Last post of 2007

I am setting a goal of mine to at least blog three times per week (unless away from computer--vacation and none is available) so that makes over 150 posts--or more for 2008 !!

I have also started a family recipe blog because I have been at my sister's houses and wanted to make something and couldnt remember measurements in recipes. So this makes it easy to just walk over to the computer and tah dah there it is.

Once again I have no plans for New year's Eve... what a shock!!! I really want to change my outlook in 2008 . I have decided that from now on...if you piss me off you will know it.

Yesterday was day one of my new personality ( and no its not BITCHY ) !!

I wanted to order Mom a new phone since the one I got her for Christmas she didnt like since the caller Id was not very large and the screen did not light up when a new call came in. Yes, it displayed the name and number but had no back light. So I went online and researched and ended up at BESTBUY.COM . They have this new shopping thing where you buy the item. You get two emails ( first is they received your order and second is your item is ready to be picked up will arrive in 45 minutes unless you order when the store is closed and order will be ready the next day ) and then you take the print outs to the customer service area, wait in line, show them the print out, your id, and credit card if you dont get your item handed to you within 1 minute.... you get $10 off your order.

So I place my order at 4pm ( they are open till 8pm on Sunday), get 1st email right away, OK....now I wait...and wait... and guess what I wait !!!

At 5:15 I call the 1 800 number and ask what is up with this... He says... that is just an estimate of time it will be ready !!!! ( I guess they dont treat customers as nice as circuit city-- ready in 24 minutes or its free)

I cancel the order.. get cancel number over the phone and as I am talking to him I get the cancel email just never got the order is complete one !!!

I then get in the car...head to BestBuy which is less than 1/2 mile from the house. The parking lot looked like a zoo ( it is now 530 pm) OMG you would have thought it was the day after Thanksgiving in there. people are everywhere !!

I grab the phone..last one... a Mary J Blige CD and head to the check out line ( yes you read that right there is a line with at least 10 people ahead of me) So I wait the 10 minutes with a blaring TV about my head with surround sound.

Get to the register finally and , the kid says I have this phone and is chatting about the features and asking How are you ? " I could have been better if I actually got my second email to say this would be at customer service over 2 hours ago " he says " oh that thing never works" ..I go to sign my name and noticed the total..( $36) it should only be $27. I say the phone rang up wrong..and so he checks with the girl behind him on another register and she says she will have to go to customer service to get refund.

My exact words now " No Fing way am I standing in another line, call a manager over"

register girl : " managers cant do anything here..you will have to go over there"

me: " well, I am not waiting in line for a mistake that is in your computer !"

nice guy who rang me in : " I will fix this "

so all is well... and I spoke my mine...yes I should not have said FING but it just slipped , but point was taken and I left with my $6 something in my pocket !!

so moral of my story ...do not expect a online service to actually do as it says, speak your mind and maybe you will get things done properly, and lastly........ is there another thing???

Patriots

Tonight is the night that we all in New England get to watch the Patriots play the Giants to decide if they are undefeated ( 16-0) .

It is so big in Boston that it is actually on the CBS (4), ABC (5), NBC (7), and NFL channel. ALL 4 channels in Bostonat the same time and its the same camera and same announcers .!!!!!!

I have stopped watching the game since the Pats kept losing the ball whenever I turned on the TV to check out the score. So it is so quiet in my house right now...... what is a girl to watch on TV??? FOOTBALL or FOOD NETWORK ????

UPDATE.... on BIL, he had DR's appointment yesterday . I guess he can go back to work..he just can NOT drive for those 6 months. They have now decided he does have epilepsy. And come to find out so did his Nana( His mommy was in denial) . So I guess he is going to be spending the week at his Mommy's house and she will drive him to work everyday and he will come home for a day or so. I guess they are just going to have to think of it as he is on a business trips except that Mommy will be up his ASS and S's ASS for the next 5-6 months!!!

Christmas Day ...what a day

OMG..what a day!

it started at 8:45 am when the phone rang it was B calling Gramma to wish her a Merry Christmas and then S's husband gets on the phone say Merry Christmas and then says
" we have a problem!"

S is sleeping she doesnt feel well and we might have to cancel Christmas! ( ok.. this wouldnt be a problem but yesterday she wanted to move Christmas till Wednesday because she was tired from cleaning and running around since husband is still out of work).

we will have to play it by ear... Mom says well call L she is at her inlaws to give her a heads up.

phone rings again 20 minutes later
" do you have L or her husband's cell phone number I cant find it" " Sorry about this, Judy" ( which wouldnt sound strange except he always since day one of them dating has NEVER called my mother Judy its always been MOM--her doesnt call his mother anything but her first name--I know strange but thats him) and then he tells her that S woke up this morning at 7:30 made tea waited for B to wake up saw Santa gifts, opened a few of their gifts Then she went to bed.

well that was it for my mother ,she was pissed. When he calls again looking for the number again...she tells him we have having Christmas for the kids even if I have to go get the gifts that at her house since she took all the gifts from Me and my parents last week to make it easier on Christmas morning and deliver them myself to L's house .

then S calls 20 minutes later ( this has been going on now for over 2 1/2 hours) ..I feel better since I took a 2 hour nap . Well dinner is back on but maybe we can move it back 1/2 hour ( that is really going to make a difference --30 minutes ??) . Mom asks is he pissed about not spending the day with his family...NO. did you two get in a fight this morning...NO. Mom is holding nothing back this morning.. but she justs says she doesnt feel that well.

