You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2008.
For us 2008 has been a year of many different and varied experiences. While I hope to have many different experiences in 2009, I’m praying that they are a majority of the solidly good variety. I suppose that’s everyone’s wish right? I mean no one really signs up for a years worth of solid suck-age, do they? Well, while I understand that times ahead will be tough and tight with the economy situation being what it unfortunately is…but we have a plan B budget just in case. While the Jim and I are still making efforts on starting a family, only now have I really been tracking my stuff for like a solid 4 days. I have to focus on the possibilities of everything that we as a country and community are going to go through. We could get soured and squander our resources (not monetary ones), and become more insular…or, we can continue to reach out to one another and help each other however we can. I hope that 2009 starts to open doors to a better sense of understanding and a unified vision to get back in touch with one another as people. I’ve been fortunate to reconnect with some fantastic old friends from high school, and solidify some current friendships that I hold dear. Next step is to get to know the neighbors. Scary as it seems, it’s going to be something I try to do starting in 2009. I also hope to rejoin a faith community again, and prepare the Jim for an occasional high-holy-day tag along. I plan to continue a commitment to getting healthier and taking care of myself, which includes cooking more (I’m actually growing my own herbs now – no, not those “herbs”), and I’m actually really successful with it; so, no excuses to not cook! I hope to see more movies and to dine at more interesting locations. In 2009, I hope to visit family back home and hope to visit somewhere new, even if it’s only a weekend trip.
I hope that the Jim and I continue to be blessed with jobs we love. I hope that our friends and family enjoy similar blessings, and experience at least the joy of having some of their heart’s desires fulfilled.
So, are you ready? 2009 here we come!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy New Year Everyone!
Post-ya next year!
Seriously…I think all the business traveling and uncomfortable sleeping in hotel rooms have caught up to me. Pair that with a sub-level cold that the Jim and I are attempting to volley back and forth and you have a holiday of exhaustion. Last night, I was in bed by 10 PM and actually slept till around noon today which is very unusual for me. I’m one of those, “body-clock” people who wakes up about as regularly as Big Ben strikes 7:30 am. However, I think I’m resting up for the year ahead. Which will hopefully include me getting back on my 101 mission, us getting into an exercise routine and back on track in a number of ways. I’m considering this my hibernation of a few days. Snoozey, snoozey, snoozey….now, off to nap again before Monday crashes into me and the work week begins again.
ROAST SMOKING. NOT INTENTIONAL…TAKES 2-3 DAYS TO THAW, that must be the problem. Whee!
Alas…the Christmas presents have all been opened. The monkey bread (recipe courtesy of my MIL of Christmas past – Mrs. DLC), is in the oven. The husband has retired to sleep off the early rise and I’m here blogging. On the iPod is my schizophrenic Christmas mix loaded with everything from the Pogues, to Mel Torme, to Weird Al to Ella Fitzgerald. Last night was the traditional German Christmas Eve meal of potato pancakes and cased-meat. Tonight will be our traditional prime rib roast and tuna steaks connected to our “Here for the Holidays” tradition of inviting decidedly stranded, no-longer-nomadic friends/family. All in all the haul was fabulous this year, even though I bought the majority of my presents but the Jim wrapped them so all good. Here’s a highlight reel:
- The EX Knife set from Santa to US
- Lots of Blu-Ray Discs & new Wii Games
- A Kodak Printer courtsey of my Daddy
- A Breville Electric Wok (for the culinary daredevil in me)
- Heidi Klum Jewelry and a Coach Ring (yummy and no weight gain!)
- A Fuji camera from the Jim’s Mom for Jim
- A new flat-screen HDTV for Anna which now sits beautifully on our our shelves in our living room.
Most of all, we are closely attached to friends and family that we love dearly and wish we could spend more time with. I hope that Christmas was a joy for everyone else and that we all remember that it’s love that makes Christmas magical, although the presents are a nice bonus. Merry Christmas to all and peace be with you always!
