Thanksgiving Break!!

Things I Am Thankful For:

• My health
• My family
• Jeff (and the fact that we found each other at such a young age)
• My cat (aged 19 and still going strong!)
• My friends (and also the fact that I'm not dependent on them to feel good about myself)
• Good cars
• A warm house
• A five day weekend!
• Books, books, books!
• Good food
• Pants with elastic waists (LOL)
• Imitrex (God's gift to migraine sufferers!)
• My computers!
• Christmas trees, decorations, ornaments, etc.
• Snow!
• Digital cameras
• Dolls
• Titanic trivia, books, movies, dolls, etc.
• Medieval history
• The beach during the summer

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are going to my mom's on Thanksgiving Day as we always do. There is something about being at my mom's that makes me nuts. It's just a feeling I get---I want to get out of the house as quickly as possible. It's not like it's dirty or I'm afraid---in fact I'm fairly certain my dad's ghost hangs about. It's just this oppressive air, left over from my childhood. I still feel like she's judging me and I'm just not comfortable. You'd think at age 42 I could put it all behind me but there it is, hanging like the big Matzo ball it is. I always feel better when we leave and go to Jeff's parents', though they have their own set of quirks and irritations. I'm afraid if I analyze this too much I'll have to deal with the heavy shit, and I just don't want to. I'm just not comfortable.

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Ode to Christmas Stuff

I unpack you carefully

Gazing at my treasures and remembering

They all remind me of another time

And their beauty makes me smile

Is it because they are of Christmas or...

Is it Christmas because of them?

Adios, amigos! Have a wondermous Thanksgiving!

Books--Part Deux

58. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (11/12/05)....9.5/10
59. A Feast For Crows by George RR Martin (??)...9.75/10
60. The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick (??)...10/10
61. John by Cynthia Lennon (12/27/05)...8/10
62. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (12/31/05)....8/10

Books I Have Read This Year

Books Read in 2005
1. The Saint by Madeline Hunter (1/4/05).....6/10
2. God Went to Beauty School (1/7/05)....10/10++
3. A Sterkarm Kiss by Susan Price (1/7/05)....7/10
4. Brooklyn Rose by Ann Rinaldi (1/9/05)....8/10
5. Every Boy’s Got One by Meg Cabot (1/16/05)....8/10
6. The Firedrake by Cecelia Holland (1/17/05)....5/10
7. The Education of Mary by Ann Rinaldi (1/29/05)...7/10
8. The Trespass by Barbara Ewing (1/30/05)....9/10
9. Silken Threads by Patricia Ryan (2/6/05)...9/10
10. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell (2/15/05)...5/10
11. The Glass Café by Gary Paulsen (2/21/05)...6/10
12. The Sun and The Moon by Patricia Ryan (2/23/05)...5/10
13. Raising the Griffin by Melissa Wyatt (2/27/05)....8/10
14. Titanic Affair by Amanda Grange (3/6/05)....6/1015
15. Daughters of the Grail by Elizabeth Chadwick (3/13/05)...9/10
16. Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis (3/16/05)....5/10
17. Lady Jane The Nine Days’ Queen by Ann Rinaldi (3/24/05).....7/10
18. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (3/31/05)...9/10
19. An Egg on Three Sticks by Jackie Moyer Fischer (4/2/05)....7/10
20. Princess Diaries VI: Princess in Training by Meg Cabot (4/4/05)....7/10
21 Prince of Darkness by Sharon Kay Penman (4/17/05)....7/10
22. Magical Mystery Tours by Tony Bramwell (5/1/05)......8/10
23. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (5/3/05)....8.5/10
24. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (5/21/05)...8/10
25. The Court of Love by Denee Cody (5/25/05)....5/10
26. Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers by Louise Rennison (5/28/05)...10/10
27. The Revelation by Beverly Lewis (5/30/05)....10/10
28. Titanic Names by Lee W. Meredith (5/31/05)...9.5/10
29. The Mediator: Shadowland by Meg Cabot (6/2/05)....7/10
30. The Thought of High Windows by Lynne Kositsky (6/5/05).....7/10
31. Hammer for Princes by Cecelia Holland (6/9/05)....7/10
32. Desiree by Roberta Gellis (6/22/05)...3/10
33. Blood Secret by Kathryn Lasky (6/24/05)....8/10
34. 1912 Facts About the Titanic by Lee Meredith (6/25/05)......9/10
35. Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson (6/28/05).....9/10
36. Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French (6/29/05)....7/10
37. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (6/30/05)....9/10
38. A Foreign Field by Margaret Mayhew (7/9/05)...9/10

It's My Birthday....

It's my birthday....I'm 42 today! That used to seem so ancient but now I know it's just a number....in my mind, I'm 21. Which is kinda interesting because I have a 14 year old daughter, LOL.

Spent the day in inservice hell. I hate when the presentations don't matter to me and this workshop was on cooperative learning, something that was big 10-15 years ago. What a pain! Of course it didn't help that I have a massive head cold that is making my eyes tear and my nose stop up. I haven't had a head cold like this in ages and it's such a pain in the ass.

Band season is over so our lives are semi-normal again. I have to say I had a blast hanging with the other uniform moms! Here's a pic:

Jeff says we're a cult and maybe we are. It was too much fun! Le Plume? Oui!

Last weekend Jeff was going to go fishing with his college buddies but I pitched such a fit that he didn't. The thing was, Hannah was in Atlanta with the band and Katherine went to family camp with my in-laws so why was he leaving me all alone? And as it turned out, we had a fantastic time together and it was nice to just be ourselves for a bit.

Guess that's it...lalalala....time to go read for a bit.

T