Hiya!

hiya ce — how’s ohio tonight?

Hey, Suzanne, are you ready for the big day?

Whoah! Watching this is screaming!

Hello all.

hey dearie — finished my shopping yesterday. are you done?

senator! how’s sac tonight?

Cold here tonight. The critters are all cuddling on the bed. Inter-species warmth.

Aloha, Suz and lln pups…! Now, this is more my speed on the holidaze…! ;-)

Hi Suzanne! I was only marginally familiar with Mr. Minchin’s work when I first heard this. Was in a bad mood and looking for something funny… ended up crying my eyes out. In a good way.

aloha tut — how’s paradise tonight?

scarlet, the freeway blogger, sent me this video

i think its fabulous and its my new holiday favorite

Back from a quick trip to visit Montana Girl and her family. Shopping done. Looking forward to some joyous child activity.

scarlet! i just told the peeps how you sent me this song. i forking love it dood.

how’s the freeways?

Pouring ever more buckets…! 8-(

I made a big old pot of beef stew to try and take the chill off tonite…!

I just got back from 18 days of moving my parents into a retirement home. They both have moderate Alzheimer’s. It was beautiful, haunting and sad. They are perfect in their affliction. They speak in poetry as they fail. “I am walking away from myself”, my mother said.

And tonight I found out my oldest daughter is pregnant. So, I have one grandchild to be born in April and one in August. Both are water dragons.

oh mary i know that had to have been hard (((mary)))

and woohoo!!! *snoopy happy dance* two grandbabies!

Life, ya know.

Does anyone else question the “numbers” coming out regarding holiday shopping? I can’t believe spending is up, from what I can see the stores are no busier than usual (based on cars in shopping lots). Maybe it’s due to online shopping but, personally, I think online shopping should have overtaken in-person shopping 10 years ago. I gave up Christmas shopping 25 years ago, so maybe I’m just not with the program. Wait, that was the point.

fulla surprises

*wow* What an emotional rollercoaster, mary…! Congrats on another G unit…! *g*

hey tuez — how was your day? i purchased 3 presents this year — an all time low. i don’t believe folks are spending as much as the numbers are saying

Very Good Indeed – the freeways that is. Here’s some San Francisco:

http://freewayblogger.blogspot.com/2011/12/san-francisco-postings.html

Damn near amazing how many are staying up and for how long… am getting the feeling that Caltrans sent out an edict not to touch them anymore.

Nope, I don’t believe it. Maybe the numbers are up in terms of people in the stores but not money spent. If one out of two people is living in poverty, WTF?

I have a friend with early Alzheimer’s. It ain’t fun. This is the first I’ve really been exposed to it.

Thanks. It is going to be fun.

caltrans has better things to spend their dwindling budgets on than hassling your signs

Wow. The circle of life.

You totally rule, Scarlet…! *g*

Funny thing is my dad has turned into a sweetheart. All of his baggage and filters have disappeared and he is both funny and sweet. He is further along in the process than my mom. She is still frantic about the situation but that is changing pretty fast.

Costco this afternoon was busier than it was on Black Friday. But still not a whole lot busier than a typical afternoon. I didn’t even have to wait in line to get gas.

I was at Kohl’s today to buy my dad some suspenders. I was amazed that I could park right near the front door, face no crowds, stand in no lines to make my purchases. My sense: things are worse than any of us know.

(((Mary)))

Sometimes numbers are lies I don’t believe them either.

i was in fred meyer yesterday and it was no more busier than a regular monday. lotsa clerks hustling around the store tho

bev! how was your day?

hey things — how ya doing tonight?

I asked my dad if he’d received many Christmas cards. He said that he’d sent his usual 38 or so cards. Has received 6. I’ve gotten cards only from my dear long-time friends. It’s different this year.

I went to the mall today and the traffic was nutz, altho, the cashier lines were smaller than usual…! Should be interesting to see what the final tally is…!

20 million American children faced hunger insecurity. Half of us live in poverty. We have been lied to about most things, why not about Xmas buying.

I hope if it ever happens to me, I stay funny and sweet.

My friend is very antagonistic to her husband, but they never married, so I also worry about the legal issues they are about to face.

I have never seen weekend nights at the bars this dead in Forrest Park Illinois I went out once 2 weeks ago. Friday night looked like monday night.

i’ve received two and sent out three

i think i’m not alone in the major reduction in what i used to do vs this year

Hi, long but very rewarding. OccupySupply got out a lot of packages and food/gift cards this week for the occupiers.