On Tuesday, my WME coworkers and I traveled out into the balmy 50 degree weather to break bread together at Regas Restaurant. This eatery always intrigued me. It’s a Knoxville institution, I’ve heard…and I’ve never been there…yet! So, needless to say, I was excited. 8 or 10 of us crowded around the table as throngs of thousands (okay, perhaps I’m exaggerating here), crowded in around and behind us. By noon the place was packed! We each surveyed the menu, which was not as exciting as I had initially hoped, but okay. My coworker Mr. DB asked the market price of the Mahi2, and unfortunately I assumed it would roughly equate to the market price of my desired dish the Surf and Turf (filet & lobster tail). The filet was amazing. The lobster tail was HUGE but sadly a little dry and the drawn butter not salted. Still yummy…untill I got the bill. It was not $68.00 yummy! So, my dear friends, learn from this cautionary tale…this little piggy went to market and got a costly crustaean and cut of cow. Always ask.
You know that joke, “How do you make God laugh? Start making plans.” We got home from Nashville and were going to get busy on preparing the house for the Christmas hub-bub when I got that ominous tone from the Jim…”Anna, come down stairs. NOW.” Well, in my new fangled tendency to always look on the bright side of life the good news is, we have a solid house with power, heat and a great family. On the slightly annoying side of life, we have a huge hackberry tree in our backyard who decided that it was too cold outside (it’s officially in the teens); and wanted to come inside the house. In other words, we arrived home from our trip to Nashville to find our hackberry tree falling down. Right now, it’s resting on the back of the house, against the windows and precariously doing a tightwire act on the powerlines going to the house. So far, so okay. First casualty was a screen on our sunroom that just didn’t make it but heck we’re still here and no broken windows or powerlines…yet. So, the house is a wreck. I called my boss and said that I would try to work from home today since I’m going to have to deal with this issue with the Jim (aka grinchie-poo and negative-ned); as we attempted last night to locate a true 24 hour emergency tree removal service (much like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, it appears these things are also ellusive and mythical). Good thing is we located a tree service around 1 AM who will be out here first thing in the AM to see what’s going on, and to begin the choppy, choppy. Too bad we haven’t transitioned our fireplace yet from gas to wood because we’re about to have some monster firewood. Will keep you posted on the progress. In the meantime, I’m happy…I find it mildy amusing and I am solidly looking on the bright side of life.
When you suffer from, “foot-on-the-floor, awake-for-a-while” syndrome, like I do; what do you do in a hotel room while your husband and your four-legged children sleep? You find some interesting websites: I AM BORED? which linked me to this fabulous nugget of nonsense and silliness:
THE 2008 BEST/WORST OF SKY-MALL
If you’ve ever been on a plane, you are well versed in this periodical of consumerism in the sky. Enjoy! It’s funny, because…well, it’s true.
Saturday, Anna “Who-Drives-In-Rain” (which I guess should now be my Indian name), the Jim, Easton (aka Boopnagle Roy), Uli (aka Uli-Buli-Fool-De-Nuli), made one of the annual treks to Nashville to celebrate part of the holiday season with at least part of the Jim’s family. I pack more into a day than people should…as yesterday I:
- Woke up and wrapped presents.
- Went to the best Salon in Knoxville (Belleza VIBE – oh yes baby), where hair-god Michael hooked my patootie up.
- Managed to figure out why my computer wasn’t playing nice with “Mobile Me” technology and finally got the VIBE site uploaded, although it needs a few more tweeks but should be rockin and rollin’ by Wednesday mornin!
- Went home, packed an overnight bag, packed up the puppies and wrapped another gift.
- Drove 3 1/2 hours in annoying and sometimes pounding rain to Cool Springs with the occasional stop for sustinence (i.e. Starbucks); and thank God for my new car stereo which has an iPod hookup and Sirius Satellite Radio (I’m a Sirius-girl, and I will not call it SiriusXM, just yet).
- Checked in with the husband and pups at the most glorious hotel…aloft, a vision of W Hotels. Oh, how cool! A bit of worry about the Uli as she’s never really been socialized fully and didn’t want her barking her booty off. Much like Christmas miracles, she has been AMAZING and doing very well on her leash, with the populous and the swanky hotel room. I had no worries about Easton, he’s an old pro and so laid back that Dean Martin should have taken notes!
