End of Year clean-up

Also, I think I am going to clean up around here a bit. Going to go thru the bloglist and remove dead links, etc.

If I remove ya, let me know. Cuz I am checking the m all out and seeing if the links still work.

PeacE

The End is Near

Now, now. No need to worry too much. I only meant that the end of the year is near. Well, maybe the end of the world too, but I could care less about something like that. And I am not ready to quit this lil blog thing neither. Almost got yer hopes up, eh?

The Christmas holiday was nice again for us. The kids enjoyed the many presents they received, and we all had a good day spent together with family. Looks like we are doing a repeat of it New Year's Day as well. I know our plans are to be at the Sis's place Thursday evening until after midnight, then return the next day for lunch. The three older kids will be staying the night. Reverend Mother will be making ribs and coleslaw. Man, I love her coleslaw.

The interesting part? The daughter's boyfriend has been invited to hang with the family, Thursday thru after dinner Friday. Yeah, staying the night, eating with us.... a "get to know the family" type thing as my Wife calls it. It'll prolly prove interesting.

Not much else happening at the moment. Been taking care of a friend's place while she is back in Dayton, OH. She has a kitty there that is missing her terribly. I am going to try to get thru the Christmas pics today to see if any good enough to post. I say good enough, because most seem to have blur spots from the kids moving, or my shaky hands. I would never make it as photographer.

PeacE

Merry Christmas!!

A quick step-in as the family is getting ready to head for the first location today. Our family morning was wonderful, and I am sure to have a pic or two come Monday. Kids are excited, and not fighting for once....

First stop is my in-laws. Then we head to the Reverend Mother's for exchanges and lunch. And lastly, over to Sis's where we will pretty much end up for the day... until time to go home and unload everything.

Hope your day is going as great as mine!!

PeacE

Down to the Wire

So, it is Christmas Eve today. Everyone is scurrying around trying to get that last minute gift picked up for that last minute person. My BIL, he will be going out today to do all of his shopping. Several years ago, he told he always waits til today to do all of the shopping for things he wants to get.

I remember looking at him, probably with a a shocked expression, and asking why, in the world, would he wait til the last minute? You'd have to deal with the crowds, and stuff being out of stock... hard telling what else! He said that actually, there are fewer people. And he said you can actually get the price talked down at certain places. It made some sense the way he explained it. I could never do it though. Heck, I thought we were done and forgot someone.... imagine me doing that!

Today is another day I don't care about this holiday. Getting to bed at a decent hour is impossible it seems. Even if I am ready, the Wife still has stuff all over the bed trying to get the wrapping done. Why don't I help? Obviously, you have never seen my wrapping! Though, I should try and do that today for the gifts for the Wife. Then again, I could wait and have the daughter do them tonight....

Okay. So I am going to be gone for the next day, or two. At least I probably won't be posting. My best wishes for a Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

PeacE

Yep. Holiday week.

Yeah, I am so stuck in holiday week. It's early Wed morn, so basically, 2 days to that holiday. I am done committing to the commercialization of it, in other words, my shopping is done. Those that I shopped for, well, I like to say that my gifts go beyond the season. In terms for everyone else, they hate my gifts. Sorry Reverend Mother, but FUCK THEM!

Yeah, that pretty much covers my sentiments for everyone that don't like the gifts I bought them. I don't care if they are family or not. Be happy you got one, that's it. Oh hell..... That day to "unwrap them" ain't even here yet!

That teaches us two things tonight. Appreciate the gifts you get, no matter what; and, don't let Uncle Ralph drink Whiskey, even if you got a really good gift!

Easy for the ones under 21 (thankfully, the nieces and nephews are in that bracket).

Everyone else better keep some in stock, cuz it is your ass I have to drink to deal with.

That, and I wish I had a bottle at home. No, I don't. Yes I do. No I don't.

(sigh)

PeacE

Heeellllllloooooo Monday!

