We have been married now for 36 years. Dec. 31, 1988. I think its 36 years, LOL. We are heading over to our friends -Kim is cooking the traditional Christmas dinner, we had lunch/dinner at her/their sons (our godsons) Christmas day (which was a surprise last minute type of thing). I have made a cocoa cola cake, which was requested and my mom's recipe of Pizza Beans. We hope to be home before it gets dark. We definitely do not want to be out and about on New Years Eve. I will do the Tuesday Meme this weekend. Sorry Annie, I got a little emotional when I started to type it out and deleted it.
Brings my 2025 words, yes, words as in plural. I think it's safe to say (probably) that we all at some point suffer from self-love. Actually, I would say 50% of the time I do. It has been quite difficult to know that I am pushing 60 and no longer that "raving beauty" (family members say this) that I once was. But self-love just doesn't come from the outside, it comes from the inside. It pains me to no ends there are folks who cannot or will not see the inside of a person. ANYWAYS, Self-Love and Self -Care is pretty evident to me...
So, I ended up with both. It really wasn't me anyways, I heard those words loud and clear. It has also been told to me that you can't truly love another until you love yourself. I don't know how true that is, perhaps, they are separate things. Outwardly vs. inwardly...just my thought. So, we shall see how the year progresses on both words. Because we all know and the good Lord knows, I struggle with both.
My 2024 word was Blessed and that, my friends, I certainly am. Blessed beyond any and all means.
Wishing you each a beautiful day filled with love and laughter. I am also keeping several bloggy friends in prayer...so much illness, sudden loss of family members, joys/births, remembrances etc. I hope each of you can find the time to smile and laugh. Because you know, laughter is the best medicine, even if you don't think it is, trust me, it is.
...brings another randomness post. I saw this over at My Joyful Life and thought I would add my 2 cents.
So, there really isn't anything like drastic going on here. Physically, mentally, spiritually...but the mind is just full of stuff (ok, truth be told when is it not).
...it's ok folks to not feel merry and bright. I simply cannot believe the holiday season is almost over with. Where did it go? Seriously. I haven't really had time or the energy to enjoy this holiday season. Just keeping it real.
...want to do nothing and being alone seems to be my mantra. Well, not all the time. Been keeping in prayer about a lot of things. That being one of them. Again, just keeping it real.
...focus on your needs this year. Wow. Did this resonate with me, and it goes with my 2025 word of the year. My needs? I kept asking myself what is that? Not sure...but I shall find out.
...creating new traditions. It's ok, I have to keep telling myself this. Take a deep breath, it will be ok.
...feeling like saying no. It's ok to set boundaries and keep them. Period. Guilt used to work on me, not anymore. My priorities have shifted these past few years. Learning to stand on my own two feet and battle long standing demons is a real thing. Again, just keeping it real.
That is my last thought for today's blog post. Be at peace...and not in pieces. Stay tuned for my 2025 word. Have a beautiful day friends.
P.S. Yes, another 5 days off. I actually took off Monday and will use one of vacation days. There was no sense in coming in for a day and then have 2 days off. I found that really stupid, LOL.
Brings me back to work, sadly. We had a lovely time at our godsons yesterday.
They have a lovely new home in Citrus Springs.
Annette at the sink, our godson behind her, my husband, Paul (our goddaughter's boyfriend) behind my husband, our goddaughter sitting at the bar in green.
His wife Annette made turkey, ham, green beans, carrots, mashed potatoes, etc. And a Raspberry Cake from Publix. She was even kind enough to send leftovers home for my lunch today.
Wishing you all a great day. I hope each of you had a Merry Christmas.
We had a nice evening at my folks last night (going back on Saturday to exchange gifts-with apologies, I don't get paid until Thursday and usually we don't get together until the weekend anyways...needless to say, I have not picked up their gifts yet. No apologies needed, they are fine with this) and today we are off to our godsons. Then back to work Thursday and Friday. My Day 26 and 27 might not make it to a blog post(s).
Wishing you all a beautiful Merry Christmas from our home to yours. Much love to you and yours.
