Getting Ready for the Holidays Edition-Friday Fragments

Joining  Mrs 4444 for Friday Fragments 

I currently don't have a working vacuum and the weather this week has kept me from getting to the repair shop...No vacuum during the holidays.....Uggh.  I  resorted to using the shop vacuum.  I was not totally effective.

I still am without a new computer battery, and Mr BC and I will share the charger adapter, until we get out to CA.  I ordered on from Amazon but sent it to DD1 by mistake.  Anyway, I look at the computer, on the couch, close to Mr BC in his recliner. When the puppies want to move from his lap to mine, they don't jump down and walk over they try to climb over the technology, instead.

We will be doing Thanksgiving with DD2 on Wednesday since it is her day off and she is working Thanksgiving.  She works and I worked in an environment where we had to work many holidays.  I never really minded as we could usually choose the hours we wanted and got really good holiday pay for the time.  As a mom with grown kids and her as a single it seemed worth it.  I am not really sure what the fuss is.  In many careers folks often have to work the holidays, there is usually a trade off of some kind. We were still able to have the family time. Post like this are all over my Facebook. I think these folks might be a little sanctimonious! 

Also, this post is something I found on Facebook as well. I think my friend and everyone else has the right to say this to anyone, it is an expression of their beliefs. But there are others out there who celebrate a more secular holiday or even a different one.

I wanted to post this in answer. I wish we were able to just say thank you. Why can't we celebrate the way we want to and respond positively to make others feelings appreciated and well wished as well without making a fuss.

Click to Biggify

A Lazy Sunday Stealing

Taking Stock Meme 

Stolen from: The Blake Collection

 Making:  An apple pie dump cake.  I need to bake something to warm the kitchen up.

 Cooking: Vege-burgers and sweet potato fries for dinner tonight.

 Drinking: Diet cranberry Sierra Mist and Chai Tea.

 Reading: The Princess Bride, just finished Cary Elwes book on the making of the Movie.  I never read Wm Goldman's original book .

 Wanting:  To un-see Kim Kardashian's huge oily butt.  Why???

 Looking: At the last of my magazine subscriptions.  I have chosen not to renew any of them as the print is too hard for me to read I am reading and enjoying the last of my December editions.

 Wasting:  Time on the internet doing my weekend memes and looking at Tumblrs.

 Wishing:  It wasn't so cold and the sun was out so I could walk the dogs.  They are bored.

 Enjoying:  A lazy day.

 Waiting: For July.... to pay for our trip to Europe, so we can get our flight and hotel info and really start planning. 

 Liking: Mint M & M's to an obsession.

 Wondering: If we will really get snow tonight....it's cold enough but the sky is clear so far.  

 Loving: Mr BC and the doggies all the time.

 Listening: To Totes chewing up his squeaky toy that I just gave him because he was bored.

 Needing:  To get a grandson fix...I will try to Skype on Sunday

 Smelling: How sweet smelling the dogs are.  I took them all to be groomed....to cold for a bath at home.

 Wearing: Some of my flannel pajamas that I brought downstairs in my annual switch out of summer to winter,  I had to keep some of the summer out for our trip to CA.

 Following:  The news about Philea and how the batteries have died.  I thought this was a great space adventure

 Noticing: That I need a haircut.  It is curling up at my neck and flat on top because it is just too long.  I think I will wait until after Thanksgiving.  Then I won't have to get it done before Christmas.

 Knowing: I need to find someone to fix my vacuum (a Dyson) and hoping I won't have to b1964uy a new one.  In the meantime I sure need to vacuum. I use to just buy a new cheap one if they crap out...but the Dyson was so expensive to begin with.  I was working then so money wasn't so tight.

 Thinking: About what to get the boys for Christmas.  Making a list on Amazon and I have a couple of ideas.

 Feeling: Confused, about why I am getting so many e-mail error messages, on comments that I am making on some of the blogs I follow.  What is happening is they are not  getting emails that I commented on their posts.....which is ok as long as the comment is there.  However, the error messages are filling up my email on days that I comment on everyone's meme posts. What's with that?

 Bookmarking:  Actually part of what I did on the computer today is deleting a lot of old bookmarks in my files.  So many were out of date and I needed to make folders for other similar ones that I do visit a lot. 

 Opening: My Amazon orders of coats for the dog....and finding I will have to send them back as they are too small....I measured them but the belt that goes around the middle doesn't reach.  I am now going to reorder some coats, that have a girth measurement.  The dogs and I are too lazy to get the measuring done.

 Giggling: At A Hard Days Night on TCM.  I haven't seen it since I watched at the movies in 1964.  

Sunday Stealing

All About the Smiles Sat9

Saturday 9: All About that Bass (2014)       

(A special request from Smellyann)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

1) This song is body positive. In that spirit: What physical feature would you never change, no matter what? 

My smile.

2) The lyrics mention how often the media uses Photoshop to present a more ideal female form. Is Photoshop on your computer? If so, do you know how to use it?  No I had an early version on a old desktop many years ago. I did not use it but DD2 did.


3) She also sings about Mattel's Barbie doll. According to Toys R Us, this year's best-selling doll is not Barbie but Disney's Elsa. Have you seen Frozen? Yes, It was ok.  I still prefer Tangled to Frozen,

4) In the video, Meghan dances merrily around her twin bed with its pink head/footboard. Describe your bed to us. I have a lovely metal head board with vines and birds on it, and the best memory foam mattress in the world.

5) Ms. Trainor began writing songs when she was 11. Would you find it easier to write lyrics or music? 
I make up my own lyrics....it use to drive the girls crazy.

