January 14, 2005.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Remember back in December when I was like “Hey, here are pictures of the Christmas cards I got this year!” and ten thousand of you were all “Hey, I don’t see mine!”? Well, that would probably be because when I got back from Maine I checked the PO Box and found that there were 40 cards waiting for me. And some of the cards were sent out as early as December 10th, which means they took more than two weeks to get from somewhere in the US to me. I guess Christmas cards aren’t really a priority for the US mail system, eh? Anyway, I took pictures of them all, and you can see them here, here, and here. The first and second picture are particularly blurry, sorry about that. I’ll leave those pictures up ’til the end of the month, then I’m going to delete them in the interest of saving space. I said it before, but I’ll say it again: Thanks, you guys, for all the wonderful cards you sent. I enjoyed getting them, opening them, and reading them. I loved seeing pictures of you and your families and (of course!) your cats and dogs. Shopping for cards, addressing them, and sending them out is what I enjoy most about the holiday season.

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I got a box o’ love from Nance last night, and it absolutely cracked me up. I won’t show pictures of every single thing she gave me, but I do have to hit the highlights.
If this isn’t something that looks like it’ll come to life and kill you in your sleep, I don’t know what is. Those are some creepy, CREEPY eyes. This is a great big ceramic shell candy dish. You know, I was just saying to Fred the other day “What the hell? We have NOTHING to put our candy in!”, and voila! Now we do. She included some candy for the candy dish, because she is Nance and she rocks. I don’t know what cracks me up more – the big grin, or the fact that the cat is holding something that is either a toothbrush, or a nailbrush. He’s happy about it, whatever it is! That picture was done by the Painter of Light himself, Thomas Kinkade! It’s not just a calendar, no. It’s also an address book AND there’s a notepad in the back. Does it get any handier than that? I think not. This means I can get rid of the separate address book, calendar, and notebook that are currently taking up way too much room in my purse, because I have an all-in-one! A Gary Patterson calendar – the full-sized one! Yes, I have a Gary Patterson calendar on the fridge, but that’s a small, magnetic one. The pictures in this one are completely different from the other one. Miz Poo, however, does not approve.
Thanks, Nance. You rock! Also rocking is Jane, who sent me presents, too. Somehow she knew that I’d just tossed my old hummingbird feeder because it was gross and beyond cleaning.
Who doesn’t need cat butt gum? And for the record, it supposedly tastes like peppermint, but Fred suggested that maybe it REALLY tastes like cat butt, and I’m really too scared to give it a try in case it does. Cracks me up, though.
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I’ve seen this meme everywhere, and even though we’re well into 2005, I wanted to do it anyway. I edited it, though, so I only have to answer the questions I want to. Heh. What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before? Flew 12 hours to Hawaii. Oh, the hell. I never want to spend that much time on an airplane ever again. Did you keep your new year๏ฟฝs resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don’t think I made any for 2004. Uh, nope. I did a search and nothing came up for 2004. My only resolution for 2005 is not to buy any books, and concentrate on reading the ones I had. I just got money for my birthday, though, so I may have to make an exception to the resolution. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but my brother’s girlfriend is due in April, and finding out about that knocked us all for a loop. Did anyone close to you die? My grandmother; I miss her far more than I expected to. Also, it’s been almost a year since Tubby died. What countries did you visit? Nowhere outside the US, unless you consider Hawaii a different country. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? I didn’t lack a thing in 2004. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 3rd, the day my grandmother died. January 28th, the day Tubby died. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finally coming to a decision and starting to follow through on it (she said cryptically). What was your biggest failure? Waiting so long to make said decision. But sometimes it takes time to wrap your head around what’s really right for you. What was the best thing you bought? The Dyson! I am still madly in love with it. Where did most of your money go? To savings (we’ve got a kid going to college in a few years, you know!), and to books. We do lurve the books. Oh, and we bought a couple of computers, too. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Seinfeld coming out on DVD! Shut up, I like Seinfeld. I just hope the rest of the seasons come out on DVD, too. What song will always remind you of 2004? American Idiot, by Green Day. Fred “discovered” it, and I was reminded anew how much I really like Green Day’s music. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? About the same. b) thinner or fatter? About the same! c) richer or poorer? Richer. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercising, reading, writing, organizing. What do you wish you’d done less of? Letting the assholes get to me. How will you be spending Christmas? We spent Christmas day pretty quietly – Fred went for a hike, I made mandarin muffins, the spud and I ate muffins, and then we pretty much just puttered around the house for the rest of the day. Did you fall in love in 2004? I fell in love a thousand times over with the cats at the pet store. How many one-night stands? Oh, please. What was your favorite TV program? Survivor, Desperate Housewives, Amazing Race, Lost. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, it’s a waste of time. And it gives the person you’re hating control over your life. What was the best book you read? The Tie that Binds, and Where You Once Belonged, by Kent Haruf. Every word that man writes is a gem. Also, The Dark Tower, by Stephen King. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Warren Brothers! What did you want and get? The Dyson. What did you want and not get? I wanted a new car, but ended up suggesting that we get Fred a new car in 2004 and wait a year to get me a new car. Making that suggestion, despite how very badly I wanted a new car, made me feel like I might finally be a grown-up. What was your favorite film of this year? Cold Mountain. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 36, and Fred picked up takeout from our favorite chinese restaurant, and we had cake. I like the low-key birthdays, you know? How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? “Comfy”. If it’s not comfy, why wear it? What kept you sane? Fred, the spud, the kitties (of course, they threatened my sanity as often as they saved it, too!) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004. Never say never.
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He’s such a serious-looking little thing.
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22 thoughts on “January 14, 2005.”

