Merry Christmas

I'm just in a weird mood and wanted to say I had a great Christmas and even the days after have been good.

Goodwill is Awesome

My husband bought this red leather couch at The Goodwill (for those of you outside US, you may call it a Charity Shop). Of course the Christmas presents were not on it at the time! So don't forget to shop at your local thrift shops you never know what you'll find.

Happy Birthday December 14th

This cute fellow will be 79 on December 14th. It's my dad.

Rum a pum pum my ass

I enjoy Christmas music. Doesn't matter if it's a Hip Hop rendition of a classic or Patsy Cline singing a carol for one month out of the year I want to hear this music. EXCEPT for the Rum a Pum Pum song!!!! Why does every singer decide they have to do their version of this song and also Why does the radio station feel compelled to play it constantly? I feel like if I hear another artist say, rap, or sing those words I am going to scream obscenties at the top of my lungs.

Easily Amused

When I go on holiday, I waste time on photos like this!!! Oh well.

Christmas Shopping

Needs no blog.

Silliness

We saw a few of these signs while we were in England. One of them had the words "Elderly People" written below the picture. I assume it means watch out for old people and try not to run them down with your Mini Cooper but it just cracks me up.

Musings From Ruislip

I am having a wickedly good time on holiday with my husband in England. I feel bad that we are not making it to Wales and Scotland to make the whole UK thing but I have seen some beautiful countryside and eaten WAY too many fish and chips and other good food. We spent yesterday and most of today in Brighton and I swear to you there are at least 500 tiny little stores crammed into this place they call THE LANES. It reminded me so much of the French Quarter in New Orleans before Katrina except The Lanes is cleaner with less nudey bars (as in none that I saw). I don't really have anything clever to write about except that I have been getting to watch some BBC programs and I have just about laughed till I peed!!!

Die Laughing

I was recently reading (looking actually because it was a visual effect) another person's blog post and as several responses slipped hopelessely through the sieve that used to be my brain I started to ponder laughing while dying and I have decided that is exactly how I wish to go.

Let's Hug a Tree with Marilyn's Shampoo

There's a blogger who goes by the tag "Marilyn's Shampoo" and she's all kinds of interesting but I do urge everyone to read her November 6th post "Cool Groovy Morning Fine..." I can be silly and irreverant most of the time but I also have empathy for the planet and other rational humans so I was really jazzed about her viewpoint and the comments also.

Small Minds

My husband just returned home from a business trip and he had 3 hotel sized (small like 1 oz.) of shampoo and conditioners which he took out of his carry on and laid in their tray. They told him that he could not take them on the plane because they were not in a ziplock type baggie. He explained to them that they would all fit in a small baggie but they were NOT going to be tricked by this obvious terror threat in front of them sans baggie. The bottom line: No baggie NO Takey on Plane.

Another Door

I've been going through my photos and realizing how many different doors I have photographed. hmmmm.

Soon Baby Soon

This is where we were 3 and 1/2 years ago, seems like a lifetime. I am looking forward to seeing this and more in November.

Jolly Old England

My husband and I have purchased our tickets and are counting down the days till our trip to England. I will celebrate my 50th b-day during our hols (as they say over there). My mom died at the age of 50 so it feels like a giant milestone for me to not only make it to 50 but hopefully live alot more years following! Also, the fact that in December of 2004 I "went to the very edge and came back" as my surgeon told me. He also added, "Not very many people do that". These are some of the reasons I welcome 50 with open arms.

Just Say NO to Drugstores

One block from our house is an intersection with the main street in town. A week ago at this site there was a school yard on one corner, a house on another corner, a Rite-Aid Drugstore (for those of you in the UK you guys call them Chemists) on one, and a Chevron gas station with a mini-mart on the other. All my needs were met as North, South, East, and West converged. Giant machinery came crashing in on the Chevron and now on that corner is rubble. When the machines finally rest there will be a WALGRENS Drugstore. So we will have a Drugstore across the street from a drugstore. I shall just stand in the middle of the street and scream, "Anyone have an aspirin?"

Art Deco Lighting

Doorways

What is it about doorways that cause humans to take pictures of them? I thought it was just a weird quirk of mine until I have noticed other blogger's pictures include one or two shots of doors. Freud would undoubtedly (sp?) say it has sexual undertones, Far Eastern/Zen thought would probably have to do with "doorways to the soul or mind", the thief by necessity sees opportunity but I am left with wonder.

Speed Limit

Boobies Boobies Boobies

I am going to share my breast cancer story and if it helps ONE woman than it's well worth it. My regular doctor had given me the "slip of paper" to get a mammogram and I pinned it on the bulletin board and ignored it. For over a year I continued to ignore it. During this period I had to see that same doctor 2 times for totally different reasons (like a sinus infection) and every time I saw him he would make some comment like, "I don't see the results of a mammogram here in your records." And I would feel kinda guilty until I left his office and then forget about it. I had an appointment with him coming up and I KNEW he would ask me again about the mammogram so ONLY TO GET HIM OFF MY BACK I scheduled the mammogram which detected my breast cancer. This was in the spring of 2003. So, I had my left breast removed and started chemo. Yes, I got bald and threw up and felt like shit but I'm alive!!! There were some pretty funny moments along with the depressing ones. You have to understand that I was a TRIPLE D gal. Those puppies were enormous. So, I had one chopped off and that creates a bit of lopsidedness. I got a fake boobie (grownups call them prothesis) for the left side so I could wear a bra and not look too strange. One day I was tearing aound the house looking for my prothesis yelling, "I can't find my boob." Being bald was kinda groovy in some ways. Shampooing and grooming were a breeze! And no hair on legs or armpits was great! No eyelashes and eyebrows was not so much fun! BUT it grew back folks!!! In 2004 I had a surgical procedure where a plastic surgeon took skin, fat, and muscle from my back and brought it around front and formed a new breast. (FYI it's technically called a "mound" but I call it my boob). Then another procedure about 3 months later to reduce the right one to match my new lefty. So, I have a road map of scars but I love my new boobs! I must say having been a BIG BOOB gal for almost 47 years (okay, not quite that long because I wasn't born with them!!!) I really like having my B cup size ones better!!! I met some wonderful people on my cancer/chemo journey who helped change my life. My family and friends were the absolute BEST. Breast cancer does not have to be a death sentence it can be the opening paragraph for the story of your life.

Don't Be a Pushy Pig

I have ordered my drink (Iced Mocha with soymilk) and the gal is making it when another customer whom I shall call "Miss Prissy Pants" throws herself in front of me and practically over the counter and says (all breathy) "Can I just have my cup filled (it was a travel type mug/cup) I am in a hurry, I have ice cream melting in the car." WHO ACTS LIKE THAT?? I was embarrassed for her as she doesn't even have the common sense to know that's not how to behave. The title of this blog comes from my husband. When he was in Kindergarten it was a saying his teacher would use. So, evidently Miss Prissy Pants skipped kindergarten, probably because she had something melting on the short bus.