Yep…call the blog police because once again…. it’s really Thursday.  Oh well.

So what’s been happening around here (besides the obvious).

Work In Progress: Christmas

 

(How much longer until this is over????)

We made some preparations this weekend, went to a lovely Christmas concert and I could honestly say that my Christmas spirit had increased to almost 30%.  Then the events of Monday occurred and I can safely say we are back to around 2%.  But…we did get the tree put up.  I ditched the ribbons and such and we just did tree and ornaments.

Ginormous Christmas Tree

I am not one that has all of the ornaments put together to keep a tree as a “theme”.  I think those kinds of trees are pretty but there are ornaments that just mean too much to me.  To the outsider they probably look pretty bad because they’ve been so beat up over the years but they make me happy each year when I see them.

Dad & Anna Grace

The ornament on the left was made for my dad by the folks at the school where he worked back in the early 70’s.  I was probably younger than Anna Grace when that ornament was made.  But it is always on our tree.  And the one on the right was made by the nursery workers at church when Anna Grace was a baby.  (And yes, that’s a Fiesta ornament in the middle.  I even have Fiestaware on the Christmas tree.)

The “April” Dove

 

My dad mailed me that when I was 9 years old.  It’s been on the tree ever since.

Scarlett and One of the “Hand Mades”.

 

There’s a whole set of these Scarlett O’Hara ornaments and the gold ornament is one that my mother made.  She got into making Christmas ornaments when I was about 2 or 3 years old.  (That phase didn’t last long.) They are a little beat up but some of them still survive today.

Work in Progress: Baking Christmas Cookies

 

I decided to try to bake Christmas cookies this year since I used to do that with my mother.  I know, you’re shocked.  I was only going to bake sugar cookies and figured this year we’d take the easy route and just roll out the Pilsbury dough.  I was trying to start the tradition without a bunch of work.  Next year when Anna Grace is older I thought we could do it right.

Well… with the stress of this week I’ve discovered that eating Pilsbury cookie dough goes well with praying about your circumstances (or trying to forget your circumstances) and walking in faith.  Trust me on this… eating Pilsbury cookie dough is an exercise in spirituality.  Pinky swear.

So much for the Christmas cookies.

Work in Progress: Auburn Camp Shirt

Auburn Camp Shirt: Back

Late last night I finished the back.

Work in Progress: Tulip Socks

Haven’t touched them

Work in Progress: Carding the Fleece

Yeah right.

Work in Progress: Dana’s Inadvertent Career Detour

We are doing well, considering our options, etc.  I would like it if Dana were able to start his own company but we’re not sure if that would work.  He’s going to be researching that option over the next two weeks.  In the immediate… he has to go to Washington.

Dana’s delightful ex-employer (I’m not bitter) is in Washington.  We’re in Florida.  They paid all of their unemployment tax etc to Washington and not to Florida.  So… we don’t like the idea of Florida footing the bill.  (AND… we’re uncertain if Florida WILL foot the bill.)  Then we found out that Washington unemployment is more than twice what Florida pays.  Liking the Washington idea even more.  But… Dana lives in Florida.  However, based on the time period that Washington unemployment looks at, he lived in Washington for a portion of that time and as long as he applies before December 31, 2008, he is eligible for Washington benefits.  To apply, he has to call them from a land line within the state of Washington.

So Dana is flying to Washington on Saturday.  Thankfully, we had a ticket voucher and he was able to use it.

By Dana getting Washington benefits his former (and delightful… see…not bitter) employer is held accountable for the cost to taxpayers via their unemployment insurance.  If, however, Dana was paid in Florida, his former (and delightful) employer would get off scot-free (scott free? scot free? scot-free?  How do you spell that?????).

I’d like them to pay, thankyouverymuch.  Dana having to travel right this very second is a bummer but I’m just dealing with it.

Work in Progress:  Five in a Row

Make Way for Ducklings…and the Egg Cycle Thingamagig

 

We’re almost done with Make Way for Ducklings. Yesterday we made a doo-hickey that goes through the cycle of a duck egg.  Today we watched this video that Lorette posted a while back.  The book has a police officer helping the ducks through traffic so I wanted Anna Grace to see this video from I-5 in Lakewood, Washington. We pretended that man’s name was “Micheal” just like in the book.

Today we’ll finish up with Make Way for Ducklings, do a few more activities and then we’re moving on to Ferdinand.

Work in Progress: Oakland Being Wiped Off the Map

 

The postal service sent out a notice yesterday that they are having “technical difficulties”.   I think this means that Oakland will be “back on their radar” in the not-too-distant future.  We shall see.

Have a great week, y’all.