Happy Zombie

Poof! Somehow it went from December 1st … to the 31st in the blink of an eye. How did this happen? Me thinks my little Heinzelmännchen from Karen had something to do it. And just what is he hiding behind his back anyway? I’m guessing it’s the days of December 2nd - 30th.

Christmas at our house was magical. My parents and brother came up and we all spent a glorious time together and it came and went much too soon. We lounged, we laughed, lounged some more, we ate, laughed some more, lounged some even more, ate some even more and then laughed some even more.

“Oscar” - From Laurie

While it would have been perfect had my oldest son and his family been here from Australia, at least we all got to take turns talking on the phone with him and I had a wonderful converstation with my granddaughter and learned that cookies are called biscuits in the Land of Oz.

The best gift for all of us was finding out that my darling granddaughter started calling our DS1 “daddy” (she’s 6 and DS1 and DDL have been married 2 years now - and DGD’s bio dad is very much a part of her life). Oh my heart swelled like I never thought possible.

From Raesha

The icing on the cake was when DS1 told me how he’s carrying on with some of our fun traditions for Christmas morning. Santa left DGD a note, “Dear J, I had a problem with my sleigh as I was flying over your house. One of your presents has fallen out of my sack and has landed in the palm tree in your backyard. Ask your daddy to get a ladder and fetch it - Love Santa”. And there at the top of the palm tree dangled a brand new pair of ice skates. I get giddy imagining it. And ha… my son hates to wrap presents as much as I do!

From Louise

Holy crap, here it is New Year’s Eve. How the eff did that happen? I’m just NOW getting used to writing “2007″. Guess I better brush up on my 8’s. No big plans for us this evening - we stay home - I don’t like being around drunks or drunk drivers. Glitzy New Year’s is just not my gig. Our epicurean extravaganza will be crafted in the kitchen from  Pizza Schmizza. We’ll be playing Monopoly with DS2 (so he can kick our butts as usual) and then we’ll be watching our delicious Tivo’d stash of 50 zillion episodes of Project Runway that I recorded when they had a marathon last week and today. GOSH I love that show and now see why everyone is so into it. OMG… even the T-man likes it (but you didn’t hear that from me). We’ve seen all of season 1 (I heart Jay - he’s so funny!) and season 3 now. Oh yeah… I’m so hooked! Me thinks Mimi wants to try out for season 5 or season 6. ;) It’s like I can almost hear Tim Gunn telling Mimi, “Mimi… make it happen”.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year. I can’t wait to catch up with everyone in blogland. The blogland train has been waiting in the station for me for weeks now. Oh my Gorsh (shout out to Mary & Chicago), more like closer to a month now. I think my bloglines post count is going to reach 8000 here soon. I have so many blogs to visit, so much to catch up with. But I am the human slug. Soon I hope to get caught up with life so I can get my fat butt back on the blogtrain. My Christmas was filled with such goodness, creativity and kindness from my bloggy friends. It’s amazing when I look back and first started blogging… never in a million years could I have imagined the friendships I have made! I’m beyond words for the gifts I’ve been sent, the cards and emails (still waiting to be answered - please forgive me!). I’ll never stop gushing with joy over the gift of friendships I have received. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And now I must nap. And then sew - for I have a quickly approaching deadline. And then… then… OMG then… I’m jumping on the blogtrain and I’m going to hop from seat to seat, and I may even run up and down the aisle with scissors. And I’m most definitely going to be flailing my arms out the window! Happy Spoonie New Year!!!

From Mary

blogging from my iPhone… Pardon the mess. We had a monster storm (a hurricane - not kidding) in Astoria/the Oregon coast / the SW Wash. Coast and we’ve been without power since Sunday. Lots of damage, cut off, situation unknown by many and media… but we r ok! Two beatiful young guys just out of kindness came up our street and chain sawed us all out - it was one of the most beautiful acts of kindness i’v ever seen! Thank you for all the wonder emails… They have SOOOO lifted my spirits!!!(I can receive but not send) The awesome kickass rockin awesome crews from Mountain Power in Idaho are replacing power poles on my street right now … We may even have power and heat in a few days. And maybe water too.

Astoria is a disaster, but we’re the luckiest community ever with all the help that’s been sent our way (thank you idaho… WE LOVE YOU), our city/county/state government, KAST, KMUN, daily astorian, and best of all… neighbor helping neighbor!!! I LOVE YOU ASTORIA & OREGON!!!!!

It may be a long time before I can reply to emails and I thank you soooo much for your wonderful notes. Thank you all- you all r the best!!!

