Happy Holidays or Bah Humbug?

Image by HowardLake via Flickr

Well, Thanksgiving is over (WOOHOO!) & the holiday season is in full swing. Except for the fact that it is December 3rd & we have no snow (again, WOOHOO!) as of yet. Yes, they are calling for some flurries & snow showers during the week, but nothing to be worried about. In fact, just the past week has been chilly. We have had temps near 60 & above pretty much all autumn. I am enjoying the hell out of it. As you know, I absolutely hate & dread the winter season. The bitter cold, blizzard-like snow & the incredibly slick & dangerous ice that we deal with here in Michigan makes me want to hibernate until the temps hit 60 once again.

The weather is not the only dreaded thing about this time of year. All the shopping for gifts, finding parking, & pushing & shoving makes it seem as if selfishness has taken over. The news shows people physically fighting over the last popular toy that "my child has to have". Thieves are hiding around every corner watching & waiting until your arms, full of bags & boxes, are emptied into your trunk so they can knock you down to take your car with all the gifts that you worked so hard to save & scrimp for. The usually pleasant salespeople, that have been working many hours with angry customers who can't find what they want, are cranky when you get to them because there's no tag on the item you want & they have to search for a price.

Last, but certainly not least, we come to spending time with the family. Some we see all year long. Some we see during the year for events & get-togethers of sorts. And some come from out of town only a couple of times a year. It seems to me that the ones from out of town are the ones we'd rather see more than some we have closer to us. We are forced to make nice to others because "they are family" or "it's the holidays". Wouldn't it be nice to be able to be honest? So it hurts someone's feelings. I didn't ask to share my holiday with certain people. I would like to enjoy the holidays without any drama or negativity. I want the smile on my face to be genuine. I think if we could just eat & go, I would be very happy! But, it's not to be. I will be one of the few stuck cleaning up & being pushed out of the way so others can have their fun. The funny thing is, I'd rather spend time with my in-laws a during the holidays than my own family. Now you know I'm strange!

Well, I'm really tired because it's late, but I'm going to post this. It's how I feel most of the time during the holidays. The one really good thing about the holidays is having 2 weeks off from work. It's nice to work for a school district!

SO, how do you all REALLY feel about the holidays? MUHAHAHAHA

Hiding Behind My Babushka,

Collette

Like Seinfeld-A Post About Nothing

Image via Wikipedia

So, I was going to blog last night. Actually, it was around 2 am & I was wide awake. I started a post but realized one of my plug-ins was not working. I re-downloaded it twice & still couldn't get the damn thing working, so I gave up figuring it was a sign to GO.TO.SLEEP. Just checking it right now & it looks like it should be ok, but my blog subscriptions were jacked up. I had to go in & re-subscribe to about 8 of my blogs that I had on my aol fave page.
I don't have a paid subscription to aol anyway, but still use the site for a lot of stuff like e-mail, blogs, faves, etc. It just seems that aol is always jacking something up or running so slow that I get booted. ARGH! It's very frustrating.
Things should go ok now...knock on wood...tap, tap, tap. Ok, so I'm superstitious. Usually when things happen around here, I blame them on a ghost. I've never actually seen a ghost, but things fall or are in different places than where we put them. Sometimes, it's just a feeling or a little "whoosh" of cold air. Sometimes I just talk out loud to "it" & say "Ok, what do you want now?" or "That's enough already". Of course, it's probably just coincidence or my dh & dd playing tricks on me, which they love to do. They're pretty good at picking on me & each other. Boy, when those two go at it, you can tell they are father & daughter. It makes me want to pull my hair out! Hubby will unceasingly pick on, tease, nag, the poor kid till she is ready to strangle him. Of course, I have to hear the whine, "Mom, make him stop!". I just tell them to play nice & stay out of it as much as possible. I like my peace & quiet. It's like I have 2 kids instead of 1 & a hubby. You all know how this goes. I'm sure we've all been through it. Well, those of you who have younger children will have something to look forward to. LOL.
I guess I am really happy that they get along so well (until I am the target). And I'll tell you, I do believe in astrology & the zodiac signs. Poor little me, I'm a Cancer. My dh is a Taurus & dd is a Leo. I live with 2 very strong, dominant, stubborn signs. Gotta love 'em, but I try to stay out of the way...LOL!
Well, so much for my post about books for now. I guess sometimes when the mind rambles on, the thoughts just spill out. Good thing I am at the computer. Otherwise, I would be off somewhere talking to myself...lol. (which will happen anyway) Now, I am off to get some running done. Um, no, not running. I don't run.anywhere. Let's just say I have some errands. Gotta go get gas, pop (soda to you non-michiganders), & visit my Babcia. It looks like it should be a pretty nice day. Low 80's & some clouds. I love this weather! So, enjoy your day & maybe I'll post again later.