Ok off we go in the car for that hour ride ...but Mom says she has had it ...this is it with them and how they treat her and Holidays. She makes no demands on them...but everyone uses us as thier excuses of why they dont spend time with the inlaws. If you didnt want to spend time together then say that . But the problem is that S's husband was pissed that he wasnt going to his family on Christmas and they probably had a big fight and she went to bed and told him " then call my family and cancel Christmas"

So we get there at 2pm and no one greets us at the door like usual. S is on the phone with someone ( we had to ask who...it was other sister stuck in traffic will be there in 10 minutes) , I had to carry in the rest of the gifts by myself.

THEN.... it hits my mother and me.... she is not sick she is dressed, hair is completely done, makeup on, jewelry, the works!!!!!!

I then go in the kitchen to make the Macaroni and cheese ( I was always going to do it) and next thing I know..I am doing the whole dinner, Ham, potatoes, veggies the whole dinner!!! She is too busy snapping photos, eating cheese/crackers and socializing .

Thank goodness for my Candy cane drink ( which pissed off S since L's husband had to run to the store for ice and ask for the blender) I need it !!!!! When he was out getting ice ,S's husband took the ride also..and was going on and on about how he is missing dinner at his Mommys house!!! wah wah wah !!!!

So dinner is ready at 3:15 ...and who is the first person at the buffet line??

Yup... you guessed it ..S !!!! ( I thought you were sick and throwing up last night!! and you didnt feel good??)

Then she is popping cookies all day in her mouth along with brownies, and cake !

BUT the kicker was the phone call.....

at 5:40 the phone rings.. S's husband gets it ---and this is the one sided phone call I hear from the kitchen as I am cleaning up and loading the dishwasher and rinsing pots.

Hello..
No, I dont think we are going to make it...
I have a house full of people..
no, I am serious they are all still here...
yeah, I know ,me too!..
Love you too...
Bye...


OK.. time to go !! L ask for her and the kids coats since they were already packing the car when the phone rings ..he says what they are downstairs...L's comment " do you think you could go get them??"

he brings up everyones!! I took this as a hint..time to go!!

we were in the car and on the MassPike as of 5:50

Merry Christmas to ME !!!!!

PS.. the kids had a ball.. they got tons of gifts and had a fashion show with all the new clothes and was laughing and eating fabulous mac and cheese all day !! They couldnt get enough food --- which says alot since they never eat on Holidays .

I guess if we didnt have to deal with those 3 1/2 hours this morning and the last 10 minutes it was a great, relaxing Christmas since the kids had no crying fits over gifts, we had only two melt downs with the little ones since they didnt like where they were sitting for dinner, and there was no traffic and weather was clear and 40ish. I just ignored S's husband all day !! It wasnt really any different then any other day !

Christmas Eve

Wow-- what a year this has been.... I say this every year But maybe next year I will actually take my own advise.

"things can not change unless you start to change!"

I hope tomorrow at S's house goes OK. I hope the girls get something that they really like ( L's girls [j and a] already got a guinea pig!) and they are happy on Christmas. nothing is worse than a sad child on the most special day of the year !

I have baked over 10 different types of cookies... thank GOD many of them are ones I do not like.

Friday at L's house did not go over -- Friday I didn't even go shopping with her till 10 pm . Saturday was a disaster since I started making cookies all by myself as the girls played outside in the snow! A had a dance class party till 12:30. Then I was being kicked out of the house at 4pm while wrapping gifts with the girls that i had to buy with J. since they have dinner plans at inlaw's house --Santa was coming at 6pm !

Merry Christmas !

Christmas is one week away

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas...everywhere I go

• we have over 20 inches of snow and ice outside
• cookies have started to be baked
• All my presents are wrapped

what was that last one... presents are wrapped? I grew up with my Mom wrapping Christmas presents Christmas eve night at midnight. One time she was so tired she finish with large garbage bags and said"Santa just left his sack!" it only had clothes in them but we still remember that to this day ! One time she ran out of paper and wrapped presents in Sunday cartoons--just two presents.

I guess I am going to L's house on Friday to take the girls shopping and do some crafts and baking with them! it should be fun! but one never knows...

I can't believe Christmas is in 7 days and I have nothing to do besides bake cookies !!!

If you need a laugh

Mom and Dad

3 of us

S's family

L's family

J and her skating coach

melissa and tony

Christmas Lights

I went out to look at lights last night with L's family and Mom. It was the 6 of us in the van! What a time we had. The girls were rating the lights. A would one up me . if i called the house a 6 --she would say " No, its a 7!"

here is a few photos from last nights' houses....