Warmer I’m in LA visiting my sister I wore shorts.

I truly think we are getting bogus numbers.

sweet — i’m looking forward to tomorrow’s webinar

well gosh, and thank you very much. It really is a fantastically easy and fun thing to do. To paraphrase Churchill: “Never before has one person gotten so much recognition for doing so little…” or something like that.

i think we get bogus dayam near everything

Well, when one out of every two people are officially in the poorhouse…! 8-(

Ya have a point.

My parents went to a place called Christwood in Covington, LA. It is amazing. They live in an apartment but can go into assisted living when the time comes.

There are emergency strings you can pull in all of the rooms. My dad just couldn’t resist and pulled one while he was sitting on the john. It was late at night. My mom and I were watching tv and a security guard and nurse came rushing into the apartment. After all of the excitement died down and they were leaving, my dad said “Thanks for coming to save my life!”

our news is filtered, electronic voting machines, etc. the establishment wants us to think ‘their’ way

Well when you put it that way then my numbers seem a bit high:)

Rawk on, Bro…! *g*

And considering how low the bar is for the poorhouse…

Agreed I don’t see how or where all this supposed consumer spending is taking place.

It is 1:30a out here on the east coast, I’m going to bed. Thanks for letting me stop by. Have Happy Holiday!

Hola, everyone. Sending love out there. This has been a hard week so far, for me.

LM is in the hospital, has a toe infection and had to go on IV antibiotics. She will be out tomorrow, so I’ll go home a day or so before I come back. My holiday, fuggedaboutit. No time for shit, but I did do some baking.

We lost a huge talent/blogger this weekend to cancer. It hurts every time I think about it.

g’nite bev

hey bg (((bg and lm)))

LOL, that’s hilarious. LM has a bit of humor like that, but she would NEVER do that, still too proper and polite. But she is so confused in the hospital. OMG.

That’s funny, about your dad.

But that raises another depressing point. My mom is also considering moving into some kind of living facility, for no good reason other than she is having a hard time paying her taxes. It’s occurred to me that a whole generation is losing out on their inheritance due to the attacks on SS and Medicare, etc. It might not “hit” older folks right now, but it has a multiplier effect on the next generation.

I’m sorry for your loss.

Aloha, Bev…! Ya’ll are awesome…! I’m hoping I could chat with Jane prior to tomorrow’s webinar to talk about a federal con-con push that truly has the potential to reverse much of what ails us…! Forget about mere amendments, go for the whole enchilida…! ;-)

My dad used to be the most proper person ever. But now he and my mom talk about bj’s and other things way too much. “Too much information!” I yelled the other day. They just laughed at me.

bg — are you getting hammered by that storm?

I have thought about that. The healthcare system is stealing from all of the generations. The MOTU are making sure there are no reserves left anywhere. What fools.

It is really big, our whole community is hurting.

its not just healthcare. its all the looting

yep. After they have stolen everything, they think they will just leave and we will disappear. Ain’t gonna happen. The MOTU are idiots.

Squeezing blood from stones comes to mind…! 8-(

Yes, it was big. I drove to the hospital yesterday morning, the plows were already doing their thing, but there was quite a loss of visibility. Today the sky was blue off and on. It is quite a bit of snow. I had a friend here yesterday to take care of LM, and she shoveled the driveway while I was gone all day at the hospital. She was able to go back home today, the roads were not bad, she said. My brother is coming tomorrow so I can go home briefly. The other caregiver is having to take the week off, with all the commotion.

Suz and Scarlet, beautiful song, BTW.

Hugs out to all Mary . . . I recall when we experienced that in ’02 or so. Mom’s was sudden and she was pretty far gone when it happened and I first found out about it, Pops not so bad. My bro and his wife did most of the work as we were constrained to jobs. Bless them.

Never easy.

Yep, life is . . . really, really cold early tonite, indeed. It was 37F at 9:45. At almost 11pm kcra says it’s still 37F . . . on we hugs.

i’m glad you had a friend there with you — what a treat it musta been to come home and find the driveway shoveled off.

hey larue — how was your day?

I have a hard time believing it . . . ‘less it’s the last hurrah for thousands and thousands headed for the poor house and they just gave up in one final orgy of spending for themselves and others.