It is Christmas Eve. Where will Christmas Eve find you?
Good morning! I hope this post finds each of you in happy spirits. We were out and about yesterday/Monday. Big mistake, bad traffic. Finally, at 1 pm we packed it in, came home, and promptly put on clean pj's. We shall see the Christmas lights this coming weekend. I also put together a Breakfast Casserole for this morning-last night.
3. Church service? Candlelight service, bell choir?
All the above.
4. What is on the Christmas Eve menu?
I have told this story many times...when we first were married and lived in Hudson, NY we were out and about on a very snowy Christmas Eve and had stopped at Walgreens. My husband wanted to buy me a curio cabinet (which he did). While we were returning to the farm (we were caretakers), we were hit broadsided (totaled the car). ANYWAYS, to make a long story short, there was nothing open but a mom-and-pop pizza place.
So, that is how it got started and it has remained so for 35-36 yrs. Well, it has and had been pizza until now...my mother called last night and asked us to come over for takeout Chinese. Odd, yes, because usually the holidays are meant for my brothers and their families. So...we shall go over there. AND no, my brothers and their families are not joining.
Day 23 brings another nothing yesterday-Sunday. It has been quite odd not doing anything...but watching tv. On a good note, I did put in meatballs in the crockpot and made sweet sour sauce. Then, the husband announced he was starving at 4 pm (after snacking on meatballs all day), so, I made a casserole dish with multicolored bow tie pasta, the meatballs and Italian sauce and baked it.
Now, doesn't that scene look inviting? Been watching way too many Christmas movies. Back to reality today, I really have to head to the grocery store. I also would like to go look at Christmas lights later.
This is such an accurate picture of me this past weekend. I have had very little get up and go. My brain is now filled with nonsense tv/movies. My husband even sat all day with me, and we watched silly Hallmark movies and historical documentaries, neither of us getting out of pj's. I probably shouldn't tell you that, I wouldn't call what neither of us wear as pj's--just leisure wear-me yoga pants and a t shirt and him sweatpants and a t shirt. Nevertheless, it has been good to just sit and reset.
So very true. I love the light the tree gives off...no other lights are needed, period. Soon enough, it will be packed up and put away for another year. Wishing you all a beautiful Monday.
The Weather...it is currently sunny and 42* at nearly 9 am. Real feel though is 39*. Yes, a bit chilly for central Florida. No worries, Christmas Day is supposed to be 75*.
Reading...nothing.
Listening to...well, nothing in particular. I can hear the crows outside. The washing machine is going, that is about it, the hubby is on the phone with his friend, He is also messing with the washing machine which is out of whack.
Watching...I watched House Hunters last night-truth be told, pretty much all day and all evening. I did watch a Hallmark movie "A Very British Christmas". It was cute.
Thinking...well, honestly, not much. I have decided to turn my brain off from work until Thursday.
**most importantly, what's for dinner tonight?
Feeling...slept pretty well, but still tired. Cold too. Although the heat is on. I probably should have not spent so much time watching tv yesterday, LOL.
Celebrating...nothing really. Watching tv for like 14 hrs. straight? lol
Grateful...always. At my age, it is the little things...a smile, a hug, etc. I sure took a lot for granted in my younger days...just being introspective.
Enjoying...doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. The husband watched college football all day and evening yesterday and I sat back here in the 3rd bedroom and watched "nonsense" tv and ate chili, corn chips and popcorn. lol
Just random thoughts...
~~~we got a text from our Godson...so change of plans...will be heading to our Godsons on Christmas Day. Something about a BBQ/cookout...that will be a first for me, on Christmas Day. BBQ. We are breaking a golden rule (no traveling). Oh, oh second year in a row of breaking this rule, LOL. Such rebels we are.
~~~The organizer in my closet that holds jeans, shorts and short sleeve tops broke last night...so I have to think what to do about this/where to put the items.
From the Hodgepodge:
What do you like on a cracker? Cheese. The cube kind. I like Pepper Jack, Gouda and all kinds. Do you have a favorite cracker variety?
Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? We are heading back to our Godsons New Years Eve, and that is our anniversary--again, we are traveling, which usually is a no no. Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year? Usually...Wait, I don't think I was awake last year. It usually was a thing with my son and myself. My husband could care less.
What are three words that describe your 2024?
Huh? Huh? Huh?
(Only because it was that way all year. So, I am thinking of my word for the 2025 year.)
What's one thing you want to get done before the calendar flips to a new year?
Depending on the weather next weekend.
Well, I am trying...that is for sure. We are going to try to make it over to downtown tomorrow evening to see the Christmas lights. Wishing you all a beautiful day.
Apologies for not updating here. More on that below. Moving along...
Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 which you can do any day of the week you want! No time limit.
It's frigid across Canada and America and winter is early this year.
There are only a few days left until Christmas...how are you spending this time?
1.What are you up to in preparation for the holidays?
Nothing...I do have go to the grocery store and get some items for Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner. Since its just us, fellow coworkers have supplied us with plenty of treats, so no baking. ANYWAYS, that will wait until Monday or Tuesday (shopping). I have the next 5 days off.
2. What is your absolute favorite holiday movie?
3. What are your hopes for this coming season?
Peace for the world. Highly unlikely...but one can pray.
4. Tell us your view on the great tea/coffee/hot chocolate debate and do you want it with fruitcake or cookies? Come on own up!!
Unless you are serving liquor poured over the fruit cake, I refuse to eat it. So, Brandy or Rum will have too over top of it. As for cookies, it depends. I like coffee.
Randomness...
~~~~So busy with end of the year meetings and I sat for most of the morning yesterday for interviews/interviewing's for my ITA'S (Inmate Tutor Assistants). I hope/pray I have picked 2 good ones. So, we have finally nailed down my job. I will be leading/supervising the Mandatory Literacy Program (MLP). Let me back up...as my boss aka the Wizard received word about below.
~~~~SURPRISE! I received my Temporary Teaching License (good for 5 years). Usually, one has to take classes, jump through hoops etc. nope. I have 9 credit hours (3 classes) for my Masters. That is, it. I have a year to enroll in those classes and 5 years to finish. Floored...as was my boss aka the wizard. So come Feb. or so I will enroll somewhere and work on that. I was also granted a tuition waiver.
~~~~So, some of you were asking, would I lose my job over the previous meeting/post I had posted. No and no, there was not an issue that pertained to that, a coworker out of the blue said this. He was verbally reprimanded. I and my coworker did not wish to pursue this matter (he said this-our whiteness... to both of us during a meeting pertaining discipline for an inmate).
~~~~Can you believe we went from 80 degrees to feels like 37* overnight. Had to get up at 2:30 am to turn the central heat on. It is presently 43* and real feel of 37*. Crazy.
We have nothing to do this weekend...hubby is putting on a pot of chili and we will take it easy. I have the next 5 days off and return on Thursday. Then I am taking the 30th off and won't return to the following Thursday. Wishing you all a beautiful Saturday.
Skipping Day 17 because I simply woke up late and was late getting around...so much for keeping up with the blog. I will have to do the Tuesday Meme later.
Brings end of the year meetings at work and 2 coworkers who decided to use DEI on me and my coworker and announced that our whiteness affects some of the nonwhite inmates (their exact words). Blindsided and gob smacked are the words for the day. One of those people want us to go to sensitivity training.
Needless to say, I am "out of sorts". And feeling very angry and such. My boss to those, "You do know Ms. Conley is not racial, right? She has no racial bias or bias towards anyone." Those two that said it, said, "We have master's degrees, and we know what we're talking about." More to come, stay tuned.
Brings us 2 photos and for those who sent us Christmas cards/snail mail, yours are on the way!
not my photo.
Above is from the Key West Boat Parade. The iconic leg lamp from the movie The Christmas Story. Key West is 7 1/2 hrs. from here.
not my photo
This one is from St. Augustine. And yes, folks, after a week or so of cold weather, we are back to shorts and light jackets. St. Augustine is only 1 1/2 hrs. from here. Both photos were taken recently and were in the paper.
and the Weather is currently 64* but humidity is high, and we are thinking of turning the ac back on, yep in December.