Christmas Shopping

I love shopping !

I love it so much that I offered to go shopping for someone in Las Vegas who was looking for Red Sox merchandise. I often visit this website for entertainment when I am bored online. It is just a NSBR website where woman post about everything and anything. This woman was looking for some suggestions to find world series red Sox merchandise. I posted a few websites but everything was back ordered.

So Wed. morning I went shopping to find two t-shirts and two ornaments. Total bill was about $62.00 . She already posted my payment to paypal.com with a total of $75.00 to my effort.

I just love that I could make someone else's Christmas by finding shirts in a store here in Boston. I feel that one day someone will do me a favor just like this when I need something on the website/message board.

Today ..I did most of most shopping I have less than 8 small things to pick up and if I don't find them..oh well nothing to lose!

3 magazines for the girls, chai tea for Linda, small blk purse for Linda, boots for Bella, white socks for Bella, tights for Jillian, sweater for Allison, and 3picture black frame for Linda.

all of this can be purchased in one trip up Route 1..... that is it except for FOOD SHOPPING for cookie stuff!!!!

Gasoline Tanker speeding equals ..............

a fire ball towards homes along Main Street. Which is about 1/2 mile from my house! This happened at around 1:40 am last night. The fire in one of the houses was burning 7 hours later!

They have so far demolished one of the triple deckers... and the other "double" triple deckers is coming down tonight as well. 12-15 families are displaced and main Street and Sweetzer circle ( rotary) is closed and burned to a crisp. 40 cars exploded ! The tanker just filled up with 9,400 gallons of oil at the tankers . We all grew up thinking the LNG tankers would blow up , but we never thought a gas tanker ( 18 wheeler) would create a fire ball. No one was injured- neither people in the homes, tankers, cars, or firefighters !

I woke up early this morning to fire trucks, helicopters, and the scanner going off.... this is something to say a blessing and prayer for LIFE !!

SMILE, when your hearts not in it

Today has been one of those wierd days.

I woke up early and its suppose to rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and have winds over 40 miles an hour tonight and tommorow so I just knew it was going to be a wierd , lazy day!

I just havent been in a Christmas mood . This is my favorite time of the year. I love shopping for others. I love the hussle and bussle of the malls. I love Christmas Music blaring in my car; I roll down the windows regardless of the temperature and sing along to all the hits !! I think this always makes me get a great parking spot at the mall. ( I know-- it doesn't --but you have to have traditions) I love just finding that perfect gift --when it calls out to you from across the store.

But this year ..... I just have NO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT !!!

I think its cause I know I don't have any a lot of spending money . Between gas for my car ( Gas prices as of today are $2.96 a gallon) and heat for the house( $3.39 a gallon) -- what is left? Plus, my sisters are driving me crazy with their lists for the kids and themselves,
"the kids don't need anything"

" I can take my own child shopping, thank you !"

" I did all my shopping last night; I just picked up anything I saw in the store and got a gift receipt...so if they don't like it ..whatever?!"

" I don't want to spend the holidays with my in-laws, but I guess I have to-- that is if I want my gifts !"

I am so sick of everyone ....all about themselves and how much did you spend on me-- one time I actually told my sister,S, if her inlaws were wonderful to her at Christams then I dont want to hear about them ALL year ! That actually made her be quiet about them giving her tons of gifts. To her its all about how much money you spend. But she doesnt let anyone know besides family that she buys all her gifts and just has her husband wrap the gifts. He has no idea if they all cost $100 or $600. He never looks at the bills that come in the mail. but its ok if she goes to the mall with no list and buys whatever she sees.

I just feel like that song...Smile, when your hearts not in it

last year I wasnt even talking to my oldest sister because we just came back from NYC and I showed up at a Christmas Party ( this is going to be hard to explain... my sisters married first cousins so both mother-in-laws are sister--so same family) without her knowing and I was answering questions instead of her about NYC and she was not happy . She wanted to make up her own stories about the trip and I was stepping on her parade. So when I picked up her camera to actually take a picture of her daughter ( which I do all the time) she grabbed my arm, yanked the camera out of my hand, scratch my hand with her nails which caused it to bleed because she thought I was going to show a picture from NYC's rockefellar tree and her. Mind you she is 40 years old. GROW UP !!!!! ok back to Christmas 2006

I have to drive my Mother around -- no one bother to ask anymore--its just a given. So for her to celebrate Christmas with the Grandkids-- I told her I would drive her. But I refused to talk to my sister even though we had dinner and opened gifts in her house. She acted like everything was ok--like nothing happened. I know she was going through alot with her husband and his seizures BUT hello she never apoligized...nor did she ever pay for the hotel room/ bills from NYC since I refused to call/email her since we were not talking. and to this day she never has brought that up.

I think sometimes I need to rethink my life and how I spend it on the holidays because I always end up hating the day instead of singing my Christmas music with the windows rolled down!!!