Happy New Year

Well, hello, everybody, and a very Happy New Year to all of you! I know it has been a long time since I last blogged, (is that a word?), but I needed down-time during the holidays. I am sure you did, too, whether you got it or not. 

I must first mention that I did lose my championship game in Fantasy football to Gary's nephew, Ryan. So congratulations to him, and good luck next year. Or this year. Whatever.

I must also mention that I did put up our Christmas tree during Christmas week, even though I was in no mood for Christmas this season (and I still don't know why). And I should also mention that I took the tree down before New Year's Eve. Apparently, I couldn't be bothered with it for long.

Our friends, John and Carol, joined us for our annual Christmas Eve dinner at the Deli in Queen Creek. Per usual, the meal was wonderful, service was great, and we had a fun time. Of course, we always have fun with John and Carol, as they are just as goofy as we are! They gave us a box of fabulous chocolates, which contributed to my holiday weight gain. As did the cookies Merrilyn and Abby baked for us. As did the chocolates Santa gave me for Christmas. As did the chocolate-covered cherries that Gary's other nephew, Jack, gave us for Christmas. Geez, why does chocolate always end up on my hips? Needless to say, I have work to do to fit back into my summer clothes for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. Oh, well, that's good incentive....

We took Jack with us to Angela's for Christmas dinner. She made the family recipe (bastardized with veal in the meatballs), of Italian spaghetti for the meal that night. It was delicious. And, no, there is not one drop of Italian blood flowing through my family's veins. At least not in this lifetime. But my mother had a friend, (with real Italian blood flowing through her veins), who, during the 1950's, gave Mom an authentic family recipe for Italian spaghetti. And it has been made by my mom, my sisters, my daughter, and me through the years since then. Note to Angela: veal was not used before you tinkered with the recipe. Note to readers:  I do not eat veal. Ergo: I do not eat the meatballs in the spaghetti my daughter prepares. But I have no problem consuming mass quantities of the pepperoni. And mushrooms. So there. 

The rest of the meal Angela prepared was also delicious. The only thing I prepared for Christmas was a loaf of sweetbread for breakfast that morning for Gary and I. We did, however, take a bottle of delicious Italian wine for dinner at Angela's. Hey, she said not to bring anything else! So we didn't. So there. Again.

On Friday the 30th we had a lovely dinner at District Restaurant in downtown Phoenix with our dinner club. The place is beautiful, service was great, food was wonderful, and the company was very pleasant. I just wish I could have spent some time with the rest of our group, who were seated at the other table. Perhaps next month.

We spent a very quiet New Year's Eve. We had gone out the night before, and I just wasn't in the mood to go out again. Party pooper. Yeah, and so what? Anyway, Gary made a delicious, spicy-hot Indian dinner at home. He spent hours fixing it, and I spent hours cleaning up. I will give him credit for doing some dishes while he was cooking. Thanks, Honey! :^)  And, talk about a party pooper--he went to bed before midnight! I stayed up to see the New Year in. Actually, I couldn't go to bed while someone in the neighborhood was shooting off fireworks. That started about 11:55 and went on until 12:15. And then, about every 15 minutes or so, a few more would get shot off. Some people and their kids. Bah humbug.

I almost didn't go to the Cardinals' game on New Year's Day. I got little sleep, due to the noise-making neighbors. Gary first awakened me at 8:00 to ask me what time I wanted to get up. Then he took his shower, and when he was done with that, he asked me to put cream on his back. He has Grover's disease (don't ask, it's ugly but not contagious), and needs his medication applied during an outbreak. After dragging myself out of bed to do that, I went back to bed to sleep, with no luck. So, instead, I got up and got ready for the game. Boy, howdy, am I ever glad I did! It was another overtime game, with a win, making four of those we saw this year! Crazy! But wildly fun! And wildly loud! And about the only time I can really stand noise. What's up with that, anyway??? I don't get it. Anyhow, our Cards' season was 8-8, which was phenomenal when you consider that they started out 1-6! To go 7-2 over the last 9 games was probably about as good as any team in the NFL. So here's looking forward to next season--which is this year, btw.

We had the granddaughters overnight on the 2nd to help out Angela, as she was starting a new job on the 3rd, and the girls didn't return to school until the 4th. Got that? No. Well, don't worry about it. Just know that I was home alone with the two girls on the 3rd as Gary went back to work that day. And I think the girls were bored. They watched TV in the a.m., and then we played Monopoly in the afternoon. But they are used to Grandpa taking them to the pool or other places when they stay with us. And I didn't do that. The older one, Kelsey. even asked me if we were going to go anywhere. No. You're asking the wrong grandparent. Bah humbug. Actually, the girls were really good while they were here. But they seemed a little too eager to leave when Angela picked them up!! 

So this last month, the Bookendz club read An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff & Alex Tresniowsk & Valerie Salembier. Another great read, and thanks, Suzanne, for suggesting it! This was a true story, and a heart-warming one at that. A good holiday read, for sure. I finally created my card for the challenge, (nothing like waiting until the last minute), and I am entering it into another challenge as well:

http://scrapbitzcopics.ning.com/group/bookends
http://outlawzchallenges.ning.com/group/copicchallenge/forum/topics/copic-promarker-challenge-december-30

Okey dokey. Here's the recipe. Ready or not.

Magnolia Brother and Sister stamp
Stampin' Up Full of Life stamp
SCACD Victoria Case Street Views City Skyline stamp
DCWV Cafe Mediterranean Cardstock
Stampin' Up Cardstock
Cryogen Cardstock
Stampin' Up button die
Stampin' Up fancy corner die
Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags and Accents die
Stampin' Up ink
Memento ink
Copic markers:  G20, G21, G24, BG0000, BG10, BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, C0, C2, C3, C5, C7, C9, W00, W1, W3, YR00, YR02, E0000, E000, E00, E02, E08, E11, E13, E25, E27, E29, E31, E50

I must also make mention of the fact that spell-check is not working for some strange reason. Therefore, I make no promises that this blog entry is error-free. I edited it over and over, until I got sick of it. Sick of it, I tell you. My eyes are now crossed, and I no longer care if the spelling is correct. Take it or leave it. But do have a really great weekend, OK?  :^)