You all are great! We had our family Christmas today and we head to FL in the morning. My lesson this year, that I managed to pull off so far (not sure how the morning will go) is that if you just "don't sweat the small stuff" (that I see, that no one else sees) then you can really have a good time and appreciate the great family that you have. It was a great day, not a perfect day, but a really fun, calm day with grown kids and a husband who pitched in, appreciated everything, talked, laughed and fell asleep in various places. I have to go pack but I wish you all a really great time with those you love. Be sure to come back in the New Year!

Heres a special Holiday wish to all .....that Santa doesn't get stuck in too many chimneys....embers burn hot and that you find peace and love in your hearts, not just now but in all 2008!

My little ones are on their way to Nana's house! I am so excited that I finally started cleaning the house...why I'm not sure...no one will know after they arrive! But guess its the holiday spirit kicking in. Some little darlings from school gave me a plate of decorated cookies...been munching those inbetween scrubbing...really yummy. I had waited for the maid but guess she ran off with an elf or something.

Please enjoy your families and friends....keep spreading that cheer, Richard! Travel safely Karen. Hope to catch you in Springfield! Peep when you drive by. Wonderful things are around the corner!

Happy Thoughts....................................

http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf

Good morning to all! My Uncle Woody (Oliver Woodruff) mom's brother sent me this link today and I wish you'd all use the link and enjoy it as much as I did. It's the perfect Christmas card message. Cheered me right up!!

Merry Christmas one and all, celebrating the holiday or not, I' bet you get a smile on with this.

My Love to you - Pat

hot 'lanta karen, you got it right. i had been missing you. i was at a point where i could have used some of your fun perspective. i have been running into too many scrooges out there this year. i have actually offered to give away some of my positive energy to a few of them. i got one who took some and smiled and another who was on the fence. maybe the second one didn't know what kind of mojo she would be messing with. i am worried that this might be a year when santa gets stuck in a lot of chimneys. when embers in a fireplace don't burn hot enough, too much soot builds up. when embers in your heart are still just barely lit, there is plenty left to hope for. here is to hearths on fire and hearts that are smokin'.

Having read your book Lori, If I didn't already have a copy, I'd buy one in a heart beat!

I proud of you for considering going to work after the holiday Karen. If it's something you enjoy doing, then you'll surely enjoy it. Good it for you.

Good luck with your New Year's JOB resolution, Karen. I'm impressed! It sounds like you're good at what you do, and you're lucky you have a skill like that that can get you a job. The closest I've come to a job is selling some copies of the poetry book I published in Israel to the women in my writing group. I was embarrassed to take money. I was going to just give it to them, but they insisted on paying. I also went to an Israeli store here that sells Israeli books, music, and decorations, and the owner took 6 books on consignment, 3 for each of his 2 stores. That means he only pays if he sells them. Most of the books are in bookstores in Israel, which I'm excited about--though I'll be very surprised if anyone actually buys one.

You may be talking to Karen V and not me but hell, I am taking this one! Afterall, how often do you have a male (that you are not married to) tell you that he loves you?? So Richard, thanks and back at you with the love!

And I am definitely glad that you feel that life is heading in the right direction, whether possibilities or realities. We all deserve that or at least have learned that we shouldn't hesitate to make it happen. I toast to that for sure!

I have been thinking about New Year's resolutions ... losing weight and getting in shape is always there, but I have added a JOB this year! The other day a woman that I met while I was doing the painting job in the fall (she was building a deck on the house) called me and wants to meet about a business she wants to start. Its called G.O.T. (Get Organized Today). It would involve staging houses for sale, rearranging rooms with things people already own, doing cosmetic makeovers (which is what I did on that job), and organizing clutter. I told her I would talk to her after the holidays. I guess I misspoke 18 years ago when I said that I would go to work when my youngest went to school ...... must have meant COLLEGE!

On a sad note, I took my dog to the vet today and she has an enlarged heart (congestive heart failure) which came on rapidly as her August xray was very normal. $225 later, she has a heart med and lasix and hopefully they can stall it for awhile. She will be 12 in March.

I am off to buy a couple of last gifts and hit the grocery store for our Christmas dinner, which will be Saturday for us. Then Sunday we are off to FL to do the Stover side and from there to VT for my side. I have not really found the spirit(maybe I should say that I never got into the chaotic "have to" do a million things) this year but am feeling good about remaining calm with hopefully a "whatever" attitude when things don't go perfectly. Also I thought of some personal, more sentimental gifts, like cookbook binders of family recipes and a framed panorama of Acadia, which made me happy. My middle son is coming home tonight and my oldest son will be home Fri night. I am getting out my tubs of 30 years of pictures and hoping to get the kids to help me put them in albums ... or at least they can look through them together and get some good laughs.

Happy Holidays to all and best wishes for 2008! Thanks for listening and sharing these past years.

karen, love you, miss you, mean it, richard

Glad to hear you got home safely, Kathi, and it sounds like it was really fun surprising the grandchildren like that!

I can't remember (am I getting senile?) if I already told you all that my daughter's wedding plans are finally taking shape. They signed the contract at the Skirball Cultural Center and will be getting married on July 13--about a year and a half after they officially got married at the Town Hall. I guess they'll have 2 anniversaries. And my son and his girlfriend are re-engaged. I'm still not really sure why they broke up, but it seems like the break-up period did them good. Nothing like the fear of losing someone as far as appreciating each other goes.

I am toasting tonight getting home from NC. Our flight was cancelled yesterday, luckily before we were on our layover in Washington. We left here Friday morning at 2am in the snow. It was very nasty traveling to Manchester, NH airport. They changed our flight but it worked out that we got in sooner. My daughter came to Raleigh to pick us up. Camille was in the backseat thinking...her idea...that she was going to the airport to pick up a princess package. Imagine her surprise when it was Nana and Papa...and not a princess box....she was so excited. It really was a precious thing....unfortunately, it took the baby a little while to connect the crazy lady voice with the person...she finally did! Caleb got off the bus and it took him a minute to figure out that we were standing there. All in all the surprise was so worth it! My son-in-laws graduation went well and we (with his side) went out to dinner to celebrate. Afterwards, my sister-in-law who lives in Durham came down and picked us up. She thought she had us overnight and was taking us to the airport but ended up having company for an extra day and getting up at 5 to drive to the airport. We had a great time....coming back to shovel out the car and scrape off a inch of ice off the windshield.....and to come home to shovel the walkway into the house...I am so not a world traveler.
I'll toast to the friendships that we have all made and that peace and love may find you all! Thank you for all of you being YOU! Happy Thoughts...................................

Okay, I'm pouring the champagne. You always say it the best, Richard.

lori, yes, please, let's toast ourselves. i feel like i have had enough of a chance to get to know each other again over the last few years and a toast is appropriate. life remains hard and seemingly more complex than ever, but i see my fellow bloggers in the light that shines on you all best. that is your own light, shining on you and the ones you love that are around you.

That sounds good to me, Patti--a toast to possibilities!

I'm all for toasting, just haven't figured out who I am or who I want to be. Is it alright if I have a toast to possibilities? To figuring things out? Sounds good to me.

Another huge storm on its way so "my beloved" to borrow Richard's term if I may; is heading to Bangor mid morning this time. he's staying down there next weekend since his sister is flying in from CA to visit their Dad in Wayne, ME (near Augusta).

So by Christmas Eve I'll have my guys back home with me. It definitely is #1 on my gift list. The boys are taking two days following the 25th off too so we'll have an extended visit this time.
Happiness to you all, my friends --Patti