Count Down

So, we are mere weeks away from a New Year. Wonder what it will bring. I have always found the celebration of a new year a bit odd - for all you know, you are celebrating the year in which you will die. How cheery is that? Even if it's not the year of your demise, you are still celebrating moving closer to your end of days. Hooray, I am a year closer to my death! Let us drink champaigne and celebrate! But celebrate we do; even I try to stay up till midnight if only to offer the simple prayer, "Please, Lord Jesus, let me make something of this new year."

I have the Christmas lights on the house - actually, George came by and put the Christmas lights up. That's as far as I've gotten with the holiday decorating. I have the rest of the week off so hopefully I'll have a tree up and garland draped across the fireplace and down the banister by the end of it. I've started one of my famous To Do lists - this one for Christmas. Decorate, address Christmas cards, wrap gifts, mail packages.... I am seriously going to skip Christmas one year. But not this year.

The Holidays Begin

Got thru Thanksgiving. We had Charlie and Dan join us for the traditional meal and Tom and his clan came over for pie later in the afternoon. It was nice hanging with Charlie. Although he lost his job a few weeks back, he seemed in good spirits. Maybe not having the money to blow, he might actually cut back on his drinking nights?

Next up is Christmas. I have yet to find the spirit and am seriously contemplating not messing with decorations or lights. Why bother when I do all the work (putting up and taking down) and no one really seems to notice or appreciate them? Maybe I'll find the spirit this week-end - if not, the house won't be getting lights for sure.

I have yet to find a nutcracker ornament for Allyson (I have all the rest), a gift for Gayle, maybe one more something for Charlie and anything for Shawn. He's impossible. I have a tee-shirt ordered from Disney.com. I think that's all I have for him. I know I need to get cologne. Oh, I have a UV wand ordered, too. That's it. I am totally stumped. Maybe I can put together a New Years Eve package - that's a good idea. Hmmm. I have Thursday and Friday off and hope to find some gifts (and some spirit) then. Fingers crossed!

Breezy had a scare Sunday-she woke up to find her arm numb and unable to speak. She was rushed to the hospital where she was admitted to ICU as she was showing signs of a stroke. Long story short - it was a form of a migraine. Had a bunch of folks scared for her.

Surprise!

I helped Todd and Wendy pull off a huge surprise last night. Wendy had told me they were coming to town for a whirlwind week-end and wanted to surprise everyone. She asked if I could get Shawn and possibly Scott and Jenny to The Yard House for dinner where they and Abby would surprise everyone. And I did! And it was a great surprise - the looks on Shawn's and Scott's faces were priceless - even Jenny seemed a bit taken aback. They were all looking like they had just walked into a foreign land (totally confused as to their situation) when Todd went up to them and welcomed them to Alabama. Disbelief was the word. Then they all started chatting and catching up at once and we had a very merry dinner. Then we all walked into Del and Gayle's house to surprise them with their prodigal son and family. Gayle actually shrieked when she realized who was in their home. Very satisfying event.

Then we had Pippi stay the whole night with us - and she was great. She was asleep by 11:30 and only woke up once, at 3:30 for a ba-ba and diaper change. Then right back to sleep. George and Breezy came by for her at 6:15 a.m. The Pirate Band had a gig in St. Louis and they left right after the show. Pippi is the most adorable thing - just a beautiful baby.

Busy Saturday

Hmm, so I have Pippi spending the night Saturday - all night - AND I have to get Shawn and hopefully Scott and Jenny to The Legends for dinner where Todd and Wendy are going to surprise them all with a quick visit. I am exhausted just thinking about this week-end!

I'm not in the least bit in the holiday spirit this year. Most years I would be done with my shopping and most of my wrapping; this year the only gifts I have are the few Christmas ornaments I bought on sale at the end of last year's season! Nadda, Zilch, Nothin'. And I can't seem to find the spirit to get started. I am not sure what's wrong with me this year. I am very bah-humbuggy.

