People Are Stupid

Yes they are.

Parents panic last night.

Show is sold out! We have family and friends who haven't bought their tickets yet!

Show is not sold out. Those people were buying tickets to the WRONG FREAKING NUTCRACKER!

People are stupid.


Is it Christmas yet?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

(Do I have that song stuck in your head now? It's stuck in mine!)

It snowed today. Much more than expected. And since State College can't seem to get its act together when it comes to clearing the roads of the awful wet stuff, The Boy™ and I decided to stay in (once I got home from work.)

(The view out our living room window.)

So, instead of grocery shopping and buying Christmas presents, as I had intended to today, I made myself a cup of really hot tea, cranked the Holiday Mix on my iTunes and pulled out the Christmas decorations.

Yes, I know, it's only the 5th. I'm breaking my rule of not putting out Christmas Crap before the double digit days of December.  But what good are rules if you can't break them? Besides, since we're going to be gone so much of the Season this year, I figured if I want to get any enjoyment out of them, I better put them up now.

Or you can blame Nutcracker rehearsals, this cold and lack of sleep for my having lost my senses.

This was once a prop from a show. The stage manager gave it to me as a closing night present. This is the first year I thought to stuff lights inside it. It looks nicer at night (though I don't think the picture would come out as well.)

The reindeer displayed on the bookshelf. I think he sneaks in some philosophic reading of Lila and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance late at night when we are asleep. Last year he was with the theatre books. He's a well-read reindeer.

 Even Betty is getting in on some of the action with lights around her bowl and the LED angel to keep her company. The angel is less creepy in real life, let me assure you.

This is our small attempt at a tree and my collection of Christmas books that only come out for the holiday. One of these days, we'll be in a place that has the room for a full size tree and I'll be able to put up the decorations from my childhood. But until then, they're safely tucked away and we use this little tree instead. Since we're not actually here on the Day itself, it's not as depressing as it sounds.

It's been a long day, and it's time for a well-deserved nap.  The Boy™ has already found his chosen spot under the comfy quilt Grandma and Cousin Suzie made for us.  I'm settled in my chair with my laptop, knitting and cough drops.  This cold I picked up over Thanksgiving is still lingering. Just kind of a stuffy nose and cough at this point, but it takes a lot out of you.  In a way, it's probably better that we stayed in today. Wouldn't want to subject my germy self to the populace, would I?

THe Little Things

I'm sick right now and in the midst of Nutcracker rehearsal hell, so the little things are driving me nuts.

For instance:

To answer the question once and for all and shut everyone up about it: meat is sold by weight, baked goods are sold by count. Hence, eight hotdogs to a package and ten rolls to a package. It's not a conspiracy, people. It's just the way things are. It sucks, yes. Get the hell over it.

Rant finished.

Another Year Older ...

Yes, it's my birthday.

Yes, I'm turning 30.

No, I don't have a problem with this.

Know what else I don't have a problem with? The fact that I'm a great big geek.  My husband got me The Best birthday presents. In addition to an adorable mug with a 'G' monogram on it - filled with my favorite jelly beans from Wegman's - he got me a label maker and this framed print.

We're going out to dinner with friends after work tonight. Tomorrow, after I survive three and a half hours of Nutcracker rehearsal, Mom, Sister and Beebe are coming to visit.  I plan on spending the rest of the weekend in the hottub at their hotel. So, if you're looking for me, that's where I will be.

Christening Pictures

Nephew's Christening was this weekend. I don't have any pictures from the church since, as the Godmother, any time anything interesting was happening with him, I was also up on the alter taking part. But I have some nice group pictures of him in his suit. He's not really crying in these photos, though he isn't has happy as he normally is. He was over tired and a little grumpy by the end of it all. Can you really blame him? 

 

 

Movin' and Shakin'

There has been an announcement at work.  The Bosses are leaving.  BossMan got a job in North Carolina. He's leaving in December and BossWoman and the kids are leaving in June when the kids are done with school. 

At the moment, it seems they are planning on running the joint as Artistic Directors from down there.

None of us are really sure what this means. 

I'm not entirely convinced they even know what it means.

It could be good; it could be bad.  We're all in 'wait and see' mode at the moment.  I'm trying not to think about it.  We're getting into the busy season with birthdays and christenings and Nutcracker and holidays.  I'm trying very hard to just take it one day at a time and not think too far ahead.

I'm not very good at one day at a time.

Domestic Sunday

 Or, My Sunday in Pictures

Every once in a while, you need to have one of those days where you stay at home and just get shit done, know what I mean? Today was one of those days.  The Boy™ went off to the laundromat with three bags of laundry and some books to read while I got down and got dirty.

I cleaned the entire apartment from top to bottom. This included mopping the floors (which I don't think have been mopped since we moved in,) and cleaning behind the toilet. Ew. The bowl of apples from the farm looks much more appetizing on a clean table.

     After cleaning, I made a bit of a mess again and cooked a pot of Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.  It starts here 

and ends in delicious soup.   I cooked and chopped and cooked. Then took a break while the pot was simmering and realized I had to clean some more.   So I did some more dishes, put away clean laundry when The Boy™ got home, and cleaned some more.  Even Betty got a bit of a bath.

 

   While I was busy in the kitchen, I got my snacks ready for the week.

  My nutrition teacher will be happy.

  Now that everything is scrubbed, cooked, chopped, shining and sweet smelling, it's time to take a break and enjoy my hard work.  Let's just hope things stay clean and nice for a little while before I have to do it all over again.