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Below are the most recent 16 friends' journal entries.
| Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 |
laurelwood
|
3:05p |
No bat mitzvah or quinceanera, but how about a laundry basket?
On Christmas day, Brooke turned 15 years old. We haven't done much in the way of "coming of age" ceremonies since letting her get her ears pierced at 13, and we don't really celebrate her birthday on her actual day of birth (we wait till her half birthday) but I couldn't let this auspicious occasion go by without commemorating it somehow. So I bought her a laundry basket. Brooke, as I may have mentioned seven or eight billion times, is the world's laziest child. Her room looks like a war zone, and that was bad enough, but then she started accusing ME of "moving" or "misplacing" various items of clothing during the laundry process. (100% of the time, she'd later sheepishly admit that she'd exhumed the "missing" garment from her closet or behind her bed.) She also was in the habit of "accidentally" besmirching our bath towels with her copious mascara, and then leaving the towels in wet heaps on her bedroom floor, thus depleting the supply for the rest of the household. I got tired of all of this ages ago, and decided that I'd make her responsible for her own laundry and towel supply once she turned the ripe old age of 15. Yesterday, I bought all new towels for the bathroom and designated a special drawer for the still-good-but-makeup-stained ones. Those are Brooke's towels. If she touches 'our' towels, she gets grounded for a week with no computer or phone privileges. Laundry can be done anytime, but last load's at 7pm because the machines back right up to my bedroom wall. Don't wanna fold stuff? No problem! The room needs to be tidied occasionally, but I no longer care if she puts her clothes away or piles them all onto the closet floor. Ironing? Not my problem anymore. We'll see how it works long term, but so far, I'm enjoying the feeling of liberation. And it'll be good for Brooke to learn what it's like to have an underwear drawer that doesn't magically refill every three days. Current Mood:  peaceful |
rickfan37
|
10:24p |
A good year.
Oops, it's almost New Year's Eve! I don't know what's happened to me the last few months, I've been very hit amd miss in updating my LJ. Up to a week has gone by without an entry, and even now this feels very strange, not at all necessary in the way that it used to feel necessary. It isn't that I haven't been online; I have, just as much as usual. I have been reading my flist religiously, several times a day, and commenting too. I suppose there hasn't really been much I've felt the need to share, and I think I know why. Contentedness. No one wants to read about how happy one is, how one enjoys one's job, loves one's family, finds helpless amusement in its in-jokes, dotes on one's children and their achievements. I know I do more than my fair share of that, but it must get old. It's often far easier, and less smug, somehow, expressed as a one-liner on Facebook. So, 2009. In a nutshell, I LOVED 2008 because I had a year off work... but 2009 was the year I actually went to work and did a job that I enjoyed (incredibly annoying colleague notwithstanding). It was the year my eldest daughter did brilliantly in her GCSEs. It was the year we doubled the number of cats in our household. It was the year we found out that my dad, despite having Alzheimers, did NOT also have Parkinson's. There has been a lot to be thankful for, and I am so thankful. It hasn't all been good, of course. Joe lost his grandad, and had a lot of work stress. Sometimes I feel guilty about enjoying my job so much, when he wishes he could escape his. And my dad is getting more forgetful. Looking around, though, we do seem to have had a better time of it than many on my flist who, for many and varied reasons, feel that 2009 cannot end soon enough. For them, I hope that 2010 sees all their tribulations disappear. For Joe, I wish for a more relaxed year at work, and for more appreciation for what he does. For me, I wish for another year like this last one. I like feeling happy. Current Mood:  content |
| Monday, December 28th, 2009 |
laurelwood
|
2:47p |
Rec me a toy!
Dennis and I found ourselves ferociously busy right before the holidays, and instead of running out to get each other something, we vowed we'd "get around to it after the holidays". He wants a new golf bag and some other sporty stuff, and I'm not sure WHAT I want. I've always hankered after a laptop, but they're a lot spendier than golf bags. I do have a birthday coming up, and some Christmas money, and by combining all of these, maybe I'd have enough for one of those...what do they call 'em...mini laptops? Does anyone have one or know someone who has one? Would one of those be a good choice for someone who just wants a laptop so that she can sit in her favorite armchair, read LJ, check e-mail and play Bejeweled? |
| Saturday, December 26th, 2009 |
rickfan37
|
9:37p |
Sherlock Holmes
It's a tradition that we go and see a film on Boxing Day, before going to my parents' for dinner. This year we saw Sherlock Holmes, and it was great! It was funny, pacey and clever, and the repartee between Holmes and Watson was very, very funny at times. Loved it. And because of the H/W chemistry, I realised something that perhaps I ought to have realised long ago.. House and Wilson are based on Holmes and Watson! Even the names are almost the same... Holmes (Home) and House even mean the same. And, just as House and Wilson owe a lot to Holmes and Watson, I believe that RDJ and JW owe a lot of their characterisations in this film to House and Wilson. So there. I am stating the bleeding' obvious here, aren't I? LOL! Current Mood:  dorky |
rickfan37
|
9:22p |
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| Friday, December 25th, 2009 |
rickfan37
|
7:05p |
For the record...