- Met up with part of the family…the Marvelous Ms. TSH (the Jim’s Momala!), and cousins, Mrs. MB, Miss EGB and Miss BRB at my favorite Italian-tacky-eatery, BUCA di BEPPO! We dined on the deliciousness of Mozzarella Caprese, Fried Mozzarella, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Eggplant Parmesan, Gelato, Chocolate Wedge and my first effort at trying Lemoncello (whoo-strong!). It was delicious as always and we had a great waiter, even though he was workin’ his booty off.
We then retired back to the hotel room with the whole family from BUCA aforementioned above…to do PRESENTS!!!!! First of all, I must say that Miss EGB is turning into quite a neat little lady (here’s hopin’ that the front-tooth fairy comes soon), and the newest member of the family, Miss BRB is quite a little whipsmart cutie patootie! Uli had her annual, wholly-crap are those kids?! moments as she’s not used to little ones; and Easton soaked up all the love, as he is our resident love-muffin-extrordinare! I was so happy because I got the Jim’s mom a stunning Diane Von Furstenberg travel-case that is just like buttah! We got some great goodies, some handmade wonders by Mrs. MB and the Jim got his big giftied from his Momala: a new Fuji camera (so stay tuned for some new flickr pictures folks). All in all it was a simple pleasures evening in a ultra modern hotel room…a modern twist on family-time for the holidays.
We plan to come back early in the New Year to spend time with the other half of the Jim’s family, his Dad, Mel-Mel and his sis; as today we have to get back home, pick up my new TV from Best Buy (WHOOHOO! I AM SUCH A GADGET FREAKAZOID). Finish the Christmas decorations, clean & straighten the house and prepare for our company…but first a foray to visit our wonderful friends Mr. & Mrs. Cantrell and their twin bundles of joy, Miss M & Master J. I love the Cantrells, I must say and everytime I’m this way I stop in and pay them a visit. They are such good people and so important to me…see, I’m full now of the Christmas spirit. Ah!!!!
WHERE DID THE WEEKEND GO!?!!! So, the best laid plans of fake redheads do not always pan out. On the plus side, I did get the Christmas cards all done, addressed and ready to take to the post office tomorrow. YIPPIE! On the negative side, still no tree up in my house. 
That makes me more sad than I can possibly say. Add to this…my favorite boss and co-worker extrodinaire Mrs. SPN are in town and we’re preparing for a big push for the company, and then I’m back in South Carolina on Wednesday night through Friday! When do I catch my breath? When do my decorations go up?! My plan is to convince my co-workers that they need to call it an early night tomorrow because they got in supa late…and then ask them over to my house for dinner on Tuesday evening. That gives me time for a tidy and trim the tree and a big ole WHOOPIE! I’m officially tired and have a big/long day tomorrow. G’night all and much love!
If you know me personally, you know that I’m a big fan of Christmas. LOVE IT! I put up all the decorations (traditionally), on Black Friday so I can soak up all the holiday cheer each and every day. Unfortunately, this year I’m slow going. New job, and lots of travel mean that at this moment I’m finishing writing my Christmas cards and later today, the decorations will go up. Somehow I also need to fit in making my traditional Caramel & Chocolate Chip Cookies, probably today or this week but I’m back in South Carolina for 3 days. Yeesh! Busy, busy, busy! I’ve also come to realize that even after trimming the Christmas card list, we still send a friggin lot of cards. While I could forgo cards, they’ve always been my personal signature for the holidays – usually from MOMA, and I always pick a phrase that I handwrite on each. Perhaps if the new year blesses us with a child (hope and pray folks), that I won’t have time for the full phrase. Either way…I’m hoping to get everything looking festive by the end of the day because even in a year of bad news, Christmas reminds us to take pleasure and joy in some of the simplest of things.
Okay, so it sounds more elaborate than it really is right? This is our little slice of internet nonsense, which basically is our on-going effort to keep our friends and family up-to-date on our lives, our love and our continuing pursuit of pomegranates. In this modern age of movement, we’ve realized that distance is not an excuse to not keep everyone posted, so please - stop by anytime - in person or internet-ly and know that you are all never far from our thoughts.
