Chat - Thanksgiving Week 2014 (Nov. 24)

Groan!  The reminder of how close Christmas is reminds me that if I don't get it in gear, the ornaments won't be finished.  This is the first year I've even attempted to make them since we lost Mike.

Agreed on the premature Christmas decorations.  I've seen several homes lit to the max and I've gotta wonder why??  To me, anything before Thanksgiving is just too early....and then the max I do right away is the advent wreath.  When the boys were small, we always did stuff on Thanksgiving weekend, including going out to cut the tree.  Then, when Mike was coming home for Thanksgiving, we would still do it, because he got such a huge kick out of the decorating.  Ryan could care less so, it gets done, eventually.  Will try to do it a bit earlier this year, just because the decorations seem to boost everyone's spirits....mine included!

I finished the last of the flower beds this morning.  The neighbor thanked me for doing such a great job of cleaning out HIS hosta bed!  Oh well, its done and it looks much nicer, so what the heck.  Now to get DS to finish the tail end of the raking.

Tracy, I'm sorry you've got a stressful project.  Let me know if you need a good laugh!

I'm always a bit depressed around the holidays.  This year I think I'll skip them completely.  I'll probably make a pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving just because. lol

We had some storms over the weekend. A neighbor's mimosa tree that had been damaged previously lost it's last big branch. It came within a few inches of landing on Charles' truck.  We're supposed to have great weather all week.  Can't wait for four days off work.

The deluge of rain is turning into snow. Probably should've worn more than a hoodie for a jacket this morning.

Holidays - bah, humbug!

@sharismom

Holidays - bah, humbug!

Add me to the "where did November go?" and "holidays, whatever" crowd.

I finally finished that awful project but feel totally wired to have to do a million things at once.

I think it is going to take a while to either not do something or just do a little work

I went in today and had meetings this morning, then took a colleague to lunch (we walked to the place about 2 miles round trip) then I was back about an hour and three other colleagues asked if I wanted a walk so I said sure.

I also walked B this morning and had terrible insomnia last night so as soon as I got home and sat down I felt exceptionally tired LOL

The weather is just flat out bizarre - it was very cold Friday and Saturday, plain nasty yesterday and woke up today to 62* and hit about 78*!

Snow is expected on Wednesday LOL

That's all I have. I need to do some shopping and I totally can't go out this weekend with all the nutty crowds. Kind of irritable that I finally can go shopping and I need to go shopping and its the craziest weekend of the year to do so.

Hard to believe that in two weeks I am going to Las Vegas with DH for his birthday. What in the world is someone like me going to do in Vegas and what am I going to wear. :(

Jackie very glad the Mimosa tree didn't fall on Charles's truck.

It's so good to see everyone this morning.   Ron and I can be counted on the it's to soon list.   We were just talking about that Sunday when I asked him what he wanted for his Turkey day dinner, lol  he thought it was still October :)

We are both on the mend and really don't have any major plans for the weekend.  

I have been off so much since surgery I am almost embarrassed to say "I cant  wait to be off for 4 days"

In case I don't get back have a good holiday, don't eat too much, don't shop too much :)

I am so THANKFUL to have my IDog friends

No chance that I'll shop too much, Gin. lol   I'm glad to hear you and Ron are doing well. Enjoy your four days off. I know I'm going to love the long weekend.

Yesterday Charles' hair started to fall out. Perfectly normal when getting chemo but still was a little upsetting to him.  He had a slim hope that maybe he'd be the exception.  He decided to just get rid of it in one fell swoop rather than clumps here and there for a week. I cut it to buzz cut length and he shaved the rest off with his razor. I'm sure it's shocking to him to look in the mirror but I find him just as loveable without hair. :)  

Beautiful weather this week.    

@JackieG

 I'm sure it's shocking to him to look in the mirror but I find him just as loveable without hair. :)

Of course you do :)  

My co-worker is on her 4th round of chemo, she was prepared for the hair loss by having 3 different wigs ready to go.  Slightly different color and different lengths.  She said she decided she might as well find some kinda fun out of the whole ordeal.  She is normally a brunette I must say she looks good as a red head as well

You and Charles are in my thoughts each day {{Jackie and Charles}}

Poor Charles.  Most men have a "thing" about their hair no matter what.  You two remain in my thots and prayers.

Trying to finish up the yard work before the big snow arrives.  How big, no one really knows, so guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Ginger, so nice to "see" you!  I'm glad to hear you and Ron are feeling well and that you'll have some more R&R time with the long weekend ahead.  