John Simm is absolutely brilliant as The Master!! My Christmas Day, already wonderful, has been made by watching a fantastic episode of Doctor Who!!!!! Current Mood:  giddy |
| Thursday, December 24th, 2009 |
cakeinoz
|
10:52p |
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rickfan37
|
8:12p |
Merry Christmas!
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas, however you choose to celebrate it. Here, have a tree! :-)  Current Mood:  happy |
laurelwood
|
7:31a |
Low tech FTW!
A couple of weeks ago, my sister saw one of her neighbors hobbling around on crutches. She asked him what the problem was, and he said it was plantar fasciitis. She told him about that "wrap your arch with duct tape" idea I got off the intarwebs, and yesterday, he came bopping over, crutchless, to her house to tell her that OMG! It worked so well that he's already back into all his old shoes, and the pain is so manageable that he can go about all his regular activities again. It's really thrilling to think that an obscure, $4.00 fix worked for someone else, too. I wish the person who posted that tip could get money in the mail every time her idea helped someone else's achy heel. |
| Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 |
rickfan37
|
10:11p |
Cool...
Current Mood:  contemplative |
| Thursday, December 24th, 2009 |
soloflights
|
8:47a |
Christmas Eve
And I was in at work at 7.30am... because no one else is mad enough to come to work today, and there wasn't much traffic. The sun is shining and its lovely and warm. Now just have to waste a few hours at work, until Big Bosses drinks at 11.30. Have to go to that so I can tell him where he has gone wrong this year ;) And then get a lift home with my brother, who will be more sensible than me. A bit of Christmas baking with the boys this afternoon - got them plenty of things to decorate Christmas cookies with, but haven't actually made any. Will get some seedlings planted out in my garden. Then perhaps make the stuffing for tomorrow's turkey, or not. Very relaxed day ahead, and have to wrap the few presents we have and put them under the woodburner, as we have no tree, it can be the focal point. A day spent relaxing, and playing a few silly games tomorrow. Hopefully can find a cricket set or something in the garage that isn't broken. Have a lovely Christmas everyone, and hug your family! Current Mood:  calm |
| Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 |
soloflights
|
1:10p |
More sad news
Its been one of those years, for a lot of us, I think. Let us hope this is the last one. I had an email from my aunt in Germany today. My grandmother died at midday their time. She has been frail for a long time, and has been going down hill the last couple of months. Its a relief that she has gone. And if you believe those things, she will be with my mum and her mum, and I'm sure they'll have a huge old-fashioned Christmas party to welcome her. She was scared of dying, but in the end it sounded as though she had made peace with it. Its sad, I haven't seen her since the boys were little - she wasn't allowed to fly anymore after a certain point, because of health issues. Goodbye Großmutti, have a safe journey. Current Mood:  sad |
| Sunday, December 20th, 2009 |
rickfan37
|
8:14p |
Mememe
Stolen with alacrity from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) torenheksje1. Elaborate on your default icon. It is of the TARDIS next to a Christmas tree. No explanation is necessary. 2. What's your current relationship status? Married. 3. Ever have a near-death experience? No, but I have read of many; also of scientific research about neurons and brain whatnots that can explain the white light etc. As a rationalist, this explanation satisfies me. 4. Name an obvious quality you have. Warmth. 5. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now? Let It Snow. 6. Name a celebrity you would marry. Alan Rickman. Although I should imagine he'd be pretty difficult to live with. 7. Who will cut and paste this first? I have no idea. 8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity? Not a celebrity as such... I was once asked if I was a minor character (long gone) from Coronation Street. In fact, the character regularly wore a duplicate of my favourite top at the time! 9. Do you wear a watch? What kind? Yes, a lovely Seiko that was my 21st birthday present from my parents and bought in France during my year out there. It has been sent away for repair (I don't think any original part is left!) and I've been without it for weeks and weeks. I have a nice watch on loan from the jeweller, though, so that's okay. It drives me mad not to wear a watch. 