before

I'm home

Everything went very, very well. I'm at home and feeling a lot better than I thought I would at this point and

"I NOW HAVE THE NICEST TWINS IN TOWN".

HEY-HEY-HEY-GOODBYE

Finally.

I got the call Tursday morning. Flip & Flop are going to meet with Nip & Tuck on Tuesday, October 24th.

So, I've been hearing Kelly Ripa in my head ever since. Mind you, it's going to be a tad harder and take a little longer than the Tide Pen to Go does, but I am expecting the same emotional end result.

Right now I can barely contain my excitement. I know that it won't last and at some point before they put me under, I will become scared, but I'll deal with that when it happens. I have been waiting 2 years for this call. There is no way I'm not going to do it.

an inventory of things found under your bed

Okay, fussy, I'll bite.

1) A wooden block thingie to support the middle of the bed.
2) Dried up crusted over dog puke.

The official gift giving list 2006

Well, well. I rec'd 5 official ideas and one unofficial.

#1 Rec'd by email:

Since my mailed $5 and suggestion may be a little far fetched (you’ll see), I offer another suggestion. It’s kinda out there but, really, when you think about it, it could work very well.

Have everyone congregate here in Edmonton and go to the Medieval Feast at the Celtic Hall. I called today and they have lots of space for Dec 8th and 22nd, not much for the 15th. It would cost $67 per person. Ouch, I know, but that includes a buffet meal (all you can eat ribs, chicken, potatoes, oh man, it is SOOO good –trust me), entertainment, mulled wine for supper, desert, GST and gratuities (does not include other alcoholic drinks). The whole evening runs from around 6 pm till 11. If we don’t buy gifts for each other and/or spouses, it’s a deal. For those who can’t come (Tami & Fam, Brian & Fam) we can all pitch in to do something else awesome.

Lemme know what you think. I can reserve a chunk of space and find out when they’d need payment. I would also invite J’s parents so you could certainly invite Dean’s parents, etc. Make it a big party! I think it would be great. Lots of good food & lots of fun.

Like I said, kinda out there, but if you plan/book now, it could work.

It did not come with any money and since it told me there was another idea coming with money, it was automatically put on the back burner.

#2 rec'd at my door:
Theme: Red + tacky
Amount $40.00 18+
$25.00 17 & under

This was was accompanied by $20.00 and was immediately way out front.

#3 rec'd in my mail box:

Re: Christmas 2006

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR (OR GUARANTEE)
My plans are that everyone (and I do mean everyone-none of this "I live in Another Province" or "I Have to Work" nonsense) meet in a remote Scottish castle with lots and lots of fireplaces (the castle, not the people), a staff of house-keepers (we can do our own cooking, though, of course) and well-stocked wood pile, pantry, fridges and wine cellar.

We will each consider the splendour of the Scottish countryside and the awesomeness of the castle, fireplaces and wine cellar to be our gifts to each other. We will play guitars, sing songs, lounge on couches, go for long, snowy walks, make snowmen, ride horses and, though I fell silly to even have to mention it, eat good, good food.

This will last at least one week, maybe two.

Thank you

PS If you need help planning the songs, let me know and I'll do what I can.

PSS I was keeping this old $5 but for this, it's worth parting with. It was in my chest where I store all of my incense, hence the lovely scent.

Since this only came with $5 and I had already rec'd $20 it wasn't gonna fly.

#4) Rec'd in a brainstorming session with Dean after we agreed that if we had to buy red & tacky gifts, we sure as hell weren't gonna spend $40.00.

Adults:
$25.00 budget to be used in whatever way you need to, to pass on to your giftee, your favorite family Christmas memory.

Under adults:
$15.00 budget to be used to provide a gift for your giftee that will encourage creativity, growth of character, and CANNOT be a commercialized, mass marketed gift.


This theme came with $25.00 from my own wallet. NO!, it was not the $25.00 I collected from the other suggestions. The total money rec'd, $50.00, will be used to purchase pet food for the animals at the Lakeland Animal Shelter.

The theme I finally decided on, for the adult group, is to encourage our memories of our family and spending time together. It is open to your own personal interpretation of your own personal memories. For the kids group, I wanted it to have nothing to do with the mass marketing of Clifford the Big Red Dog, Harry Potter, Barney, Disney, etc. I could go on & on, I'm sure you get the idea.

I rec'd one other really good theme, but alas, it came too late and did not have any money attached. I won't tell you what it is, as I think Stephanie may want to step up to the plate and take over the organizing for next year so that she can get her great plan out to you all.

The unofficial suggestion was just about the money, it didn't actually have any theme or idea about the gift giving, so it couldn't possibly be official.

The list of who buys for who will be emailed to you. Those without email will get a phone call.

Okay, the rules are posted, the lines are drawn, get out there and have a great Christmas 2006!

There aren't enough hugs in the world today.

I came across this the first time I visited here.

If you do nothing else today but watch this 3 1/2 minute video, you will be a better person. If it doesn't move you even a teenie bit, you are, in my opinion, a lost cause to the human race.

Thanks to my buddy Neesja for hooking me up with Kirala. She is able to write the things I can say, but can't seem to be able to put onto a page.

Hugs to the world!