HAPPY FRIDAY

Hey everyone! Well, I'm sitting at home, subjecting myself to dial-up, just to be close to you!!!! Hope everyone is well. As we speak, it's raining and warm (ICK!), but promises to be naked-mailman weather for sure this weekend. Actually, Mom & I leave for NYC on Wednesday, and it's supposed to be really cold up there!! I'M SO EXCITED!!! I feel like it's Christmas Eve. Actually, Mom threatened to slap me if I threw up!!! Apparently, as a child, I would get myself so wound up and excited on Christmas Eve that invariably, I would PUKE!! Always a fun time for Mom, and it got to be a tradition with me!!! Anyway, that's how I feel about going to NYC!!! We're taking a bus up, staying at the Edison on Broadway, eating at Carnegie Deli, shopping on 5th Avenue, taking a carriage ride through Central Park, shopping at Macy's, seeing the tree, etc., and that's just on Wednesday!!! On Thursday, we'll have breakfast at the hotel, and leave for a bus tour at 8:30 a.m., getting back in time to have an early dinner at Carmine's Italian Restaurant before boarding the bus at 5:45 for the trip home. Needless to say, we'll be recovering on Friday!!! Actually, it'll be kind of a WOW for me. In the past, we always requested the back (bigger) seat near the potty because I never wanted Mom to be crowded because of my size. This year, even if we don't get the bigger seat, we should be fine. So I'm sooooo looking forward to this - I really need it. Another WOW is that I can finally buy a NYC t-shirt. They're everywhere, on every corner, but they never fit me before. Hopefully, they will this year. The only downside is that K wants to go - she got to go two years ago when Mom had to work, and we took her last year, but this year, Gary said it was only fair that B go, too. Now, you all know how much I love them, but this trip was always meant to be about me and Mom, not me, Mom & KB!! Of course, I bring them presents - that's what Tia's do!!! So, we told KB that we'll take them up for a day in the spring to celebrate my 40th in March!!! That'll be nice, I've never seen Central Park in the spring. Speaking of K, she's here with me, Gary still didn't feel comfortable sending her to school. She's still coughing like a barking dog, and is really pale, which may be a side effect of the asthma meds. But we didn't want to take a chance, and you know me, always ready to take off of work. Actually, that's one of my resolutions for the new year - to be more dedicated to my job. I truly am when I'm there, but I need to be there more. Not sure if it's because I really don't like it or if I have anal glaucoma after 21 years of working. Again, I NEED to be independently wealthy!!! So today, we'll be making cookie dough, but not baking it today because of the humidity. We'll probably bake it tomorrow. We're also going to dip peppermint sticks (like they use in lemon sticks) in dark chocolate as a treat for their teachers. They're a nice addition to a cup of cocoa! Other than that, not much today. I guess Terry's having her girly day today, she soooo needs this after the stressors of the past few weeks with McMom. I hope she has a BLAST!!!! I hope everyone has a great weekend! Be careful today - the weather's supposed to get nasty later. Looking forward to seeing/meeting everyone on the 17th!!!! Tia

Hi Tia Your NYC trip sounds fun!!! I grew up with NYC practically in my backyard. There are things I did (taking the train to NY to shop, etc) when I was a teen that I am not sure I would do now as an adult I understand completely about the trip being for you and Mom. I don't imagine that K quite gets that, but when she is older maybe the 'tradition' will continue but it will be you and K rather than you and Mom. I've got to get started on my fudge making for the holiday gifts. I don't bake, but I make TONS (literally) of fudge it seems like. Not sure what tomorrow will bring. I'll have to do some of my errands that I generally save to do with Mr Mo on Sunday because I'll be in the office Sunday testing the new server .... YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSss .. it's REALLY going to happen this weekend!!! finally ... Ok, I need to take the laptop to the 3rd floor and test connectivity in the new conference room, so I had best beat feet here. Have a wonderful day!! Hope K gets feeling better and stops barkin' Hugs, Mo

Have a safe and happy trip. Aime