Yeah. Monday morning at its finest. For a change, this has been a decent start of the week for me... aside from having to get up early.

I took our minivan into the shop to have the oil leak situation looked at. Once again it was just the oil filter had worked loose. They recommend a new one, I decided to do it later. I asked about my other vehicle. The radiator has started to leak again. I had brought it in just a few months ago, and had the radiator replaced for a leak, and they said it is still under warranty. So I will be taking it up there after the holiday. For now I am grounding the car anyways. I can't go more than a few miles and it is starting to get in the hot zone...even after topping off the radiator. Hopefully, it won't cost too much to fix that problem. This morning only cost me 20 minutes of my time.

I need to call my Sis today. The BIL had asked about me bringing my boys to their house this week for the day to let them play with their cousins. Prolly will set up a date and time for that. Whatever day it is, that morning we can run out and pick up some stuff for the Wife for Christmas too. I got an idea or two from her from Saturday while we were out. Plus I gotta get that last present yet. Gads, I hate shopping.

Friday is the holiday. For everyone traveling, be safe.

PeacE

Decisions, decisions

It's a nice, bright Sunday morning here in the Valley of the Sun. I am debating what I should do this morning.

I did my rounds on the Internet: my emails, Facebook, Myspace. I don't need to update my Netflix as I have movies here to watch. No one loves to comment here, so no new comments to read.

The Wife asked me what my plans were this morning, and that's where my dilemma is. She had asked on the pretext of once they get out of church, and were to stop somewhere to grab some lunch to bring home, would they need to bring for me as well? Or will I be out and about and not interested?

So - do I stay at home sitting on my fat butt playing World of Warcraft this morning, which would probably end up being most of the day.... Or do I head over to one of the local pubs and get a free breakfast buffet, a beer, and sit on my fat butt reading a book for most of the day... Such a hard choice. At least I know I will be doing it sitting down.

The kids were at Reverend Mother's yesterday afternoon. They made a variety of cookies, and brought them all home. All of them have already told me to stay out of them, that they are for them, not me - (some Christmas spirit, huh?). With the afternoon free, the Wife and I finished the shopping that needed to be completed. Well, so I thought. About mid-way through dinner at RM's, I realized we had forgot one person. So I will need to go back out this week to get that one thing. At least that isn't too bad.

Monday I got to take our minivan in to the shop. We have had an oil leak for about a month or so. Had the same problem earlier this year, that turned out to be a loose oil filter. I am hoping that this is the same problem this time. I just can't get to the damn thing to find out. Will have the mechanic do it for me. Maybe do an oil change while they are at it.

Okay, that's it for now. I need to make a decision in the next few minutes about what I am, doing for lunch.

PeacE

It's Saturday Morning

Things are starting to look good. Not that they were bad, but just, looking good. The sun is out and shining; the boys are actually cleaning up what I told them to clean up; and it's almost lunchtime. Yeah, I slept in that late today. I felt I deserved it.

The Wife has taken the daughter (at some point earlier today) to go get her eyes checked. This will also include new lenses for her glasses, and new contacts. At least we won't have to get new frames too.

The Reverend Mother is due to call early this afternoon. She will be having all four of my kids over to her place for the afternoon. She has does this the past several years with each family's kids. Does the whole "Grandma and kids getting Christmas-y" thingy-ma-jig-bobber-doo-hickey. As an added bonus, the Wife and I come over for dinner in the evening (the Wife doesn't have to cook - happy for her!). So, while we adults have a free afternoon, I have emphasized the past couple days we should take that time to finish the shopping and sort thru everything. What do I mean sort? I mean, I need to know who gets what, as next week will be full of wrapping paper and tape for me. Yee Haw.

Okay, I am off to do some other stuff whilst waiting on the phone call from Reverend Mother.

PeacE

Did I Fix It?

