Saturday, December 08, 2007

Busy Busy Weekend

I've been busy since the minute I woke up this morning and still have a lot to do but I needed a break and here I am. I decided to sleep in this morning since I had a long week and had to work yesterday on my off Friday. Not complaining one bit.
I am so grateful that the extra work has come finally and it's come at a good time too, when everyone really needs some extra money.
I was supposed to work all day yesterday but I had a dentist appointment at noon. I was going to go back to work after my appointment but my supervisor was sending everyone home at 1:30 anyway so she told me not to bother. My appointment went fairly well. I have to get a filling replaced in a couple of weeks but everything else looked good. After that I stopped by my parents house but no one was home. I stayed about a half hour then decided to just leave a note and continued on with my errands. I had to go to the bank and then it was off to the post office to mail a package and pick up some Christmas stamps. I got home around 3pm and had just kicked off my shoes when my son called inviting me to his apartment for dinner. It sounded good to me so I jumped in the shower, took care of the dog and headed over there. It's about a 45 minute drive from my house but I took the back roads to avoid the rush hour traffic. That makes it more like an hours drive but I didn't mind because it was getting dark by then and it was nice driving through all the small towns from my house to his and seeing all the Christmas lights and decorations along the way.
Jessie made a southwestern chicken dish with rice and corn and beans. It was pretty good.
After dinner we watched Flags of Our Fathers, a movie about the guys who raised the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. I really enjoyed the movie even though I don't really care for war movies. This movie held a particular interest, however, because Rene Gagnon, one of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima is a cousin of my ex husband's. He was considered a hero at the end of WWII but died a very bitter and sad man. As often happens, the horrors of war are deeply embedded in a soldiers psyche and they have a real hard time accepting and dealing with the death and carnage that they have been exposed to. The photo taken of that historic event made these men heroes and the government promised them a lot of things besides medals and parades, like jobs and celebrity, all of which never materialized in Rene Gagnon's case. He worked at the Chicopee Mill in Manchester New Hampshire after his discharge from the Marine Corps and held a lot of odd jobs. He died a very unhappy man with an alcohol problem.
I left Eric and Jessie's around 10 pm and it was lightly snowing. I took the back roads home again and took my time since it was a little slick in some spots. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was crawl into bed.

Today was also a busy day. I picked up some groceries first thing this morning and then came home to clean and decorate. I've been at it most of the day. I start to clean one area and then find another spot that needs cleaning, the next thing I know I have several areas partially straightened up but more of a mess than when I started. The tree is pretty much all decorated now. I can't find my porcelain angel that goes on top of my tree so I'll have to keep hunting for it. I am sure I put it someplace where it wouldn't get broken. I just have to remember where.
I've dusted and rearranged my entertainment center so I have my Christmas snow globes and shelf sitters out. I also had to find a place to display my newest snow globe that has blowing styrofoam snow inside it and a working ferris wheel. I decided to put that front and center of my coffee table. I've got a string of lights that I want to put up around the archway that separates my living room from my office area. I also brought out a new fleece blanket with a winter scene on it for the sofa. The dog usually ends up dragging that off of the back of the couch and he crawls under it when I am not at home so I picked one that won't show his white fur so much. (I'm catching on.)
I've wrapped a few gifts and set them under the tree. I wrote out some Christmas cards and got them ready for the mail on Monday. I also wrapped a gift for my friend Anne who lives in Spain so I can get that mailed on Monday too. I received a gift from her earlier in the week and that is also sitting under the tree.
I've got some mac and cheese in the oven now (yes home made not the Kraft stuff) and I am going to finish up here so I can eat when it is ready.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. I will be taking some pics tonight to post at a later date.
Oh and by the way, it got quite warm here today, 40 degrees or so. Not too bad since we barely made it to the 20's most of the week. But I suspect the cold air will be back soon and the weatherman is predicting snow, sleet and freezing rain Sunday and/or Monday. UGH

8 comments:

AliceKay said...

Interesting story about your ex-husband's cousin. It's really sad how most of our war heros and veterans have been or are being treated.

Yep, sounds like you've been very busy. I still can't find my living room, and the hallway is just a narrow passageway these days. Marty was supposed to go with me to check out a storage unit this afternoon, but he went shopping to the mall in NY with Karen instead. They did some Christmas shopping and he bought me the new Mannheim Steamroller christmas cd.(he knew i wanted it)

We're supposed to get a nasty sleet/snow mix tomorrow. Will send it southwest...ok? (how about Abilene? I heard it's been in the 80s there lately. LOL)

ChicagoLady said...

I was going to ask you about pictures, but you answered it already, lol. Can't wait to see them!!! I still have to take pictures of my few measley decorations. Maybe when I'm not so hung over, I'll find the energy to do it.

I've wanted to see the movie Flags of Our Fathers, and the companion movie, Letters from Iwo Jima, I think is what it's called. And did you know??? Iwo Jima isn't named that anymore? I don't remember how it became named Iwo Jima, but it's proper Japanese name is Iwo To, so they officially changed it back earlier this year. Just a bit of useless information, lol.

AliceKay said...

I never knew that, chicagolady. (i never liked history class) Useless information is good, tho. It helps fill the crevices in our brains. :)

Lainie said...

I think we should send all that nasty weather to Abilene AND that little town near Dallas that is always begging for snow.
I'm more interested in chicagolady's hangover. LOL
I haven't seen Letters from Iwo Jima yet but it is on my list to watch now.
I have more wrapping to do today and maybe I'll bake some cookies before the football game comes on this afternoon.

Kerry said...

very interesting about your ex husbands cousin, however the crevices in my brain are huge gaping holes to be filled..... could ya'll give me a little more american history on this?

I'm not hungover neener neener neener.

Can't wait to see you're christmas decorations!

Lainie said...

Kerry...I'll give you a brief history lesson.
In 1945, during the battle of Iwo Jima in WWII, an American flag was raised by servicemen after defeating the Japanese and claiming that part of the island. The Secretary of the Navy decided he wanted that flag for himself so he ordered another group of servicemen up the mountain to take down the original flag and replace it with another. This second raising was photographed by Joe Rosenthal and was then published in every newspaper, later winning a Pulitzer Prize. There were 6 men in that second picture and I believe Rene Gagnon was the Marine who carried the second flag up the mountain. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima

Karla said...

Ohhhhhhhhh don't worry ladies..YOU DID! Dang you could of sent snow instead of ice though!!!!!!! LOL I wish I had the get up and go to do some shopping...but my get up and go done got up and went...

LadyStyx said...

My town aint exactly all that little. A smattering of precip today around 11pm but nothing to get worked up over....alotta cold though, about 30 or so today.

Was tired when I got into this blog entry and seeing all you did has got me exhausted now...Im thinking my entry's gonna need to wait until later after I've gotten my zzzzz's in.