum, but stopped soon after and rejoined my husband to come back into the house. My husband went outside to see what they were after, and there under the cedar tree, in the light from the porch, was a dead possum. Husband came in and got me and I went out to look. Possum was lying on it's side, it's mouth half open and unmoving. Husband and I were nearly in tears (we are avid animal lovers) thinking about the poor little possum and our "bad" dogs. I looked really hard and said "yeah, they killed it, they must have broke it's neck because there's no blood" and we went back into the house. About 20 minutes later, the husband takes out the trash and comes back in and says "he must have been "playing possum" because he is gone!!!" So happy the dogs didn't hurt him and that he was so very good at "playing dead". (also very lucky the possum didn't use his really long, nasty teeth to inflict any "payback" on the dogs!)
Possum dodged again!!
When I delivered papers in the country, I would drive the country roads for 3 hours every night from 2 am until 5 am "dodging possums". Little suckers love to meander across the roads at night!
I stay at my mom's during the week and we have a big, fat possum who comes each night to eat bird seed that falls to the ground under the feeders. I sit on the porch in the dark, smoking cigarettes and watching the possum snack on the discarded seeds. Sometimes the big female raccoon that hangs around the area joins the possum and they will eat side by side.
Tonite, another possum incident!! The husband went outside to walk the dogs. Both of the bigger dogs made a beeline to our big cedar tree. Under neath they attacked a possum, but stopped soon after and rejoined my husband to come back into the house. My husband went outside to see what they were after, and there under the cedar tree, in the light from the porch, was a dead possum. Husband came in and got me and I went out to look. Possum was lying on it's side, it's mouth half open and unmoving. Husband and I were nearly in tears (we are avid animal lovers) thinking about the poor little possum and our "bad" dogs. I looked really hard and said "yeah, they killed it, they must have broke it's neck because there's no blood" and we went back into the house. About 20 minutes later, the husband takes out the trash and comes back in and says "he must have been "playing possum" because he is gone!!!" So happy the dogs didn't hurt him and that he was so very good at "playing dead". (also very lucky the possum didn't use his really long, nasty teeth to inflict any "payback" on the dogs!)
Possum dodged again!!
Brain fuzzies
Getting older is definitely interesting. I am dealing not only with having to wear glasses (without them everything is fuzzy), but now I am dealing with "brain fuzzies". In the course of a day I have to answer "I can't remember" too many times. Walking into a room and trying to remember WHY I'm there, to what purpose. (this however does not occur when walking into the bathroom......I always know WHY I'm there) OMG ......I just realized getting old is like dropping acid............the only reality on an acid trip is the bathroom.....you usually know why you are there!!! (as long as you DO NOT look in the mirror!!)
On top of my brain getting fuzzier, I am also taking care of my mother who turns 87 this month, and she is quickly going down hill with "the fuzzies".......only hers is moment to moment. She can recall in detail what her 7th grade Catholic school uniform looked like, but can't remember what she ate for lunch. She knows the address of the house she lived in when she and dad moved into their first place, but forgets and calls me by one of her sister's names. And what's so sad is she is totally aware of her failing mind. She gets so angry at herself. She can still do the crossword puzzle (in ink) but writing a check and paying a bill takes her an hour because she doesn't remember what she's doing, and doesn't trust herself to not make an error. I now have to "check her checks" for her so she can stick them in the envelope and know its "ok".
It's scary, because I see myself in her. I know that these momentary "fuzzies" will eventually become permanent "fuzzies". Just like my failing eyes, my aching joints, the "brain fuzzies" are descending, and I'm not ready. I'm 55. I'm "young" yet. So much to do and experience.
I have to agree now, that getting old is not for sissies. You have to be tough!! I guess I need to "toughen up" and get on with it. (maybe after a nice nap...................)
On top of my brain getting fuzzier, I am also taking care of my mother who turns 87 this month, and she is quickly going down hill with "the fuzzies".......only hers is moment to moment. She can recall in detail what her 7th grade Catholic school uniform looked like, but can't remember what she ate for lunch. She knows the address of the house she lived in when she and dad moved into their first place, but forgets and calls me by one of her sister's names. And what's so sad is she is totally aware of her failing mind. She gets so angry at herself. She can still do the crossword puzzle (in ink) but writing a check and paying a bill takes her an hour because she doesn't remember what she's doing, and doesn't trust herself to not make an error. I now have to "check her checks" for her so she can stick them in the envelope and know its "ok".
It's scary, because I see myself in her. I know that these momentary "fuzzies" will eventually become permanent "fuzzies". Just like my failing eyes, my aching joints, the "brain fuzzies" are descending, and I'm not ready. I'm 55. I'm "young" yet. So much to do and experience.
I have to agree now, that getting old is not for sissies. You have to be tough!! I guess I need to "toughen up" and get on with it. (maybe after a nice nap...................)
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