Okay. After an hour of frustration, trying to learn HTML and remove Haloscan, I finally gave up and reset pretty much everything. Comments should be up and working through Blogger just fine.

Going through everything, I noticed that maybe I want to do some changes around here... then again, maybe I don't. I prolly should go thru my list and clean out some non-existing ones.... should.

Okay, if you have any probs let me know, unless that is your prob!

PeacE

Another Small Change

As many have read from other blogs, Haloscan (current comment program) is changing over to a pay service. I am cheap. I don't see paying $10/mo just so I can get 5 comments (if lucky).

So, I think I got it removed from here. If not, would you email me any probs at ralphd00d@gmail.com and let me know? Maybe, if you removed it yourself, you could even hint at where I need to look and delete something still....

PeacE

Life is like a Country Song

Geez, I am sure many of us have heard that title phrase before. And the first thing ya think is, my Wife left, momma died, and the dog was put to sleep. Here's a tear for my beer.

It's weird though, when part of the words of a song (doesn't necessarily have to be a country song) kinda make ya go, "Man, that sounds like me." I think the one I am thinking of this morning is Alan Jackson's "Everything I love is Killing Me". It's got that chorus starter something like:

Everything I love is killing me
cigarettes, Jack Daniels and caffeine

Just those two lines says enough for me. I should stop smoking and drinking and try to stay away from the last one.... So what makes me think of that song this morning? I went drinking last night. If yer thinking I put one on, like I usually do, well yer wrong. For once in my life I was a good boy and was home actually early. But this morning made me think about my age again.

See, Saturday night was my friend's Christmas party, the Wife and I attended. It was wonderful time, seeing some folks we hadn't seen in a while, good food, and I had a few drinks. Well, Sunday morning, I felt I knew how Johnny Cash felt with "Sunday Morning Coming Down" except there was no way in Hell I was getting up to walk around town to see all that shit. As it was, I was in bed til like 12:30.

Then of course, my Redskins were playing the Raiders that afternoon, and my buds wanted me to join them. I had cleared this with the Wife the night before, so up to the bar I go. Game started at like 2pm, and I walked in the door about 12:30am. Needless to say, one could tell I had had a few. Monday morning, I don't know how I functioned. I felt groggy almost all day. Tuesday I felt better, so went out. Today, I feel a bit blah, but not as bad - cuz I was a good boy.

Bottom line is, I guess I can't handle knocking 'em back like I could a couple years ago. Over the past half a year, I have done so good about cutting back on my drinking, and trying to eat a little better, that I guess my body is liking it enough that when I do get a drink on, it rebels on me the next day. And I am getting older. I know, I may be a pup to some of ya's, but I am starting to feel the years, and all that I didn't do to take better care of myself.

So enough of that damn pity party. We oughtta go out and have a few drinks to celebrate life! Except I really don't feel up to it. How about I just raise my iced tea up and nod yer way? Works for me...

PeacE

Tuesday, another yeehaw day

It is still fairly quiet around the house this week. Thankfully, the kids have school until Friday, then they start the Christmas break. Otherwise, it's just the spawn of Satan running off the walls around here, and me yelling at him to settle down. Like the damn cat is gonna listen to me.

Not much else going on. I guess Reverend Mother is debating taking my 4 kids for the day Saturday to help her do some baking, and maybe dinner. Then have hte Wife and I over to share the dinner. I likes them free dinners...lol.

Yup. That's pretty much it today. Unless I find something of interest.

PeacE

Welcome to the Weekend

It's Saturday, thank goodness, and just under 2 weeks to that damn holiday I don't care much for.

This week has been another ordinary one, here at my place anyways. We had a nice birthday dinner at Olive Garden for the Wife's bday (it was her mom's as well, and so we invited her and dad along).

Tonight we have a Christmas party at a friend's house we will be attending. I got the daughter for once in her life (it seems) to do something around the house and watch the boys. Plus they are to be getting the Family Room ready for us to put up the tree. Another thing I don't mess with. But the Wife and kids love doing it.