But I don’t buy the numbers, I don’t buy the stock market up 300 points today (someone is manipulating it) . . . we’ll see.

But glad to see you raise the q . . . good one.

Totally cool.

Also, Scarlet, awesome signs! At the hospital today, one of the workers was talking about how bad the disappointment in BO. So many people say they don’t know if they can vote for him again.

He just keeps piling on the crap.

Goodnight y’all… there was a big cardboard spill in Marin on the 101, so I’ve got a car full of the stuff that needs painting tomorrow.

Be careful with the White Wine song too. If you listen to it more than two or three times it can really get stuck in your head. Stayed in mine for about six months. Then I figured WTF, might as well learn it on the piano…

The only stores I’ve seen with increased traffic have been the liquor stores.

g’nite scarlet

Was wondering where you were suspected NO. Glad you all made it work out so well Gram.

G’night Scarlet, thanks for your good work! You rock.

Suz !

Salute to freewayblogger !

Who’s up for some Spanish Coffee ?

I forget when I first was aware of your efforts, but it was before that Hamsher Woman n that Wheeler Woman blogged from the steps of the LibbyGate . . . have been in awe of what you do forever since.

Mighta seen it on WaterTiger’s site . . . I forgit.

*bows*

Thanks, BB.

With good reason, it’s hairy enough to drive one to drink…! ;-)

petro! what makes it spanish?

Dood ! I’ve got some very nice Belgian Beer to go with that Stew …

Who was the blogger? N condolances for all yer dealing with . . .

Tia Maria Liqueur … but tonite, we’re using Grand Marnier; just cuz we can ! *g*

Sending ya a healthy dose of goodness, Suz …

I’ll see all you fine folks tomorrow. Time for bed, although I wish I could try some Spanish coffee.

It is so interesting that people realize they are losing their minds. LM just says, “I’m so confused.” I don’t know if that is a difference with her dementia, (which the Dr. diagnosed as due to venous disease/loss of circulation) and Alzheimer’s. But that is poetry, how your mother describes it.

LM’s confusion has been fairly profound at the hospital. I hope it is better when she gets home, but I know she is leaving herself behind, for good.

thanks dood… we can use all the forking goodness we can get petro

Come on Larue, give us a great Chili recipe for wintry nights like this one … pretty please ?!!

Howdy Suz, pups . . . same as it ever was, prowling for work.

But lights are up, tree went up last week, honey comes home tomorrow and stays home till Jan 2 or so.

On we huddle from the cold . . . it’s a 3 Token/Bailey night here!

Danke…! How’s the great white North, tonite…? Any white stuff lying about yet…? ;-)

g’nite tuez

We just gotta stay united, Suz … and we will triumph !

tis 36 in tillamook and a balmy 42 here on the bay

token’s pretty small but he sure can put out a buncha heat, especially when he gets under the covers

bailey cat ignores us

http://www.clearlynewmexico.com/?p=7656

Sweet dreams, tuez…!

aw crap, i ended last week by snagging the forking 99 and started off this week with it

fuck, i should not be surprised — after the electrical fire in my engine yesterday…

I tip my Hat to you, for the Love and Care you’re giving LM !

You’d have to reference my past linky’s for the recipe.

Chili verde, 10 day version, with SW Buttermilk Cornbread.

Good, tho.

;-)

No meadow wafers.

The only lying white stuff is Harper and his cohorts ! *g*

We’re having a Brown Christmas … and it’s all Obama’s fault !

Soon, when it’s cold enuff and the stove is out, that cat will come crawling and meowing plaintively like they all do when cold. ;-)

*spewing spanish coffee all over the counter*

dood….

I am heading out. See you all tomorrow night.

Shite, Suz, sorry about the fire. Frack!

Great read, RIP n bless them all and you for the loss.

g’nite mary mac and congrats again!

What?!?!!??

Does car run?

aaa towed it to the mechanics today and i’m waiting for the call as to whether or not the car will survive or…

the timing really sucks

Oh shit, so sorry to hear . . . .

I’ll clean up … well worth it ! *g*

Dayam, And here I had experienced near white-out conditions, the other nite, getting off the mtn…! Something is definitely screwy going on with our global weather patterns, eh…?

