Christmas? Next Week? WTF!!!

I can't believe next week..will be Christmas. I've got stuff done.. but it feels like time is flying by so quickly.

Its just work ...home...work...home..

Its maddening.

My house does look pretty but I am still trying to deal with WAY TOO MANY books that don't have anywhere to go.

Also I've been reading more ebooks because its just easier most of the time. I would love to have a day to just sit on my couch and be cozy with a book and not worry about cooking or holidays or anything like that.

I really need to get my holiday baking going on though and that requires time.

I'm doing buckeyes
cream cheese cookies
Andes Candies cookies
Palmiers
Mocha Chip
Cranberry cookies
Oh and Maccaroons

Possibly a no bake coconut cookie.

I just need to get started...Like yesterday

Photo Recap Part 1

I pulled up my flickr account for the year and I was trying to find the photos that impressed me the most.

I'm so happy my cameras got some use this year, as it has been 10 years since I was able to really enjoy that hobby. (I would still rather have my mama though than all this pictures)

Its funny though, when I took these, I was so proud of most of them, and now looking back many have lost their luster for me. I'll post some more from the later part of the year in the coming days.

The Birds

The starlings were on the move yesterday. When I was getting ready to leave for work this was the view from my porch

A few minutes later some friends joined them

As they were flying it looked like a moving black cloud. They landed on rooftops, trees and power lines.

It was quite a sight!

Noisy too!

Things That Make Me Think Of You

It doesn't matter how long it has been since Mom, Dad and Gran have been gone, there are certain things that will always make me think of them.

For Daddy...

Eggo Waffles (I could not walk down the freezer breakfast aisle in the grocery store for a very long time without tearing up at the sight of the round things)

Corn Curls (I was snacking on these today and thought of how much Daddy loved this snack)

Boost: Every damn time I see an ad for these awful drinks I cry.

Cookies: That blue Sesame Street character couldn't hold a candle to him. In the last year of his life I couldn't make or buy enough cookies to make him happy.

Mexican and Chinese Food: He loved all things Mexican and OMG how he loved Sweet and Sour Chicken.

OK but food isn't the only thing that makes me think of my daddy.

Being stuck at an intersection when someone is turning left...I can always hear his voice calling those people "Left hand turn artists."

Driving up 5th St hill.. again his voice..."Comin' up the hill with this ole will."

For Mommy...

Celtic Music... I will never ever ever listen to Place in the Choir or Rattlin' Bog without cryin'. I just can't.

Lead Me, Guide Me: My mama and daddy's favorite hymn. Again...can't listen to it without crying.

Mary, Mother Of The Church. I have such mixed feelings about our church...I find myself crying every time I walk in the building. My mama worked so hard when she could for that parish..and they forgot about her when she was sick...just as our priest at the time, failed my dad. Still when I see the church, I can feel their great love for God there and I can remember all the good times that were associated with the work they did.

Nut roll: The holidays aren't the same without them.

You'll Never Walk Alone: Someone was singing that song on Ed Sullivan this morning on Decades..and I could almost hear mommy singing it (badly)

Longwood Gardens and Phipps Conservatory: These are places I'll always associate with mommy. She loved going there so much...the same with Lancaster and Erie..

Presque Isle: When I was a baby, they stuck a spoon in a tree there, when changing my diaper...it was still there the last time we checked!

Grandma

Wheat Pennies!!  My gran was a coin collector! Oh and 2 dollar bills!

The Laundry...Honestly when we did the laundry together on her old ringer washer, I didn't hate it. I enjoyed the time we had together.

Christmas Eve...I will never forget dinner at her house and looking out the living room window for Santa with my nieces. Even when that dinner moved to my parents house and then mine..her traditions followed.

As John Lennon wrote..

All these places had their moments

With lovers and friends, I still can recall

Some are dead, and some are living

In my life, I've loved them