The Wife went shopping today, and I think she pretty much concluded what else we needed to get for people. There might be one or two more runs for items to round it all out.

That's it for now.

PeacE

Happy Birthday My Dear Wife

Today is my Wife's birthday. I won't disclose her age, because she would probably beat me to a pulp if I did, and those marital extras that happen every now and then would be fewer and farther between. I know where my bread is buttered.

I thought of posting a pic, but I don't have a really recent one. Though, she wouldn't like me doing that either.

Maybe a little humorous story? Hmmmm, I can't think of one off the top of my head.

I guess the important thing is I am glad she is with me, and I love her. Happy Birthday Honey!

Tonight the family will go out to dinner to the restaurant of her choosing. Last night she was hinting at Olive Garden, but I don't know if she will change her mind during the day. The daughter has an orthodontist appointment this afternoon. She will be getting some more of her appliances put in for her braces.

Yesterday I spent most of the morning getting shopping done. The Wife's birthday presents were picked up, as well as some for her for Christmas. I was able to scratch a couple more names off the list for gifts.

Not much happening otherwise. Maybe watch a movie this morning since WoW is doing its regular Tuesday maintenance and I can't play yet.

PeacE

Only 3 weeks left? That's enough time?

Editor's note: I didn't realize the date today, until I posted this. A moment of remembrance for WWII vets and the bombing of Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.

Man, I dislike shopping for other people. Especially when they have given you no clue as a specific thing to get. 'Find something they like', or 'Anything a (particular) color'. C'mon! Give me something!!! He wants a '95 Corolla with a 4 speed manual, AC and wants it in green. Okay! Have it tomorrow!! Not that I am buying people cars mind you.... was just the example that popped in my head. Maybe I should use like a specific Movie title, or music group CD. Either way ...

Shopping. Oh, let me add, this subject gets worse for me when it comes to shopping for a woman. Woman, wife, mom, aunt, daughter, niece, whatever - female. You would like something? Go there, take a photo of it. Most people have digital cameras, so it shouldn't be too hard. Take a photo, and email it to me with the details - where ya saw it, how much, etc. Then guess what? You'll get it!!

Yeah, takes the whole "surprise" thing out of receiving a gift, doesn't it? I don't care. I'm not giving you a gift to surprise you. If I were doing that, I wouldn't have asked what you wanted, or for gift ideas for you. I would have picked up that ultra-large, orange-fluorescent colored sex toy, and had you open it in front of your parents, or something. You want surprises? Heh.

Okay, so shopping vaguely for someone, and females. Yeah, shopping sucks.

What I *truly* hate, and I use that word (HATE) with the full definition of it, is Christmas shopping. Oh, society had to go and not only make it another commercialized holiday where you are "supposed" to spend money to make everyone you love happy, they made it mandatory (almost completely mandatory) to go vaguely searching for a gift that a particular person, male or female, would appreciate. You throw in the time limit that is continuously announced everyday as a huge count-down. As if not getting all the gifts and stuff would be the destruction of the world if I had to give them out AFTER the 25th. Then you throw in, seemingly, my whole list of pet peeves and major dislikes in the world:

Crowds: I just cannot tolerate them. I dislike having to narrowly avoid touching, or invading the personal space, of every individual in the five state area, who are ALL shopping in the Kmart that is 22,000 square feet. I dislike them doing the same to me. Oh, and the people... this leads into....

Stupid People: These are the ones that you just wanna shoot to clear out someones' gene pool. I mean, you make eye contact, they see you with arms full of sacks, etc, and they had just walked in a door. They let it shut in your face. They do the "brush-by" into your personal space and make you loose balance with everything. They pay no attention to limits of items in lines. They pay no attention to mall parking lot signs, or hell, regular traffic signs for that matter. They keep harassing the only check-out clerk about the item they had on sale in the paper that is out of stock, and the cashier has referred them to the manager 15 times, but they want her to take care of the problem. Oh my... I could go on forever in this category.