Babushka blowin' in the breeze,
Collette

Is It Really Spring?!?!?

So, did ya miss me? Didn't even notice I was gone did you? Or perhaps another new blogger falls because of the pressure?

NOPE! None of the above! Actually, I've been a bit under the weather due to our lovely Michigan weather. Warm, sunny, & gorgeous one minute & the next-BLAH-cold, wet, & ugh, snowflakes. Of course, it may be that I'm allergic to work. Seems that I come down with something right as a school break is coming to an end. (yes, it probably is mind over matter. I'm out of my mind, so it doesn't matter!)

Well, I am feeling a bit better & figured I better get back in my babushka & to you.

It has been chilly & raining here for a few days. For tonight & tomorrow morning, they're calling for some snowflakes with no accumulation (whew). Then we should finally get some clearing with a high of about 50. After that, the rest of the week & weekend looks like spring has finally sprung. Possible temp near 80 for Saturday. WOOHOO! My kind of weather.

There are signs of spring popping up all over, finally! Driving today, I noticed the trees are starting to bud & bushes are starting to get their leaves. And, of course, the kids are blaring their radios more so than usual as they fly down the streets.

My Babcia & I planted some tomato & pepper seeds in cups over a week ago & the tomatoes are sprouting the seedlings! It really is amazing to watch them grow from the very beginning to the end when you get that first tomato. YUM! I finally started my small garden a couple of years ago at my own house, but Babcia has been growing hers for years. I have had to help quite a bit over the last years, as she is 92 & she can't do it alone.

Usually, we plant tomatoes, peppers, & cucumbers. Last years cuke crop was sadly lacking, but the year before, we made pickles galore! I'm hoping for that kind of growth this year.

My neighbors on either side also grow many things. On one side, there are tomatoes (several kinds), peppers, flowers, & grapes. On the other side, they grow a vine spinach, some sort of bean in pods & various other things. These neighbors are from Bangladesh and the others are Bosnian, I believe, from Germany. So, we have all kinds of things growing all over! LOL!

During the summer months, I'll take some pics & show all the gardens & how little space we have between our houses here.

So, that's the story for today. I guess it's long enough already & it's getting late so I need to get to sleep. I do have work in the morning (Hmm, I still feel ok...lol). I will say goodnight for now & I will be back soon (OK, I see you all running away...lol!)

Putting on my babushka to keep the snow away,

Collette XOXOX

It Never Fails...

So, here it is, early April, temps still a little cool, ready for the "April Showers". I've seen the robins, which is a sign that spring is really here. I bought dh, dd & myself nice, comfortable outfits for Easter, which is this coming Sunday. Even the air has that unmistakeable smell/feel of newness, growth...Spring.

Well. it did, until last night.

The news had been reporting possible snow for a few days already, but with the warmer air here in Michigan, I didn't really expect much of anything. Then the snow reports turned to a winter storm warning! No way! I am so tired of & done with snow from this past winter. It has to be finished snowing for the season, doesn't it? Well, I guess Mother Nature decided on a belated "April Fool's" joke. Sure enough, it started snowing heavily around 11 pm & kept on going through today. Being that the temps were above freezing most of the time & the ground had warmed up a little, most of the snow melted or was heavy slush. Right now, there is snow on the grass but on little else in our area near Detroit. Weather reports are still predicting some flurries through tomorrow, I believe.

As the saying goes in Michigan, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes"! I am hoping that this will be the end of the snow & we can finally celebrate the earth coming back to life.

Besides, I just bought a coral handbag with shoes to match. That explains why I picked up the outfits for Easter. I had nothing to match my new accessories! Then, I felt guilty about buying for just myself & purchased outfits for my dh & dd.

So far, the weather for Sunday is looking to be sunny & about 56 degrees. I may get to wear my new shoes after all. But, as Murphy's law says, if anything can go wrong, it will. IT NEVER FAILS!!!

Wondering if they make thermal babushkas,

Collette