The last exchange I had with her was about that damn Firebagger email that shortly went out all over the internets and to the MSM. She gave that guy a big piece of her mind. And even he had to respect her. She never let anyone get away with any crap, that’s for sure.

She’s got to be an inspiration, but I know I am not as smart as she was.

— after the electrical fire in my engine yesterday…

That totally sux, Suz…! Wiring harnesses alone cost a pretty penny…! 8-(

pulled up to the mailbox yesterday afternoon after being in town running errands. backseat full of groceries and token (he had a doggie beauty shot appt) and the trunk has 10 logs in it. i turn around to pull into the driveway and *whammo* tons of gray smoke pouring from my engine.

pulled off the road, turned off the car and opened the hood. the smoke started to be not as bad and after it had aired out for a bit, i said fuck it and drove it up the driveway.

when i got to the top, when i parked, more smoke coming from the engine. left the hood up for an hour or so. my landlord’s son came by to bring up my logs and he said it was definitely electrical and i should have it towed to the mechanics to find out if it was just an wire or if it is fried.

the aaa tow truck guy said it was a good sign that it started up again yesterday and he towed it to my mechanic who was expecting it.

slide me another dood and we are good

Yessir ! Our winter started later last year as well, but we got tons of snow and rain …

I once had a car catch on fire, and that was the end of that car. I had less than 200 miles on a new transmission in the bastard. I hope your luck is better than mine, cuz it would so totally suck if your car can’t be fixed.

Yes’m … on the way !

Nor Cal at this date last year had 146% of normal, we’d go on to much better than that for the full season.

Today, it’s -140% or so . . . the resorts are dyin, cept for man made stuff. Gonna hurt a lot of folks, and put us back into drought mode soon.

We got till March or so for rain but . . . I’ll echo your screwed up global norms . . . we COULD be going huge dry for a full season thru to next August or more . . . not good.

yeah… i have to have a car by sunday when i am going to jen’s. i would prefer not to have to finance a used one from a dealership but that’s likely my only option if the car has *pause* gone tires up

bg… i forgot to mention that when i was in town yesterday, i filled up the tank in anticipation of sunday’s trip

thanks babe…. just keep ‘em coming. they sure are tasty

Suz, crossin heart and fingers n wishin you best of luck on this one.

Know that car is real important to yas . . . I gotta split.

Thinkin good thot’s for ya lady . . . nite awl . . .

driest december in recorded history for portland so far. cold and hardly any rain — only 0.06″ rain through the 15th at pdx

Suz, I have had so many bad car things this century. I am so sorry, and like I said, I hope you have good luck with it. Sometimes luck happens! And I will be keepin my fingers and toes crossed for you, like you have done so many times for all of us.

thanks and g’nite larue

More salt for the wound, eh…? 8-(

thanks bg. i figure its all my own dayam fault. i ran into someone i know in town and was bragging about how i had gotten my moneys worth from the car — had it for almost 2 years and paid 550 for it….

Pleasant dreams, Larue…!

I hope for the best, but, a wiring harness and the labor could easily set ya back $500 or so, Suz…! 8-(

Edit: It is a good sign that it did start again…!

G’nite Dood !

I’m out as well … G’nite all !

in which case, its gonna cost more to fix the car than i have. i’ll have to get another one *sigh*

g’nite petro — thanks for the coffees

Oh, I know how that goes, ya gotta knock on wood every time. Yeah, you may have got your money’s worth, but there is nothing like trying to get another car under pressure.

One thing that always makes me mad is that if your car is in the shop and you have rental coverage, they will give you the rental for 30 days. But if your car is totaled, they only give the rental for 5 or 7 days, I forget which. So the pressure to get another car is heavy. My latest piece of crap, I think I calculated that it has cost me $500/mo. including what I paid for it, and not including gas or insurance, every month since I bought it.

night, Petro, thanks for the props.

i carry minimums on the car.. its an 87 plymouth

Pleasant dreams, Petro…! Think Snow…! ;-)

Well, that has been a good car then! Mine is a ’99, and I drive Volvos because of how many times my cars have been killed by other drivers. I’m lucky to be alive as many cars as have been run over with me in them. But this one has really cost way too much, and I just have so much in it now that I keep going. Like a fool. I hate having to buy a car. So I just wish you the best with this.

thanks bg. busted found this car for me when my old one was getting ready to go tires up. i really can’t complain about anything other than the forking timing of all this

i’m supposed to go to jen’s sunday morning. i figure i’ll get the news from the mechanic tomorrow and figure out my next step from there

not a fucking thing i can control about this one — just have to try to stay positive and hope for the best while trying to plan for the worst

Sorry to hear about your wheels Suz. When i get a truck for 1500 i hope i can keep it in good order for less than 1000 a year. And hope to get 5+years out of it. Lets hope your fried section is small and can be patched in.

hey homeroid — how’s homer tonight? thanks dood — there is a chance that a rat tried to nest or chewed a wire — we’ve had wood rat troubles this year.