Tomorrow is Mom's birthday - she would have been 77. I can't even imagine her that old. I went by yesterday and put a sunflower on her grave and one on Dad's (for Veteran's Day). I will probably not go by again tomorrow. I also went to Mount Muncie to check out the new Hunt headstone Tony had commissioned to capture and recognize the Hunts that were in the old mausoleum. It is very nice. He went all out (and my two vases just added the finishing touch - now I can put flowers for the 1800's Hunts.)

Back To Work

Sabbatical is over and I'm back at work. Not much changed over the four weeks I was gone - guess that's a good thing. Means I have a job to return to!

My Disney trip was fabulous! The cruise I would recommend to anyone - though I'm not too sure I will become a 'cruiser', needing to hit the open seas every two years. The Parks were also fabulous - and I am DEFINITELY a Disney-eer. If I get to take the girls, I'll be back at the Parks next year - otherwise, probably not for another (gulp) four years. That might be hard, but there are so many other places I want to go. Seems silly to keep returning to the Parks rather than branching out. Hope I can make it that long!!

I came back to a new niece - Piper Shae Hunt was born the day I was transitioning from the cruise to the Parks (October 23rd). She is a beautiful baby and looks just like all the other beautiful baby Hunts. Scary thing is they want me to take her overnight in a few weeks so Breezy can go to a Pirate thing with George. Gulp. Shawn won't be happy - and I may ask Andrea if she wants to come over and help. I can handle the baby but I also need my beauty rest! I've never had a baby overnight before!

We spent the week-end cleaning out Mom and Dad's house. Pretty much everything we didn't take with us went in to the trash dumpster. It was emotionally hard - I couldn't be there when John and his boys took a sledge hammer to Mom's piano; neither could Dan apparently. Every time I tossed out a glass or a knick knack I wanted to cry. While I was standing out in the front yard looking at the pieces of piano, I quietly apologized to Mom for what we were doing. And a yellow butterfly flew near and landed on a flower. I've always associated yellow butterflies with Mom. It was like she was telling me she understood and it was alright. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. Between myself, John and Tom, we managed to incorporate a lot of the stuff in to our own homes so that helped. My basement is now full of Hunt House! The day the house sells will be very hard - I'll probably cry and get drunk. Losing your parents is unbelievably hard.

Disneyland!

I made it to Disneyland! In the five hours we had at the park, we managed 8 rides and a parade - not bad! The only ride I didn't get in was the Raiders of the Lost Ark ride - a reason to go back again some day.

Sandra's reception was fun - full of women, though. If they weren't all lesbians, cousin David would have been in seventh heaven! Fortunately there was no PDAs - I think I would have been very uncomfortable if there had been smooching. But it was a lovely day, a lovely reception, great food and a fab candy bar. And Aunt Bobbie was ecstatic to have her entire family together on vacation in California. She was really happy.

Next is our overnight for Shawn's birthday tomorrow, then Hermann this week-end with the in-laws and next week - our Disney Cruise and Parks vacation I've been planning and dreaming of for four years!!! Let's hope the weather holds out for us!

Getting Ready To Fly

I leave bright and early (well, early - the sun won't be out to make it bright!) Friday morning for LAX and Disneyland - oh, and Sandra's reception. I am starting to get nervous about the pat down - and the name issue on the reservation. Maybe they won't let me on the plane at all.

I got Sandra's gift mailed out Monday so she should be getting it tomorrow. They are two cutting boards off her wedding registry - she had very little on the registry as she and Teresa prefer cash for a house, a baby (?!) and a honeymoon. I'm not going to help pay for someone's vacation, I didn't get help buying my house and a baby is an issue they need to deal with as a couple and not bring others in to it. And I don't like to give adults cash. So, I picked some cheaper things off the scant registry.

Guess I'll be doing some laundry tomorrow and packing. I'll be doing a LOT of packing this month. I also need to get in touch with Andrea to see if she would come by Saturday and put out cat food for the strays. And I need to get cat food tomorrow! And I need to update my iPhone and call Delta to make sure the memo is on my reservation. Got a lot to do tomorrow. I'm already tired just thinking about it.