I still feel like it's October, too.  In fact, the one and only Halloween "decoration" I have up is a small pumpkin on the kitchen counter.  Oh, and 2 placemats with pumpkins and leaf patterns for the fabric.  They will remain where they are until sometime this weekend.  I don't care if some of my neighbors have Christmas lights blinking away.  My pumpkins and leaves cover the Thanksgiving SEASON, which ends this weekend!  

As for our Christmas decorations, they'll be equally minimal.  I'm in the "holidays make me blue" group, too.  On top of missing dear friends and family so far away, it's also my busiest time at work, so I'm grumpy on top of being sad!

Jackie, I bet Charles looks terrific with his shaved head!  There are dozens of men (some famous, others not) who look darn handsome with shaved or bald heads.  I don't blame him for getting it all off at once.  I read an account by a woman undergoing chemo years ago who did the same thing because losing it in clumps over a longer period was actually more upsetting.  Continued good thoughts and hugs to both of you!

I'm slogging along in my project tasks . . . stayed late yesterday and made a great deal of progress, but still have some complicated junk to figure out today.  I'll probably stay late again.  DH is home with Ruby (he's off this week), so I don't have to rush home to let her out for a potty break.

Sorry Charles didn't get to be the exception for the hair loss.  Though I agree with Tracy that lots of men look very nice with a shaved head (it's possible that I'm biased )  Will continue to be thinking of you both and sending vibes.

In some ways it seems like November flew by but yet in other ways it seemed to take its time.  But that's probably b/c there is so much in November I look forward to.

I'm normally in the "wait till after Thanksgiving" boat, but this year it doesn't bug me.  For my birthday we went to Hershey Park and they were all set up for Christmas, so maybe that helped rush my Christmas spirit along.  Chocolate does have a way of making things seem better, lol.

I really need to take the time to do a picture thread, the kid's looked cute for Halloween, they both saw Santa (on different weekends) and Aaron's birthday was last Sunday.  Maybe I can get to that this afternoon or tomorrow.

Ginger, glad to hear from you!  I hope you and Ron enjoy the long weekend!

Hi Steph!  Yes, new photo thread, please!  And I think your bias about shaved heads is well deserved -- he's a cutie!  

If you all could see the piles of paper around me, you'd think I was drowning, and not actually doing anything productive or useful with said piles.  I think I'm an office version of Maureen's "frantic leaf-raker" image!!

@tacran

Hi Steph! Yes, new photo thread, please!

Yes Steph, I haven't seen the kids in forever.

I have been trying to be the "at home I.T. person"  these dang computers drive me nuts.  If I could get Ron's going (bought it 2 days before going in the hospital ) never have gotten it to work properly.  Anyway if I could get his going, I can clean up my laptop and maybe keep up with everyone more often.

Jackie, my offer still stands, though I may not look as loveable as Charles without hair.

Trying to cram five days work into three here, too.

Waves to Ginger and Stephanie!

@sharismom

Jackie, my offer still stands, though I may not look as loveable as Charles without hair.

Trying to cram five days work into three here, too.

Waves to Ginger and Stephanie!

Yeah Tina -- who wrote the book "When you have a short week, Thou Shalt Do an  INSANE amount of work the days you are there!"  -- smack them!

I gotta tell you guys -- when people move somewhere like Florida, the first year they live there they go thru a panic mode because "OMG without snow HOW do I get in the mood for the Holidays??"

I'm convinced this is what gives rise to the insanity that goes on here with "decorating for the Holidays"   I know several people who start at Halloween or before -- it is not unusual here to see entire neighborhoods lighting up their homes   with enough wattage to support a family of five with what they spend for 2 months on their power bill.

There are TONS of "events" -- every notable city or suburb will have a "Light Up the Holidays" type of  'to do' sometime in the next few days.  Big ceremony in the lighting of whatever  tree or "decorations"  display their civic um .... ENTHUSIASM.

All the theme parks have "holiday celebrations"  (which began before this week).  

Yes -- spend, spend, spend??  But truly a whole lot of it boils down to the fact that folks who live here in the "almost tropics"  really have to try a little harder to get in the holiday mood.  

But dang ... let's not start before Halloween?  

David and I have a clock that plays various tunes on the hour.  And it has a setting for "Holiday Music".      But we don't even turn that thing on until the 3rd week of December.  Simply because there is only so much of "Silent Night", "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Chestnuts Roasting, et al"  I can take in any given year without losing my mind entirely.  

David doesn't like us to decorate until at least the  3rd week of December,  but then he wants it all up til Epiphany.

Me??  the day after Christmas I'm wanting it DOWN and gone .... (color me "Grinch" green I guess)