Mother, Margaret and I were sitting in Margaret's kitchen chatting when the phone rang. It was Leah calling from her active duty in Maryland. She called to wish us a Merry Christmas and to see what we had gotten. I had just opened the birthday gift from mother. A perfume set by Elizabeth Arden, Red Door. Leah had received the same gift for her birthday. Mother left the price tags on both gifts and we began discussing some of the other gifts our sibs had received. At one point, Leah felt she had been short-changed and said as much to mother: "Mother, you owe me!" Mother replied, "you owe me for nine months rent" to which I replied: "yeah, womb and board". Mother got a huge kick out of my pun and said I had created a classic.
I had a wonderful time Christmas Eve at my sister's, Kathleen, house. Everyone got there at around 7PM. We started with appetizers and wine and alot of lively conversation. We began eating dinner of honeybaked ham, red potatos and green beans and baked apples at 8:30. It was about 10PM when we began the white elephant gift extravaganza. Of the 31 people, I was number 29. Vaughn, Kathleen's brother-in-law was first to choose. He opened a James Avery seasons necklace. The highpoint for me was when the gift I had taken was retired because it was so coveted that it had been stolen the maximum 3 times. To me, that meant that mine was the best gift taken...which is what I was striving for. BTW, my gift was a black leather duffle and NYC calendar. I ended up with a very neat candy dispenser. It is quite the conversation piece. I really liked it because of it's uniqueness. Jennifer got the purse that Meredith brought...which was her goal when the evening began. Actually, Stepan ended up with it...so he could give it to Jenny. I cannot remember what Jenny ended up with. Meredith got a digital camera and something else that I cannot quite remember. It was alot of fun. Especially, when the gift got passed around as much as they did. Meredith and John Linger got into a heated political debate and when the "f" word started flying around we decided that it was time to go. Also, it was after 2AM. ...I slept in a queensized bed with my mother and my daughter. I was in the middle. It was not so bad. I was so sleepy, all that mattered was that I was on a bed and not cold. My mother's snoring didn't even bother me.
Christmas Day
My mother woke up and showerd and got ready for the day. She and Jen and Step were going to Mass. She completes her toilet and starts pacing around the room. I am asleep, and I am aware of her pacing. She is very noisy at it. Finally, she wants me to go downstairs and call Stepan's cell phone to see if they would start getting ready for Mass. Mother said it was almost 9AM and Mass started at 10AM. Calling the cell phone would have meant a long distance call for Margaret. So, I knocked on the door and told Jen of mother's concerns. A few minutes later she comes in and asks what the hurry was. Margaret had set the alarm clock for mother, but had not changed the time to daylight standard time. So, mother was up and ready a hour before she needed to be ready. Jenny was awake and could not go back to sleep. I was trying to go back to sleep, but mother had this need to start searching the contents of her purse while she sat on the bed next to my slumber.
We are at Tim and Felicia's house. Felicia made a wonderful dinner of beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes and green beans. The appetizers were yummy.
I have to take Meredith to the airport at 5:30AM. Good night
I went to the Chiropractor today. I walked into the office and saw a lady sitting in the waiting area. I thought, "that looks like Jean". So as I signed in I scanned the other signatures and sure enough there was a Jean Douglas's name two people above mine. I turned around and said, "Jean?" She said, "Rita?" and we had a very lovely visit. We exchanged telephone numbers. Turns our she quit the telephone company and went back to college. She looks the same. I worked with her in the business office in Wichita Falls when I came back after separating from Benny. She was always alot of fun. I hope that we can renew our friendship.
Tamales
Meredith wanted to make tamales this year. I have helped somewhat. Not as much as Meredith would have liked, but I had the hair and dr appointments today, so I have been unavailable. I am wearing a blue bandana on my head right now. Some of the helpers are wearing red bandanas. After we finish with the tamales, we are going out in front of Danny's house and rumble. It may become a new Lucio, Hastings, Riha, Duke Christmas tradition.
I reread my last entry and realized I left out the words "very hard". It makes it look as if I do not normally work. I do! It is just that this week has been expecially trying. My week began in Wichita Falls. J, my co-worker, and I traveled there to run some cableing that required taking it from the 2nd to the 4th floor. There are alot of requirements to meet when you pass thru floors. We also ran the same type cable in two other offices. We were supposed to be finished in WF on Tuesday afternoon and travel to Pittsburg Tx for our next assignment. Well, we did not finish at the Callfield Central Office til 8:30PM. We decided to book another room in WF and drive to Pittsburg the next day. It is a 5 hour drive. On the way, we discovered that we did not have all the parts and one of us had to go through Dallas to pick up what we needed. I volunteered. I did not get to Pittsburg til almost 6PM. Another thing that kinda slowed us down was that when we started our trek from WF we stopped to gas our trucks and check our tires, like good responsible telephone company trained personnel should. J had a screw in his right rear tire and virtually no air pressure. So we made arrangements with SBC cars to get it fixed and then we began our journey. I am normally off on Friday, but ended up working 10 hours overtime so we could finish what we began in Pittsburg. I am very tired.
Tamales
I am posting this from my son's girlfriend's computer. It is a MAC and I am not used to some of the quirks of it.
This Sucks
I am so tired. I finish writing what I was going to say for the night and I am getting some kind of stupid error while trying to post my entry. I lost all that I had added after I left Joanna's Mac and came to Danny's PC. Bummer!
Deon
Hey! Keep those comments coming! I love them.
I have been working this week. I have had neither time nor computer to post anything new here. I will be off work beginning tomorrow at 6PM until January 6. I have lots to tell. So tune in later.
I posted signs today at the office, advising anyone who may have found the keys to page me. Around 2PM, I got a page and when I returned the call was advised that the keys were found in the parking lot. So thanks for all the positive thoughts regarding finding the keys.
I am sure most of the readers of this blog remember the troubles that I and my co-worker have had with the big truck at work. We have run out of gas and had numerous flat tires. Now, it seems, that I have lost the only set of keys to that truck. In view of the troubles we have had you might think this would be a blessing. I do not feel so blessed. So, here is my plea...say a prayer to St Jude that they turn up.
This morning I got up and ate breakfast, made coffee and started reading the Sunday paper. There was a story about Kristy Koslow, a 27 year old woman serving a life sentence for murdering her step-mother in 1992. I read about the democrat in Lousianna who retained her seat. Matthew traveled to LA to rally against such an event. In the back of my mind while I read the front section of the paper, I thought; today is the day that Meredith's story comes out...I need to go buy a Northeast Tarrant County edition of the Star-Telegram. I finished with the front page and went to the next section "Region and State" and a teaser item caught my eye. It directed readers to story on page 4B. The article in the real paper is accompanied by a very nice photo of the 4 TITC crew. It was exciting reading it. I, am going out to buy a bunch of copies.
He Can't Do 55?
Well I guess he can! Today Jerry celebrates his 55th, birthday that is. Happy Birthday, Jerry!
Stepan has scanned and created an album on his site for pictures that can be ordered from the wedding. All the ordering information is there as well. They are pricey, but in the long run worthy of consideration.
Recently, I signed a menu for a retiring co-worker named Van Ellis. I included an acronym and I am at a loss as to what it could mean. Help!
Cold and Raining
It is cold and raining here. I wish it were a bit colder and snowing. I love the snow. I hope to go skiing this year. I forgot to ask Felicia if she was game. I guess I will have to call her. Also, I am thinking that Jen and Step might be in the mood for the slopes. Are there any other takers?
Hmm?
I am not sure why the picture is not popping up. I have it in a public album. I will work on it more later. I will not let this damn computer win!