MIA

As everyone knows, I wasn't happy with leaving Mom at the funeral home back in January. I'm so glad I picked her up because I was afraid that she would be lost on the shelf waiting to be buried. Thank God I did, as they little yellow sticky note with her name on it could so easily have fallen off and who knows what urn would be buried next to Grandma and Grandpa!

Well I was suppose to take her back to Yakima some time ago, but continually making up excuses why I couldn't. My dear brother, Denny came to my rescue and said he would go with me and set a date. Can't get out of that now can I. As it turns out, we decided that I would take her over to his house on Saturday and he would take her today, Monday to Yakima. I've been blocking it out on how hard taking her off my mantle and letting her go would be. It has been so comforting to have her with me. I can't explain it, but seeing her when I leave for work and when I come home has been very nice.

My sign from my mom has so obviously been the snow she gave me right after I got home in January. She gave me days of swirling white fluff that didn't bother anyone and I know this is her way of helping me through everything as the we always e-mailed or called with every flake we each received...sort of our thing. This leads me to my story...I dropped her off at Denny's and wouldn't you know that morning he had a yard full of snow! I didn't have a flake, but he did. I shouldn't be surprised, but again she's reminding us of how this is okay and that she's okay.

By waiting all this time, and all of us battling over letting her just go, we have decided to keep a bit of mom. I know she didn't say we could, but I know she is skipping around being delighted that we all want her on our mantle. She didn't want to be forgotten and now we can see her everyday like I have been...its so great! The lovely paperweights and wind chimes are going to give us such comfort and mom such joy!

I guess I wasn't suppose to be responsible, logical, timely etc. and take her back. I was just be defiant like always and it turned out for the best.

Brisket

Last night we had an amazing Sunday dinner.

Its been a long time since I've fixed a BBQ brisket and now can't figure out why? There were eight of us and we ate 11 lbs! Plus a pile of greens, cornbread with honey butter, blackeyed peas and Charley's baklava....what a meal.

I bring up these details with the wicked intent to continue my campaign to get my wonderful sister to move back up here and I will go to the lowest of lowest means to do so.

What if I told you today for lunch I'll be having King Wha??? isn't that another great pull!

Seriously, we had a couple over for dinner that Charley has known for years. Steve went to UofW with him. I talk about my family all the time of course, and it was so uplifting to hear over and over again how great they are and how proud I should be with such a group of girls and boys, which if course again....I am. But being as shallow as I am...I don't get tired of others complementing about my clan.

Now as an after thought...sisterhood, I will be making this dinner for you in just a couple of weeks...no worry.

Cherry Granola Cookies.

Well all know my darling Charley is a snacker. Last night he stopped at Trader Joe's on his way home as he changed his flight due to the Denver snow storm and so we would have an earlier dinner.

Trader Joe's is his favorite place and so he not only brought in a beautiful bunch of tulips but snacks. He knows I don't keep a lot of that type of stuff around the house. Neither of us need the extra calories. But....he brought home Cherry Granola Cookies....oh my!! they are so good!

Another hit that I just felt compelled to pass on... a product everyone needs to try.

Art or Embarrassment

So lets tale about tales of embarrassment....The book Twilight. When Taylor read this book and told me "you have to read it!" I thought, please a book on vampires? whatever...but I still enjoy reading what my girls read and so we can discuss different characters, story lines etc...well I basically developed bed sores from the two days I didn't move from the couch to read Twilight from start to finish! Crazy, but it just sucked you in.

I then had my dear sister during her Christmas visit, "just read it"....well she sat in the living room for about two days and had no social contact with anyone but with Edward and Bella.

I have kept this a very close secret that I read Twilight and enjoyed it...its embarrassing. It wasn't that great of a book by any means, but giving credit where credit is due, I couldn't put it down.

The saga doesn't stop....now the movie is on DVD. On Sunday we had a delayed flight to LAX and being in my special role...Global Services. I "entertained" Peter Facinelli (Dr. Cullen) for about six hrs. So on Monday I figured I should rent this DVD and check it out as I am now a bit more fasinated. Well, I really liked it and worse than that, I'm going to watch it again! What is happening to me? I need to finish my book club book, Ursula, Under and guess what...I'm going to read the next in the series to see what happens to Edward and Bella.

Please make me feel better by sharing an equally embarrassing read and/or movie that you've not admitted to anyone!

My Colorist

I love my new hair do....today Erica again livened up my color and trimmed my hair. She is so accomodating and flexible with appointments, great vision, listens to what you say, makes you feel great when you walk in as well as when finished up, lets your dog come in the salon and she is so affordable!

I left my hair still longish....due to both Taylor and Charley's very vocal opinion. Takes a bit more time, but kinda fun putting it up. We'll see how long I'll leave it.

I'm telling everyone out there, you may really like your guy for cut and color, but you should give Erica a try.

Small Things To Be Thankful For

I have had such a great past couple of days.

**My cold ended up being very short lived, but I did pass it onto Charley....sorry.

**Saved my dear friends Lorna and Faye and my sister a bunch of money on our trip to Paris.

**Had dinner with Morgan. Not often do we have the chance to be just the two of us.

**Morgan has commited to going to Paris, so now both her and Taylor will be there. Replaying one of our best trips together.

**Its been sunny outside.

**Jordan has started blogging again.

**I'm having lunch with some of my dearest friends.

**Its Briana's birthday....8yrs old.

**I set my Mom in the sun this morning.

**Taylor has been off from school this week, so less stressful and busy with time to plan her big trip with Dave on Monday. She deserves a lovely, warm break.

**I'm having the last of my jam from the cottage in Longbeach.

**Morgan is saving me a trip to Bell Square for my moisturizer.

**I still have Grey's and Private Prac. to watch with my coffee.

What more could one ask for???

TAXES

Update, I'm feeling better. I received a lot of sleep this weekend and being waiting on. Thank you Charles.

I did finish up my taxes and sent them off. Thank you Turbo Tax. Funny this is the first year I haven't claimed Taylor as I needed to show UAL that I claimed her so she could have medical and dental insurance. Now that she has her own and will be turning 25, it is no longer an option. My refund this year is almost double that it was last year? Go figure. I have saved more in my IRS, but this is a substantial difference filing single. Perhaps I won't rock the boat on this issue and remain this "status" for a bit longer!

Help

I need help!

I've sailed through the fall and winter without being ill and I've giving the flu shot I received the credit for this. Horror....I think I'm getting a cold. Charley and I have big plans this weekend and I really want to enjoy it completely without a red nose, tissue everywhere and snoring due to the fact that I can't breath. These issues are for his benefit as well as mine. Bless his heart, he doesn't care, but I really want to feel better.

Does anyone have any quick remedies for me?

Oscar Nominations

Last night we went to see yet another one of the Oscar Best Picture nominations. I know we are late as we all try to see them before the actual Oscar event, but this has been a very busy year so far.

We went to see the Reader. Great movie and Charley loved the nude scenes as every guy will love seeing adorable Kate Winslet. But besides this issue, the movie was really touching and I understand why she won the award.

Now I still have two more to go. Doubt which is still playing in limited theaters and the Wrestler, which I really don't have any interest in seeing. I still want to imagine the old Mickey Rourke when he was in 9 1/2 Weeks. Now that was a movie! I just ordered it at Blockbuster to see if it still has the effect it did on me way back when. If so, I'm restocking my refridgerator.

But back to the Reader....also it doesn't hurt to see any movie in the most fantastic theater around...Lincoln Square. Nothing beats the leather, rocking, recliner seats. Perfect.