6) Meghan recently performed "All About that Bass" on the CMAs with country star Miranda Lambert. Who is your favorite country singer? I loved the Dixie Chicks and still listen to them when I can.  I hate that they were berated for their opinions of George W,  I don't discriminate the country world for their conservative values I like country music.  The fandom should have left them alone.

7) In September, Meghan had to cancel several concerts because of throat trouble. Are you battling a cold, cough or sore throat this morning? My throat is sore and I am sneezing allergies...I need to dig out the humidifier.

8) Meghan was born in Nantucket, MA. "Nantucket" is an Algonquian name that means, "faraway island." How did your town get its name/what does it mean? It was named after a miner named Carter. But because of the pot holes I call it Craterville.

9) According to the National Weather Service, between rain and snow, winter brings Nantucket the most precipitation it sees all year. How is the weather where you are today? We've been cold and  some snow is expected tonight.

TGIF Fragments

Mr BC woke up this morning shouting TGIF, It always makes me laugh as since we retired. every day is a weekend.    He was going to have a colonoscopy this week, but when he read the directions, he realized he had taken some medicines that he should have suspended for several days, so it was postponed until next month.  I think he did it on purpose.

We had a chance to Skype with the boys Sunday, and we reminded them we were coming next month for Christmas.  They don't watch commercial television, so they were hard pressed to give us name brands for Santa to bring.  Caшa, the 2 1/2 year old, still wants BULLDOZERS! Лука, says he will think about it, and let me know.  

I have been watching Today, this morning, wasting my breath in the third hour, yelling for Tamron Hall to Shut Up!  Am I the only one she annoys with her loud interruptions?  I think I need to turn the channel when she is on. It's a shame because generally, I am fond of everyone else, even Matt Lauer.

I went to bed and woke up with an insurance jingle  running thru
my head this morning

My worry when I see my grandsons on their tablets.

This is so,my miniature dashund, Casper 

             

I am posting with Mrs 4444 on Friday Fragments.  Feel free to join us all.

Christmas Well-Done

A Christmas Ad done right.  I am not familiar John Lewis as it is a Department Store in the UK.  Oh how I wish we had this to watch, so early before Christmas.

Can You Spare a Dime? Nope.

.

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Bing Crosby wants a dime for food. Adjusted for inflation, 10¢ in 1932 is now worth $1.69. Can you think of anything you could buy at the grocery story with $1.69? I bought this today,  It was the only thing on my receipt for $1.69

 2) This song was originally released as a 78 rpm record. Have you ever seen a 78? Oh yes, 78's were my first children's records.  I graduated to 45's in my teens, and 33 1/3's for my record albums. Kids today would want to know....What's a record?

3) In 1932, Jean Harlow was Hollywood's glamor queen. Who do you think sets the standard for glamour today? I think Glamour's 50 glamorous women don't hold a candle to the old stars.  I guess, Angelina Jolie would be there and maybe Julia Roberts.  I think George Clooney's new bride, Amal is fantastic.

4) One of 1932's best selling books was Agatha Christie's Peril at End House. She remains popular today. Are you familiar with her work? I am from Masterpiece Theater and movies. I think they were good mysteries but somewhat old-fashion todays. 

5) This week's featured artist, Bing Crosby, worked as a caddy when he was 12 and continued to enjoy time on the golf course his entire life. What type of exercise do you do most often? I walk the dogs.

6) Bing had twin sons, Dennis and Philip. Many people believe that the propensity for twins is hereditary. Are there twins in your family? No. Not on either side.

7) Bing's daughter, Mary Crosby, has her own place in TV history. Do you know why? She shot J.R of Dallas fame.

8) In the mid 1970s, Crosby and his family did commercials for Minute Maid. Do you have any orange juice in your refrigerator? No, but I have some Cran-Grape, I mix it with my Sierra Mist.

9) Now for something completely random: Do you like beef jerky?

Friday Fragments and Fun

My Atkins Book came this week and I am sorry I did not order it for my Kindle.  The print is so tiny I strain to read it.  I may have to pull out my magnifier glasses.  What I have determined so far is that we have to be careful and count net carbs, which seems to be some vegetables and in various condiments etc.  Also, we have to limit Splenda to 3 packs a day. I won't have to limit real cream for my coffee, but I might have to learn to drink coffee less sweet.

We went on a club ride with Mr BC MGTF Saturday.  Actually we ended up just eating lunch with them at the Antler in Gainesville, Mo.  We missed the meet up as we are still learning our way around Springfield, MO, so we were late.  We had our own leaf-peeping tour finding our way to the restaurant.  I really enjoyed the folks we had lunch with and are looking forward to other events.  The next one is a Christmas party, that should be fun.

Mr BC got the thermostat installed just fine and it worked, but we still had to call for service as the pilot would not stay lit.  Our furnace man was out about 30 minutes after we called and had things warm before we could get too cold.  Gwennie who has a double coat has spent a lot of time outside as this is her type of weather. The rest of us like the warm and toasty house just fine.

Friends in the 50's-Memory Monday

Come join retired-not-tired and me, with your own memories. Each week will be a different prompt to encourage the writing of your memories. Link your memories here and share them with everyone. 

                             Our prompt is: My First Friend

My first friend was Cheryl B.  We grew up in a post war, new housing neighborhood, in southern California. She had an older sister and brother and until my brother was born, I was an only child for my first 7 years. Cheryl was a year older than I and I think we started playing together when I was about 4 years old.  In those days there was no play dates and we were in and out of each other's houses all day long. We remained friends until I got to high school, then she had other friends. She left home later that year to live with her grandmother and transferred to another school.  I visited her once and then never saw her again.  I learned many years later, later that her father had abused her and her sister and that is why they left home.  She had never said anything about it to me, which I understand, as it was not talked about in those days. People in the neighborhood were not aware of what he had done until many years later, after he was dead.