Long road trip...

I left my house at 6:45a., and was back home by 9:45p.

That's a lotta sittin' at 70mph! It rained a little, harder in some places than others, and we even saw a couple of snow flurries just as we were getting off the highway in Weed, CA.

Ceremonial Catholic service, yet fairly short, but plenty of standing, sitting, kneeling. Glad I went. Made my dad happy, and it was nice to visit with my aunt. Didn't get "re-connected" with any of my cousins. At a glance, I'd guess I don't have much in common with them. I didn't even recognize the youngest of my aunt and uncle's kids. She has a full set of dentures on the top and has a "whistle" when she talks. She's younger than I am. I have a feeling she may have done her share of drugs, but seems like she has a good life. Her sister is the oldest and the last time I saw her was at her wedding, 36 years ago (I was about 10). She has a full set of dentures, top and bottom, but her hair hasn't gone gray like mine. She reminded me of her mother's mother. Mrs. O'Shea. Cousin David is married to an African American woman with REALLY bad teeth and she looks like she could be a prostitute. Didn't talk to either him or her...just observed. Cousin Patrick? He's hot. He had on black Levis and snakeskin boots. Damn.

Nice ride up and back with my mom.

But it's good to be home!

Funerals really ARE for the living...

As luck would have it, I have yet another funeral to attend, and we aren't even 55 days in to the New Year.

Sheesh. I'd like to not go anymore and, more than that, not HEAR of anymore for the rest of the year!

This one is for one of my dad's brothers. I'm going for my dad. And my aunt, even though she said, "I know your busy, I read your Christmas letter, so if you can't make it, I completely understand." My dad? He wants me to cancel my plans for tomorrow (hello? hair appointment...you just don't cancel those things!), go up early, stay the night, then stay the night on Friday night too so I can visit "with all those people." It's not a frickin' reunion, dad. And, "those people" are cousins I haven't seen in probably 10-30 years depending upon who they are. Don't keep in touch with them as it is, and the passing of Uncle Grant is unlikely to cause me to take up with them. I don't mean that in a bad way, but my dad's need to be close to his siblings and their spawn isn't MY need.

I'll pick up my mom on my way (my parents have been divorced for nearly 40 years) cuz she said "Grant and Margie were always so nice to me when I was married to your dad." WTF? "nice to me"????

Oy.

It's amazing I turned out so normal.

Now. To get out those black pants and that sweater...again.

Do I start on something...or make a list...

It's a little after 8p on a Sunday. Tomorrow is a holiday, so no workee for me, but I did schedule an appointment at the vet for one of the cats to get his rabies shot, and figured I may as well take the dog and have the vet look at that bump on her back that almost looks like a second head. And then there is a 'going-away' party for a guy in the 'hood that is in the Nat'l Guard and is leaving for Iraq. I have carmelitas ready to go. The vet appointment and start of the party are at the same time. Naturally.

I've got work stuff to do so I can take care of it on my way to the office on Tuesday (after I go to a podiatrist appointment) and, probably a priority, would be to get soccer budget stuff in order so the prez of the club doesn't get bitched out by the bitch. Er. Um. I mean the League treasurer. Would have been much easier if the out-going treasurer would have had this ready, but she had surgery after the end of her term. Oh. And then there were those four months of bank statements waiting at the p.o. box. Sheesh.

The ironing mountain MUST. BE. DEALT. WITH. tomorrow.

Football reg packet needs to be put together.

Walk up reg dates for both soccer and football need to be set, then flyers made and sent to the school district for their blessing so I can distribute to the schools.

I need to gather all goodies together for a friend with a very ill daughter and mail that package.

I need to do inventory for my home-based business that may have it's 11th and final year this year. That means donating a bunch of stuff. A "home" is lined up for it, so it's just a matter of me putting it in a box(es) and dealing with it.

My home office desk is a mess.

I'd like to recapture my kitchen island.

I've got a lot to do before 2:00p tomorrow...that's when I can shower and get ready to go to the vet...which includes a lot of newspaper in the cat carrier cuz the cat pees, vomits, and/or shits in the crate every time we go to the vet. And then he does it again on the way home. Ugh.

Yeah.

Going to bed at 8:30p looks like a REALLY good idea...

Dammitjanet!!

I have to work tomorrow.

I have SO much to do around the house! I have completed my closet project and am so energized by it's neatness and efficiency, I want to carry that over to other closets, specifically the one that stores all of that scrapbooking stuff that I have for sale (or donation).

Simplifying and streamlining the way I keep my own stuff and my business stuff will make room for my volunteer stuff! I think. (that's a lotta stuff!) I could get a good start on it tomorrow. If I didn't have to go to the office.

I think I'll only stay 'til noon, or the mail runs. Whichever comes first!

Of course, I'll have to hope there isn't some crisis that needs me to tend it immediately. I can see Ikea and Costco on my "things to do" list.

She said she'd be here in 20...

And I'm ready!

Two friends and I are taking time today to do some stamping and make cards. We don't swap with each other but, rather, just have a "date" to do something we enjoy doing with each other. I went through my stamps last night and, holy cow, do I have a lot of them that I just don't love. So, in an another effort to simplify my life, when I put my supplies away today, I'm going to put those stamps that I don't use/love in a box with some scrapbooking things that I'm going to send to an on-line friend that works with at-risk teenaged girls. When I asked about sending a couple of sweatshirts, she said, "many of these girls are in group/foster homes and don't have many personal items." Gah. That just breaks my heart. I think I need to get a list from her, or maybe just send her a Target card and have her get things for those girls like new underwear, or hair clips, or things so many of us take for granted.

Too old for this...

Going to bed at 12:30a, after a few cocktails, but certainly not buzzed, then getting up at 6:45 on a flippin' Saturday morning to be at a 9:00a meeting is difficult.

It's rainy, cold, and windy outside. I have a cozy warm fire going in the woodstove. Nearby, there is a couch, just the right length for me to stretch out on, and a t.v. I'm sure there is some GREAT programming on that would be oh-s0 conducive to a nap.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............