Wednesday Roll Call

Hello everyone

I am up and ready to get going to work soon.  I have to go in early...I have so much to catch up.  A day or two off is always nice but I always have to pay for it when I get back!!!  So I am working some overtime today.  My normally busy Monday will be moved to today...but I also will have Wednesday's work to do too.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas spent with loved ones. 

I had a great Christmas.  It was nice seeing everyone.  They loved their gifts.  What I loved the most was the phone call to Amanda.  What was the best was Amanda has been undergoing intense Spanish speaking classes there for months and is becoming very fluent.  Well as I mentioned they are Puerto Rican and Amanda's grandma speaks little or no English.  The fun part for me was the look on everyone's face when Amanda just started to speak Spanish to everyone (she was on speaker).  Her grandmother who was so anxious to hear her was speechless.  She was just silting there.  I mean Amanda and her grandma have a special relationship, even though they could never really talk to each other they still had their own way of communicating and out of all the grandchildren, Amanda is her favorite.  So to hear her speaking Spanish was too much for her to handle.  Her Aunt Brenda actually broke down crying.  Her Uncle Manny was on the verge of tears but contained them.  Her grandfather was just beside himself, he was sitting in the corner giggling...which was my favorite reaction...hahaha!!!  Needless, to say it was emotional for everyone.  Poor Amanda couldn't understand everyone's reaction at first and kept thinking her Spanish was so poor that no one was liking it.  We had to convince her it was just the opposite.  I told her that she completely surprised everyone.  I heard her speaking Spanish when I talked to her her many times because someone in her host family will ask her a question or something.  So I knew she spoke quite well.  Or it sounded good...I don't really speak Spanish.  I tried to tell them but I guess they didn't believe me!!!

Now the hard part...I didn't get home till late and I didn't get to bed till even later (maybe 1:30 or 2am)...and I was up bright and early.  So I am sure at some point during the day the little bit of sleep will hit me.  But since I worked out everyday since last Thursday...I think I may take this as my rest day and come home and relax. 

Well I got to get going and leave soon.  Have a great day...see ya later...bye

Good Morning,

It is back to work for me today. I only work 2 days this week and next, with regular days starting on the 6th. I really could get use to this.

Here is hoping everyone had a great holiday. I know I did.

Crystal, it is so nice that you are able to talk to Amanda.I know she enjoys it as much as you do.

What is on your agenda today?

Hugs, LISA

Good Morning Everyone!

I am at work and I have had 2 calls in an hour.  I looks to be a L O N G day. 

Crystal, your story about your call with Amanda is very touching.  I almost cried.  To be able to communicate with her grandparents is so awesome!  I love it.  That had to be their best Christmas present ever.  What a wonderful day!

Lisa, I am glad you had so much fun with your family. Thank you for your kind invitation the other night but by the time I got on the computer it was too late.  We had been running all day. 

I finally have my toilet fixed.  Yeah!  I also have my water softener bypassed so I have been able to take showers the last 3 days in something other than a drizzle.  That has been pure bliss. 

Rick and I slept in then got the turkey started and let the cats open their stockings.  They were too cute with them.  Later we exchanged gifts.  The cats loved their presents and spent the day fighting over them like kids.  Then last night about 4 am Smokey comes trotting in from the living room, crawls up with me in bed and purrs the loudest he has ever purred.  I think he was letting me know just how happy he was. 

Today it is back to the normal routine.  After work I need to go to the bank and to the post office to return the defective phone.  My new phone came Monday and it is all set up and running.  So I am a happy camper. 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Hello!

We had a wonderful Christmas here too. We enjoyed our evening with friends--laughed a lot  until we were exhausted from laughing. Today we go out to breakfast with the same folks so there will be more laughter. Also had a wonderful roast beef dinner with Yorkshire pudding--my family's favorite.

Today we will pick up the clutter in the house and maybe clean out one closet in the basement. It's time for a major cleaning but we are not going to do it all in one day! There are plenty of things someone else could use. We don't need all the stuff we've accumulated. I've never lived in a house as long as I've lived in this one. When you move every few years, you get rid of "stuff". We've been here almost 24 and so there is plenty of "stuff" that can go!

Enjoy your day!

Connie

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful XMAS!

It is always a great time when my family is together.  My middle daughter got engaged on XMAS.  I am happy for her.

Have a great day!

Kevin

Good afternoon Crystal and the rest of Illinois!

I also love the story of Amanda speaking so she can communicate with her grandmother.

I may have to take Connie's advice next year and do things that make ME happy. 

This whole season, I was not really "feeling it".  I DID decide that the grandchildren needed to have a great day, so I began all the CHORES that make Christmas happen.  Todd helped put the lights on the tree, but that is pretty much it.  Yesterday, he vacuumed.  Liv purchased and wrapped gifts on her own and helped with the craft last Friday.  David mostly did nothing except help his dad get the oven into the house.  Riley helped with the home-made neighbor gifts.  I shopped, wrapped, cleaned, cooked, cleaned, wrapped, cleaned, shopped, cleaned, cooked, decorated and cleaned and cooked some more.  All said and done, my husband never told me, "Merry Christmas" nor did he get even a small gift for me or anyone else.  When he said something about how he could "sleep in" I gave him "the look" and told him it must be nice to have someone take care of everything for all of them.  He is off until the 2nd or 3rd and I am back to work (in hell).  So.......

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU all for being here for me, being my friends and letting me rant. (not that you have much choice.....hehehehe!)  I AM very glad to hear that you all had a wonderful holiday with wonderful family.

Here's to better days!

This room rocks............I enjoy spending my day with all of you.