  3. I just saw Cold Mountain last weekend for the first time. What a fantastic movie. I loved it. Then, someone pointed out to me yesterday that poor, suffering Nicole Kidman still looked stunning. I don’t care, I still love it! And I can finally see what all the hoopla is about Jude Law. mmmmm.

  5. Oh, I really didn’t intend for a guessing game to start. But I can tell you all unequivocally that there are most likely no babies in our future. ๐Ÿ™‚
    You’ll find out all in good time, I promise!

  7. Oh hush up, Miz Know-It-All. I threw that “most likely” in there just in case I accidentally get knocked up and the resulting offspring someday reads that entry and says “You said unequivocally! I must be a mistake!” With the “most likely”, I can always claim we changed our minds.

  8. Nance and Jane give awesome gifts. I LOVE the grinning yellow cat. At first, I thought the cat gum said cat cum (eww eww eww!!! But there is some seriously sick stuff on the web, and my teen boys unfortunately have accessed all of it, traumatizing me forever. Nothing like teen boys to turn you into Tipper Gore, ha.) Also, Miz Poo is the cuddliest cutie ever!

  10. Louise – wait ’til Monday, when I put up pictures of all the awesome stuff I bought in Maine! ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. Do you think that Jonathan is abusive to Victoria on the Amazing Race? I saw him hit her and I can’t believe it.

  13. So just how does Fred know what cat butt tastes like, hmmm?
    (I like Over and Over too, catchy song).

  14. So you have friends who mail gifts ON TIME. Big DEAL. I have a gift for you too. Yeah, it’s sitting on my desk. What of it? SO WHAT if you won’t get it until next year? And so WHAT if my Christmas card for you (and about a million others) are sitting on my desk too. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you! Blech!
    I know your cryptic secret. You’ve purchased me a ticket to come stay with you for a month! YEah!

  15. Please, I have never, ever mailed Robyn a gift on time. I sent this one out days after her birthday! And I always use the excuse that I’m extending her birthday…when really, it’s just that I’m a lazy bitch.
    And I hate Thomas Kincaide, Painter of LIGHT! I don’t want anybody thinking I’m into that shit.

  16. Oh thank god. I was wondering how to tactfully tell you that Kincaide is to art what Cat Butt Gum is to Winterfresh. But why oh why doesn’t your good judgment extend to purses? Hmm?

  19. I do NOT own anything Thomas Kinkade – he’s tack-ass. Although I do get a good giggle when I see his work. I also do not own Home Interior either. I have some pride. Jane, you send me the moola and I promise to upgrade my taste in purses. Until then, we’re talking JCPenney is as high as I’ll go. Oh. Wait. You still carrying that Nine West Granny Sack? Ahem.

  20. Robyn – loved your Xmas card. By the way, speaking of songs you’re listening to…. I found a GREAT CD to recommend at a thrift store today. It’s called RHYTHM COUNTRY & BLUES, and is a collection of duets between well-known country, R&B and blues performers. Imagine listening to Vince Gill and Gladys Knight sing a duet, or hearing Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood since “I Fall To Pieces” – it gave me goosebumps! Check it out.

  21. Okay, my guess is weight loss surgery. Not that I think you NEED it, but the “never say never” comment, and Kate’s smugness…hmmm… Am I right?
    BTW, is there some reason why my new entry notification e-mails stopped after you got back from Maine? Just wondering… Anyone else having this problem?

  22. Susannah – I’m still sending out the notify emails; send me your email address, and I’ll take a look at the notify list and see if I can figure out what’s going on. (Not that I necessarily will be able to figure it out, but of course I’ll give it the ol’ college try. ๐Ÿ™‚

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