Yesterday there were just a few flakes attempting to form in the falling rain.  Today, just in time for my drive to work there was little snowballs falling.  It wasn't quite hail, but truly tiny little snowballs.  Meh.  Winter is here.  Time for me to want to curl up in a bed and sleep for 4 months.

Go figure.  This says I belong in North Carolina.

I neglected to report that I went to see Carrie yesterday afternoon.  I do love Stephen King's stories, but I'm not a great reader, so often his books take me quite a while to get through.  That was not the case with Carrie.  I remember powering through the book on a weekend while living in NC while the boys were together gaming.  I did enjoy the movie even if it does upset me to see what those girls did to Carrie... yes, I was cheering her on a bit, is that wrong?

I had a very full weekend and the weather was rather agreeable, so I won't complain (for once) that it is over.  Saturday I headed to visit w/ mum for a while, but not until after the laundry was well under way.  Since it was decent out I was able to pull her garden plants.  I can't believe how many tomatoes she still had growing and shifting to red.  Sunday was a good deal focused on churchy stuff, but I also found time to go grave hunting/photographing before church and before bible study.
 
You see, I've discovered the wonders of findagrave.com while doing my heritage research.  Given the joy it brought me in finding information that will take me to locate other ancestors graves and how quickly a volunteer acted in CA to take a photo in response to my request I'm sold.  My first venture out was to hunt for a gravesite that also had a request for photo here in Jtown.  Surprisingly I found it pretty quickly and was able to pay it forward.  I figured a little exercise and some time in the reasonable temps was a good idea so I headed to another cemetery later in the day.  I had one name on my list, but my goal was to take a slew of photos so I could start supplying images even without requests.  Me and my weird hobbies, but at least I warmed my camera back up since it has been a while.

Yesterday my mail included an item marked postage due and an envelope demanding the money from me.  Isn't that the person who mailed its responsibility?  Unbelievable.  I think the next time I am forced to do his job for him (marking things that don't belong here for forwarding or delivering mail to neighbors) I'll leave an envelope for him demanding pay for my services.

It's been a long week, and I so needed the massage I had scheduled yesterday.  I cranked out my classwork last night, so at least I can focus more of my weekend on relaxing and a bit of cleaning.  The last of the laundry is already tumbling, so at least I started off on the right foot.

Each time I've looked out my back door today there has been no less than three squirrels working their booties off out there (peak of 6 at once).  Needless to say, Safyre is about ready to loose her mind.

BTW... vendors, how about you just send me a coupon, not one that says "happy anniversary" on it?  Um... not sure how you even know today is my antiversary.

I feel bad that I cancelled out on mom today, not that we had anything set, but I was due to head down.  Between people being in town and the rain last night that I thought was going to continue today I figured it was for the best and would allow me to get more done around here.

I was up early, go figure after going to bed early, and cranked through my weekly online class lessons then somehow got a burr in my butt. I gathered up everything that was slated to go to Goodwill, made a list so I could enter it in to ItsDeductible, and hauled it all off, but not before I was inspired to put everything away in the display cases in the dining room.  I guess you can say I've officially given up on the guy coming back to do the trim.  The trim isn't bad, but not having a transition that matches between the rooms is a little sad, and I'll have to figure out how to cut a little off on some of the trim to get the vent covers in.  I also did some dusting and other smaller activities that I am surprised I accomplished today.

I didn't hear from anyone that was in until it was a bit too late, but at least I did get to go have a meal with the Schmou family.  It's been a long time since I've seen the kids.  The sushi was yummy, but the prices for a single martini have jumped up a good bit since the last time I ordered one there.  I guess that's the last time I'll do that.  I'm also rocking a bit of a headache... so what's in sushi that would pre-migraine me?


One more day until the Walking Dead!

The week went pretty fast and as beautiful as last weekend was, this weekend looks to be rainy.  Since I last checked in we did manage to get the flight booked (without that fee *smile*) and a few other details worked out.  I'm starting to panic since it is technically the middle of October and Christmas will be here before I know it.  I'm more ill prepared than I have ever been for the holidays this year and the ideas for most simply are not coming.  I did pick up another gift this evening, a hand made one from the most talented lady owner at Everyone Drinks.

It is also to that time of year where, as it grows dark so much earlier, I am ready for bed way too early.  Last night I could have crawled into bed at 8 had my sister not called and tonight here I am ready again, before 8.  To think I already did that gift pick up and stopped at a happy hour briefly.  Yes, another friend is departing the area.  What's the count for the past two years now?

I've been pondering longer term exit strategies to make it less painful when the time comes.  As I get closer on paying off the mortgage I can consider other options.  Maybe buying land, but then there is the upkeep from a distance or the press to build immediately, maybe just stockpiling so much cash that to hell w/ needing a mortgage at the next place... yeah, I don't want to be here that long, but you get my point.

Yay for the weekend.  The weather was absolutely beautiful (minus a bit of an unexpected downpour on Friday night).  Johnstown made it near if not into the 80s today.  Beff and I headed towards Greensburg on Saturday with designs on stopping at the Latrobe airport to book a flight with Spirit Airlines.  We were quite disappointed to see that they only sell tickets there at the airport from 9am-5pm M-F.  Gee, how convenient.  So, there is no way you can reduce your cost by $34 ($16.99 fee each direction) unless you don't work, which means you can't afford a flight in the first place.  Boo. Maybe booking with them just isn't meant to be, I guess we'll see.

Granted, it wouldn't be worth it to drive out there just for that, so we had planned on some shopping.  I didn't find a single Christmas gift however, go figure.  I should know better than to try mall type areas for holiday shopping, I always strike out.  After returning back to the Jingle we headed to my first Tomahawks game since a coworker gave me a set of tickets he had won.

I also tried to use the $5 gift "card" (credit card) I got for purchasing paint from Home Depot for the second time and AGAIN had issues.  Seriously, just send me a regular gift card or a check that I can deposit.  A credit card that is supposedly worth only $5 but runs and processes for more than that simply confuses the hell out of companies and results in an inability to use the damn thing.

Today was all about church, vacuuming, brushing dogs, scraping old stickers off of car windows, and grocery shopping.  Exciting, right?  I really need to get some other cleaning done.  One more week until the Walking Dead season premiere!  You know I can't wait.

3 rawhides = silence.  Why don't I give them big treats more often?

I am so tired of listening to the whining of our elected leaders.  I wonder could they even form a sentence if they were forbidden from mentioning or referencing the "other side".  Stop it.  Quit telling me what "those other guys" want or don't want and tell me what you're going to do.  This is bullcrap.  I also detest having a president that throws himself on the floor like a child having a temper tantrum if he doesn't have his way.  "I'll just veto it or sign another executive order!" ~= "I'm taking my toys and going home!"

 

What part of the people do not want Obamacare, it is not what you painted it to be, and it is unconstitutional (I don't care what the current 'ruling' is) to FORCE people to purchase something do you not understand?  Oh, I know, you understand perfectly.  Welcome to the last death throws of our country.

 

At least I see a few people who were bowing and scraping at the president's name starting to see the light via posts on facebook.  It's entertaining to see the die-hard "I love O" people starting to realize how much this will cost THEM.  God, save us from ourselves.