— just have to try to stay positive and hope for the best while trying to plan for the worst…

Amen, Suz…! You’ve got my best holiday vibes headed your way…! *g*

That’s how it is with cars, in my experience. I love my mechanics, and that’s the other reason I drive a Volvo. I had so many mechanics over the years who were such fracking ripoffs, and when I found the place I go now, it was such a miracle. I never had a Volvo that cost me as much as this one. Ever. I heard they could be expensive to maintain, but I never had the experience, until now. And I Have To Have a car to drive back and forth to LM’s. This is the source of my debts. I had everything 2 months from paid off when the last car went.

I’ve heard that rodents can do it, but I kind of think the car would be sitting there for a little bit for it to happen. I don’t think it happens overnight, but hell, if I were a rat, I would be looking for any warm place to make a nest.

Aloha, homeroid…! I saw earlier that I just missed ya last nite…!

i am lucky to have a great set of mechanics in town — they are honest, reliable and don’t gouge when pricing repairs. i’ve used them to replace the power steering unit when it went out a year ago thanksgiving and he worked with me to keep the price low. when i got the car, i took it to them and richard and virginia gave it a good going over and said it was in pretty decent shape.

i don’t drive it but maybe once a week or maybe once every 10 days or so. those wood rats are forking HUGE — traps have caught one in my attic and one in the studio

So I’m keeping the positive vibe for that car to make it another while! Hope they get it back on the road for your holiday travel! Good mechanics are next to heaven, I think.

Well, I guess that’s long enough for them to do it. My brother and SIL had some big=ass rats in their attic up on the NW coast. . .they are impressive!

thanks bg — i’ve got my fingers and toes crossed and am clicking my heels 3 times

Been sloppy wet snow an rain. Temps are dropping though an skating could be excellent in a couple daze. And yeah your rig is old enough it could be made of wood.

I’m adding the heel clicking too, and wishing you the very best. I’m heading out now so I’ll be ready when the hospital calls for me to get LM in the morning. I guess I’ll try to finish some baking since I have to be here most of another day.

I hope to check in over the weekend. Take care, everyone, and all the best for a successful mechanical resolution, Suz! Click, click, click, cross cross and cross x 2.

it looks like an undercover cop car from miami vice… silveryblue 4 door american made sedan

i finally got below freezing last week but it was only one night. been in the 30′s most nights and mid to high 40′s during the day

aw thanks bg — g’nite

guess i should head out too and wash the fucking dishes and work off some of this nervous energy and try to eat something — all that spanish coffee petro slid down the counter – oy….

thanks for letting me hang out with ya’ll tonight.

g’nite all

Sweet dreams, bg…!

Hey Tut i was wonderin if you-all in the isles are planing on a state wide GA.
WE are working on it here. Perhaps in the near future we could compare workings?

Best of luck, Suz, and Sweet Dreams…! *g*

…a state wide GA.

We actually are, and we’re all linked in with a great webinar type program called Ventrilo…! Being geographically challenged, like ya’ll, we’re doing some awesome work in Cyberspace that channels our efforts brilliantly, like a flash mob…! ;-)

Cool. Thats what were after. Getting all up to speed is a challenge at best. I know things get slow in the winter but this is bad. We will see how it progresses after the jollydaze. Later Tut.

Our Ventilo setup can handle 50+ individuals at once with push-to-talk capabilities…! It’s a sweet set-up…! ;-)

Do you have my email addy…?

Pleasant dreams, homeroid…!

Ms Suz,
Seattle craigslist 1982 mercury lynx sw with 63000 original miles 1500 obo and it looks good, cream puff.

hey joeblue — wow. thanks but i am on the north oregon coast and don’t have the $ for a trip to seattle, much less the $ for that lynx. if my car is terminal, i’m gonna have to finance its replacement