Updated:
we now have power, heat,water! Still awhile before cable/Internet… But that is soooo ok! Very little damage to our roof, something dh can fix himself. Two mammoth trees just missed our house (thank you St. Joe-Joe!!!). We are the lucky ones in my hood. As bad as it was (20+hours in a hurricane), nothing can top the joy of living in such a wonderful and caring community!!! As crazy as this sounds right now - we live in paradise!

Thank you sooo much for your comments and emails - I heart you all for them! We (my family) really are doing great, but not so much my neighbors and coast. Please keep Astoria, the coast and Vernonia in your prayers.

A big shout-out, a huge hoo haa haa, a giant whoo whoo, and a kickin’ bravo zulu to my pal PKM! Why? Find out here!

Jeopardy anyone?

A: $24.75
Q: What does it cost to visit That silly lil’ Doe’s blog?

A: Frack
Q: What is an addiction to fabric called, especially when pimped by Doe?

A: Frackhead
Q: Who/what is a person on Frack?

A: Frapendant
Q: What should be a fabric stash claim on our tax returns?

A: Pic Tease
Q: Who is a person who sends you a snippet pic of something mysterious she’s sending you - and it’s driving you bonkers with anticipation?

We all have a favorite spoon. This one is mine. In honor of Raesha’s IRL Mousetrap game… this is my favorite spoon. Spoon-n-Tell. Spoon-Aid for Raesha. Won’t you join me?

When I was little, our kitchen was all aqua. Well, back then it turquoise. Oven, stove-top… even the fridge. Years later my mom had that fridge painted harvest gold. Can you imagine! Of course at the time harvest gold was all the rage. Right up there with avocado. So this spoon is all that’s left of my mom’s little Aqualand. I’m thinking it must at least be 40 - 50 years old and treat it as if it was one of the crown jewels of Casa de Zombie Chateau de Zom’bet. Caught hubby once using it to make ice tea - now I keep it hidden.

Because of the Great Watermelon Disaster at Raesha’s house, she wasn’t able to post the meme she learned about from Apron Thrift Girl. Such a wonderful Grateful meme ATG is starting (and I love her dinner table ritual… I’m gonna start that too) - I’m acting upon it as a general tag for Apron Thrift Girl’s meme. Again… won’t you join me?

I am grateful:

* For my family, my friends, my neighbors, my community, my pets and kind strangers.
* For the people in my community who greet you with a hearty “Good Morning!”
* For having an underground water tank while my neighborhood has been out of water since early October way too effing long.
* For rain.
* For not being eligible for Extreme Home Makeover.
* For Adam Carolla who makes me laugh and think.
* For Cheeze-It’s.

Note to Mr. My Love… MOVE. THAT. STOVE. (Please).

I realize I’m the last person on the planet to be Simpsonized… but here is moi:

I title this self portrait, “How I spent killing an hour on the internet instead of pulling weeds on a rare sunny day”.

My one lonely cranberry… Mr. McCrannycran. I don’t know that I qualify as a cranberry farmer, but he’s been nurtured in his little glass womb on my windowsill for a few months now. Picked with love from my friend Karen’s bog. Maybe his buddy O’Pee-weecran will grow to be as big and strong too. Mr. McCrannycran’s brothers and sisters are now in their new home at Ocean Spray, waiting to become a part of your family. So if you see one of his siblings… give a shout out to them from his brother, k.

And I’ve declared it!

I heart you my friend… my wondertwin… my muse… my daily cup of joy!  CONGATULATIONS!

My pal Raesha (aka Freddy Subaru) posted a fun little name game on her blog and I thought it was cute (though Raesha must be warned I will forever be calling her Freddy Subaru now!). Wanna play too? Allrighty then… TAG, you’re it! Leave a comment that you’re playing or if you don’t have a blog - play the game right in your comment.

The Name Game

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car),
Toxi Magnum

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie),
Rainbow Sherbet Snickerdoodle*

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name),
M-Sol

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal),
Pink Puppy

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born),
Linda Walnut Creek

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first),
Sol-Mo

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink),
The Aqua Coffee

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers),
Paul Paul

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy),
Sweat Pea Charleston Chew

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ),
Anne Esquivel

And a few more…

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter),
Sundquist Seattle

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower).
Autumn Dahlia

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Strawberry Flip Flopie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree),
Honey Bunches of Oats Willow

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”),
The Quilting Snowstorm Tour

Any others anyone can think of? Have fun - Toxi ;-)

*They have ganstas in the Castro, right?

Yes.

Mmmm… yes.

Oh my gawd… yes.

Oh my gawd, oh my gawd… it’s coming, it’s coming… ohmygawd it’s coming. OH. MY. GAWD. Fall is about to arrive! YES!

Sigh.