Yesterday...we found ourselves down in Spanish Springs Villages at the beautiful Colony Cottage Rec. Center.
Where once you walked inside, it was quite lovely.
Meeting Santa and the beautiful tree.
There were 5 rooms that had all kinds of model trains.
and a working rollercoaster and a Ferris wheel
It was a delight to see to so many grandparents bring their grandchildren and the delight in the children's faces.
I found Santa and he was decorating the tree.
And I can't forget the reindeer. Did you know reindeer run on carrots and magic Christmas dust? Yes, they sure do. More on that later.
A Richard Petty Mustang. The Dodge Hellcat is beside it, the white car.
On the way back to Sumter Landing Villages (there are multiple ' The Villages', by the way, Sumter Landing is closer to us and where I prefer to shop). My husband wanted to stop at Lucky U's, a motorcycle shop. And lo and behold they were having a car show.
Signed by no other than the man himself, Richard Petty. I was confused, because Petty only drove Dodge's. But I was reassured by the internet, he indeed endorsed Mustangs. Only a select few. ANYWAYS, this one is worth over $120,000. This sort of thing, my son would have loved, and I swear I could hear him, "Yes, Honey, he did sign this car. Yes Honey, he did endorse Mustangs (all the while rolling his eyes)." and he would have proceeded to tell me the intimate details about this car. That kid was a fountain of information about anything that had wheels.
Then, there was the Mustang Bullitt, not the original Steve McQueen, but a 2019 model. Again, I could hear the kid going, "SWEEEEEEEEEET" and he would have proceeded to tell me this car would beat the many other cars on the lot. Oh, I don't know about that, I would say, because there was a SWEEETTTTTT Dodge Hellcat...we would have argued about that. Enough dreaming, because I will never ever own a muscle car--way out of my budget. I do miss that kid...he sure loved this sort of thing.
So...we got done there and went to the Goodwill store then Marshalls and HomeGoods. Where I got my Grinchmas Gift for our luncheon
(a stress ball and some StroopWafels cookies).
and I picked up a little gift for my coworker (yes, the one who is driving me mad cuckoo for cocoa puffs). Her own personal baking crock and measuring spoons. She loves snowflakes and has several tattoos of snowflakes on her arm. I also bought some stocking stuffers for Hubby's stocking (3 small stress balls, a wooden puzzle and some steak knives). The lines were long, but you know, you sure can find all kinds of folks...and my husband, he will talk to a tree, just saying. So, just because the lines were long and the store was filled, it was ok.
And lastly, because it was nearing 3 pm and neither of us had eaten...we stopped at a very nice Arby's and it was raining by then. Everything is nicer in the Villages, just saying. It's like Disney on steroids for adults. lol
We came home and settled in. I did get on Amazon and order some more Christmas items (Hubbys Christmas presents) and we settled in and watched the above, Red One. In the movie, M.O.R.A (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority) is a military organization that oversees and protects a secret peace treaty between mythological creatures and humanity. Callum Drift, the head of North Pole security, teams up with a hacker Jack O'Malley (who unknowingly sold the North Pole location) to locate a kidnapped Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Yes, it does have some bad words and violence, but all in all, I thought it was a really good movie. And reindeer and snowman live on carrots and magic Christmas dust. I love movies that can stretch my ever so imagination. And Krampus sure was explained, at least to me it was, LOL. Krampus was Santa's brother. ANYWAYS, I have said it before, I watch movies to just escape life for a while. And don't take the movies too seriously or have an alternative reality to whatever, I don't sit there and don't second guess what the meaning is etc. I just like to enjoy the movie.
Talk to a stranger waiting in line, enjoy the crowds, pray with strangers, watch a movie, eat out...and the list goes on...today is haircut day (I am way overdue), and TJ Maxx, Aldi's and Walmart. We shall see how far we get, as all these are in Ocala and the traffic is atrocious.
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