Sales: I just shake my head at this one. I never leave the house on what they call "Black Friday". Mostly because of the people listed above, and the traffic thing. But I think most of the sales out there are pure crap. Mark them down a few bucks, make it look like a lot...someone will buy it. Definitely one of the people listed above. Now we got this "Cyber Monday" thing I heard about on the radio.... WTF? Doing the shopping online to replace the "hassle" of going out in public? Sounds great to me!! But, the count-down timer has gone too fast and there is no time to ship before the needed date. Just fucking fabulous.

I am all worked up now. I can feel my heartbeat has increased; some sweat has begun to form on my brow; and my stomach has started a rhythmic beat of pain that matches the heartbeat. Okay, I was just adding the part about my stomach, but still, you understand what I mean.

So I spew all this shit out that pisses me off about shopping and Christmas, and having the both collide into something people call Christmas shopping.... can you guess what I am going to be doing today and tomorrow?

Understand how I feel now? How I will feel tomorrow night? Tomorrow night if I am not done with it all?

(Sigh) (deep breath)

Did I mention, that tomorrow is my Wife's birthday as well, and no one had bothered to tell me until yesterday, "Dad, we didn't get Mom anything for her birthday". Now I got to find something, for a female, for a birthday, from the kids, and then for Christmas, and for the rest of family members....

I ain't going to be writing for a couple days, unless by some act of Reverend Mother's, her prayers work and I bless God for making it easy for me one year. I'll probably go to hell for that comment....

See ya in a few days. I might have some sanity (and hopefully money) left.

PeacE

We're off to the show!

It's been another slow week around the house here. Trying to get things in order, to figure out what shopping still needs to be done for whom, and when am I supposed to go do that. Yeah... I need a list. I can't just "go looking" for a gift for someone. I'll never find anything.

And my wife's birthday is Tuesday - guess who is screwed?

Soooo, what else is new? Well, today my daughter had an Honor band concert. Seems her's is the only HS district to do it, but they compete (similar to Regionals) for chair position, and then have a concert. She made 4th chair out of 6 high schools. This Thursday she has a choir concert - at the same time as the oldest son's Christmas concert for band. Again! You'd think the damn school district would not schedule things like this for the third year in a row!!! My god! I can't be the only one with kids in HS and grade school!!!

Okay... and tomorrow, we are going to see Trans Siberian Orchestra, for the third year. My wife and I really enjoy it, and the kids have as well. Tickets were bought months ago, and I almost missed the date. I was thinking it was next weekend....

My brother Stuman is off to Germany today for two weeks for some Army stuff. He called yesterday. He has started a tradition thing where every time he goes to Germany, he brings me back a stein. He called to see which ones I had again, and he is trying for another this time as well.

We ordered the announcements for the daughter's upcoming graduation. Over the next three months, I am sure we will be getting the needed addresses from family members and friends for her to bankrupt us with getting postage for them.

Ok. That's all I got for today.

PeacE

Ass Kickin'

Once again it has happened. I have had my ass handed to me yet one more time. This particular opportunity was used by none other than the Common Cold. Yeah, I am still sick. I just can't get rid of the nasal congestion, and of course, it has worked its way down into the chest, so I am coughing up phlegm way too often in my opinion.

No, it is not the flu. I am not, have not, ran/running a fever. As I said, congestion. And I just feel pretty miserable.

So, since my body is just wiped fighting this fiendish villian, I am just sleeping alot. Makes real exciting to read about, ay? Going to watch "Angels & Demons" today. Saw "Star Trek" finally last week - and I really enjoyed it.

That's it for now.

Oh. Hey. My niece (7th grade) had to make a 1-minute public service message. Watch the clip!! You'll see me in there somewhere!!


PeacE