10. Do you have anything pierced? Only my ears, and only once in each lobe. 11. Do you have any tattoos? No. 12. Do you like pain? Depends! 13. Do you like to shop? I loathe and detest shopping IRL, but ADORE internet shopping and want to marry it. 14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? Some meat pies from the hospital shop, for mine and Joe's lunch, on Friday. 15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card? Something from Amazon. My debit card was lunch today at Morrison's. 16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? My best friend's daughter. 17. What is on your desktop background? A head and shoulders shot of Snape. 18. What is the background on your cell phone? A cute picture of Abbie smiling. 19. Do you like redheads? Yes, and I like to dye my hair red too! 20. Do you know any twins? Vaguely to say hi to. Daughter's friends, identical. 21. Do you have any weird relatives? All of them. 22. What was the last movie you watched? Coraline in 3D last night. 23. If you had $100 to spare, who would you give it to? I can't envisage that ever being the case, more's the pity! Cats Protection. 24. What was your favorite book as a child? Alice in Wonderland. Current Mood:  recumbent |
cakeinoz
|
4:07p |
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| Saturday, December 19th, 2009 |
rickfan37
|
2:23p |
Festive Fun!
Jen has a Mars Bar advent calendar this year, and on each little door a question is asked. No answers to the questions are actually supplied, but it would not be unreasonable to assume that the answers lie in the chocolate shape behind the door. Not so. Here is a sample, just for fun. Q. What transport does Santa use to deliver gifts? A. A snowman with a broomstick. Q. Who is the famous snowman who also lives at the North Pole? A. A train. Q. Who helps Santa make the toys? A. A present. Q. How many sides does a snowflake have? A. Christmas pudding. Q. WHat is Santa Claus famous for saying? A. Christmas pudding. Q. What do people do underneath the mistletoe? A. Tree. Q. On what street did a Santa Claus Miracle occur? A. Bell. Q. WHat colour is Rudolph's nose? A. Teddy bear. Q. What, traditionally, goes on top of a Christmas tree? A. A teddy bear. Q. How many legs help pull Santa's sleigh? A. Cracker. Q. Where does Santa usually land his sleigh? A. Teddy bear. Q. What do you sometimes have to represent the countdown of the days to Christmas? A. A train. Q. Where does Santa live? A. Present. Q. What Christmas item looks like a giant sock which you hang on your fireplace for Santa to give you presents? A. A train. Q. Traditionally, how does Santa get into your house to deliver presents? A. Tree. Q. According to the song, how many days of Christmas are there? A. Bell. Q. According to the song, what do you receive on the fifth day of Christmas? A. A present. Q. What are pulled at the Christmas dinner table? A. Snowmen with broomsticks. Q. Fill in the blanks for this famous Christmas bird - "Robin ____ Breast" A. Snowman. ETA: We just discovered that the real answers are on the reverse of the calendar. Just in case we couldn't get them on our own. Current Mood:  amused |
| Friday, December 18th, 2009 |
cakeinoz
|
7:19p |
bullet points for the lazy
We've been a bit busy lately. The dude was running a fever for 5 days or so, and on his second visit to the doctor (where he had an ear infection which he didn't have the first time) he scored some antibiotics. He's doing much better now, happily, and was able to go to his Thursday baby playgroup. There was a visit by Santa, which he didn't take much notice of, but he got a little present out of it. Since he wasn't bothered, we're going to go ahead and save it for opening on Christmas. More little things: * We missed out on the planned farm/ Santa visit, because of his fever. I was a bit bummed about that, but only momentarily. I've no doubt we'll have more things like that come up eventually. * We've just had an odd snowfall here which lasted less than 5 minutes, literally. I scooped him up and took him outside straightaway, but he wasn't impressed. Just as well he didn't love it, considering the duration. * We've got him a little Santa hat, as well as an elf suit, so expect some pics eventually. * Now that he's mostly recovered from his illness, he's started back in on the project he began but abandoned when he became ill- pulling himself up to stand! big dude. Man, it's weird seeing him at a different level. * I had a great night out with the girls from my prenatal group. It was nice to have an excuse to dress up and to use a bag that doesn't need to be big enough to carry nappies, shoes, socks, wipes, spare food, etc. more later. Current Mood:  busy |
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thoughtful