Reinholt1

Hey Bopeep, I just noticed the cage around your tree....who are you trying to keep out??

OK, if HanShotFirst can do this, I figure I can too. Took me 7-8 hours yesterday to get mom's tree up. 2 strands of lights went bad. Not bad, we're guessing, for 25 years or so. Took me 2-3 hours to get all the white lights off. Then I went and bought 600 multi colored lights (for the next 25 years) and spent another 2-3 hours putting them on. Then the usual 2 hours to get all the ornaments on. The pretty packages under the tree are from mom's secret Santa! ☺ Thank you again Secret Santa!

Mom loves the birthday greetings! Especially gator Pam's graphic! She is laughing and said "They all must have a lot of time on their hands to come up with silly things like this!" BTW .... All 12 frerro rocher are LONG gone!

For any one interested....mom is having a snack free for all that started yesterday (her birthday). So far today she has eaten a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips, some cheddar Ritz crisps, a packet of mini muffins, a piece of Carmel apple coffee cake, 2 hoho's, a small bowl of lasagna soup (when I insisted she eat something with protein) and she is now on her third (of twelve) Ferro Rocher. (I gave her two 12 packs yesterday. She ate 1 Pack yesterday.) Mom's response to my inquiry if she has room for lunch......"Shut up. It's my birthday and I'll eat what I want!" She ate her fourth and is opening her fifth Ferro Rocher while I typed this...... Anyone have any experience with a 90 year old on a sugar high???

I don't know about anybody else, but I had only one store I was interested in going to this morning....PetSmart for cat litter. (Got all the other items online.). It kinda made me feel like the good old days when you feel like you actually did something good when you scored that coveted doorbuster! I was shocked! After years of PetSmart having pallets full of tidycat for shoppers they had limited supplies of just about everything that was on sale. I tried to order my cat litter for curbside pick up, but the website wouldn't let me get 8. I thought it was because it was Black Friday and I thought "Oh well. I will face the crowds and go in and get them." Well phoney! I got there and the reason I could not order 8 was because they did not even have 8! I ended up with 6 with 3 different strength options. There were 2 others there getting cat litter too so I felt good about 6! There was only 1 holiday cat scratcher and I snagged that. Got the buy 2 get one free cat treats but did not get my first choice of flavors. Who'd of ever thought that at 7 am on a Black Friday that I would have to move quick just to score cat litter! I am glad I was out early today. Shesh! I hope you all did better.

Thank you. And yes she does! Coffee cakes, doughnuts, canolli, Twinkies.....If it is a baked good, then look out! It's hers! Mom has an aide now, because of two broken bones this year. Her aide still can't get over how many snack items mom eats everyday...and never gains a pound! Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Eat up! For tomorrow we shop! Cat litter -- here I come!

Mom's box came last evening I think. We found it at 6:30 am when I was getting mom up and ready to go to physical therapy. Mom very surprised and happy. No return address but there is a tracking number ... You there in Connecticut.

Oh well, back to eating last year's Christmas cookies that Bopeep was storing in her freezer. yip -- ee.

And if you did win some huge amount...... HEY EVERYONE! SUNNI0913 JUST VOLUNTEERED TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS PARTY! Heh heh heh

Hey! Good for you! Assuming that you did not win some huge amount (I don't need the tax liability), if you mail it back to me, I'll cash it and send it back to you.

Awww. Sorry about that. Maybe next time. It's always fun to try!

Hmm. Assuming she is a girlie girl, Barbie (and accessories), princess anything, pink and purple anything, 6 is a good age for Uno card game. Connect Four is also good about this age as is Aggrivation, Perfection, Twister or Ker-plunk. Alot of girls are enjoying Legos. And there are girl oriented add on sets that are reasonable. Amazon fire tablets for kids are on sale this week if you want to do one bigger gift. I believe they come preloaded with games so you don't have to worry if the little girl had internet access. Popular toys such as Baby Yoda and Blume dolls (This years version of hatchamals) would probably be welcomed. Crayola has some nice craft kit toys - a light board or a glitter spray set that most little girls would enjoy. I am always leary of getting little girls toy makeup kits. But some kid bath bombs or flavored Chapstick would work. I gave my god daughter a pop up puptent at that age. She had a ball playing in it in her room. Hope that gets you started. Good luck. Thank you for adopting a child for Christmas! Later edit: Just looking through the black Friday sales. Amazon has a boogie board writing tablet for $9.99. A kid could have fun with that.

LOL. We had bad weather here last weekend. Could not go anywhere. I had mom writing Thanksgiving cards to her sisters and I did the gottadeal Christmas cards. If the weather was nicer, ya'll would still be waiting....

What a shame. Are stillbirths common in this breed?

Awww! Chow chow's. How sweet! Are you going to post any more pictures? How many boys/girls did mama have? Have you nicknamed them yet?

Illinoismom... Congratulations! How very cute! What breed are they?? Ahhh......are you going to stick one of those in your Secret Santa box?!?

::sneaking back and grabbing a second package and shaking it.:: Darn! This one isn't rattling either! A 35 pound tub of cat litter should rattle ......

Hmmmm.....you just gave away a big clue.....you are buying for a female! That means you are not buying for any of the fellas. That narrows it down a whole lot! I am a female.....are you by chance, ....buying for ME?!?!?! HMMMMmmmm?!?! Whatcha get me?!? ::picking up package and shaking it:: I don't hear much rattling....

Nice list Len. Thanks for taking the time to do a detailed post.

I just "discovered" a new old movie. They've been playing it on a local station this month. It's called "It Happened On Fifth Avenue". It was nominated for an Oscar but it lost to Miracle On 34th Street that year. It takes place during the holiday season but reflects the issues of the day, with GI's returning home and affordable housing shortages. (Like we don't know anything about that today. ) I recommend it if you like older holiday movies.

OH NO! No Tidycat on sale in this years PetSmart ad. Anyone have any experience with Arm & Hammer or that great choice stuff that is in the tub? Are they about the same? Or is one better than the other??

Amazon is delivering fast, even though they gave me a 3 week before it ship warning. I got my stuff in 4 days. Hopefully you items will come quick Bopeep.

I always make my cookies from scratch. Mom and her sisters like the basics: oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, chocolate crinkle etc. The only cookie I cheat on is I get Gordon Food Service's holiday sugar cookie box. Bake them. I then decorate them with homemade butter cream frosting. Nuke them in the microwave (yes, frosting and all) maybe 15 - 20 seconds before eating them for that straight from the oven goodness. Yummy goodness!

OMG! I have made those peanut butter cookies for years now. Hands down the best peanut butter cookie.

Well, being clergy, I like traditional hymns. I especially like the Christmas hymns that don't get sung very often: The Huron Carol (especially in the Huron language), Of the Father's Love Begotten, Lulee Lulay, Hallelujah Chorus etc. But I admit, I get very excited and turn the radio up every time I hear I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas or Dominic The Donkey.