Today in My History

2000:  For the Birds
2001:  Kiss Me, You Fool
2002:  The "Flu Diet"
2003:  Reliving the Magic
2004:  Blue Christmas
2005:  The Fours Meme
2006:  Yum-O
2008:  Smiles
2008:  Stephen's Article
2009:  Schuyler's Monster
2010:  Polite Society

Our 2011 Christmas letter

Bitter Hack
Updated: 12/6
"Every Christmas Story Ever Told"

Books Read in 2011
 Updated: 12/13
"Chasing the Dime"

VIDEO OF THE DAY/WEEK

Christmas Through the Years from Bev Sykes on Vimeo.

and on YouTube

I WILL SURVIVE

18 December, 2011

This comes courtesy of Kwizgiver

1. What in 2011 has proved to you that you are a survivor?
There are too many years that have proved that I'm a survivor--1986, the year Gilbert died; 1996, the year David died; 1999, the year Paul died.  This year we lost 9 people we know, some better than others.  The most painful was the death of my cousin Kathy, compounded by the realization that the woman I thought was one of my best friends (Peggy) had ended our friendship without even letting me know why. 

Despite it, I am surviving.  Because what choice do we have but to survive? And besides, there are high points too...like a granddaughter to get to know!

2. Have you ever stayed online for a very long time waiting for someone?  
Yes. In the days when I did chatting on line, 12 years ago or so, I would wait for Peggy to come on line and, before that, for my friend Ron, with whom I used to chat frequently.

3. Are REALLY ready for the holidays?
I suppose so.  It helps that we have no entertaining to do and all I have to is buy, wrap and transport gifts and make some cookies to take along.  And I'll make pumpkin pies when we are down there.  But compared to the days when I went to midnight Mass, came home to wrap presents and fill stockings, sleep a couple of hours, host a Christmas breakfast (with home made fancy breads) and then cook and serve a sit-down dinner for 24, and clean up afterwards, this is a piece o'cake!

4. Did you have an imaginary friend as a kid?
My imaginary friend was the weirdest I've ever heard of.  It was when we were doing a writing exercise anthropomorphizing an inanimate object in school--probably around 4th grade.  I happened to be using the grammar school bathroom one day and noticed that the metal toilet paper holder looked like it had a face, so it became my friend.   I called it "no-ey" because "nobody knew about it."  When things got overwhelming, I would go into the bathroom and pour my heart out to no-ey.   That sounds pretty pathetic now!!

5. What niche network do you watch the most?
I'm not sure what a "niche network is."  But aside from the major networks, I watch a lot of USA programs.

6. Have you ever seen the ocean?
Many.  I grew up in San Francisco, so I've seen four of the world's "great oceans"--the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Southern, and the Indian (haven't seen the Arctic).  I've also seen the Baltic and the Mediterranean seas, and probably others that I can't remember.

7. Have you ever been hospitalized?
Six times.  Five for births and once, at age 4, to have my tonsils removed.

8. What do you think of the US Republican candidates for president?
Don't get me started.  There's not a single one of them that doesn't make me start looking at countries I have visited and wondering if I might be able to move if one of them is elected.

9. Could you imagine life without a computer?
Sure.  I lived most of my life without a computer.  And I can go without it if I absolutely have to, but I would prefer not to.

My mother called today to ask if I could do some shopping for her.  We tried in town, but everything was really too expensive, so we went out to Target.  While there I decided to check the fat lady section to see if there were any bright, cheery Christmas shirts, sweaters or sweatshirts that I could buy so I could wear something other than my Santa sweatshirt (if you look at the slide show I made yesterday, you can't tell from any of my pictures what year it is because I'm wearing the same shirt every Christmas!)

Well, I got to the fat lady section of this enormous, gargantuan sized store.   The fat lady section takes up less room than the section devoted to gifts for your pet.  Lemme tell you, I thought I had walked into the "mourning section" of the store.  There wasn't a single thing there that didn't look like something I'd wear to a funeral.  Apparently Target thinks fat ladies only wear dark purple, grey, black, and navy blue.  There were a couple of red things and even those looked somber.

Not only that, but everything seemed to sag, to be hung on the hangers crooked.   There was nobody shopping there and I'm not surprised.  There wasn't one thing I saw that wasn't just downright UGLY, not even remotely festive.

Maybe fat people are supposed to hide until the new year.  Hey--doesn't that fat guy in the reindeer-pulled sleigh have a bright cheery outfit to wear?  Target?   Are you listening????

It looks like it's the Santa sweatshirt for me again this year.  At least it fits and is comfy.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

We have now officially decorated.

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