Monday, Monday ...

What is it with me these last few days? I've actually been giving myself a break and procrastinating and putting stuff off ... and not giving myself a hard time about it! Is this a trend? I got quite a bit of reading and TV watching and hanging-out-with-family time in so now I'm ready to blog a little.

I found a blog called Word Trix and learned about the Christmas Challenge on The True Book Addict. I love book challenges--especially Christmas ones! This particular challenge is easy--read 1 to 4 Christmas books. I thought of one I could do, up to 5 if there was no Obesity Help Rants & Raves Book Club choice for December.

Today, I finished the first book I picked: A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor. I've completed the challenge and yet I can go further if I want! I chose this book because it's new and I love Garrison Keillor. He writes funny stuff, very down to earth and true to life. Well...usually.

As I started to read the book, I wondered if this would be yet another variation of the bah-humbug-find-the-meaning-of-Christmas types. They're good but enough already, you know? Anyway, James Sparrow is a 42 year old successful self made man (by a lucky meeting with a down-in-his-luck chemist). Sparrow has it all--tons of money, a lovely loving wife, a successful business...but there's just one thing. He has this "thing" about cold weather, Christmas and iron water pumps.

He really wants to go to his home in Hawaii with his wife to celebrate Christmas. She's one of those people, though, that loves the traditional holiday and weather and helping people. She gets the flu. On top of that, he gets a call from his cousin. Apparently his favorite uncle is dying and so he has to fly to North Dakota.

He's only planning to go for a few hours but stuff happens, you know. Like ... a blizzard. Up until this point, the story was coherent and kind of funny in places. I started to get lost, though, when Sparrow was on his way through the snow to the uncle's but ended up back at the airport somehow. The plane is snowed in and no one's going anywhere so he decides to go stay in a fishing shack.

At that point, I felt like I entered Wonderland. I kept wondering if James was having some kind of drug trip or blizzard hallucination but some of the strange things that happened actually were real. Other things...well, were they real or were they like the scenes with Clarence the angel in It's A Wonderful Life?

I won't give away the ending but I will say I wasn't especially crazy about the story. Oh well. Better luck next time.

Grace in Simple Things #25

1. Is this a serendipity? Kristin wanted to go to the library and on impulse, I decided to go in with her. Maybe the book I'd requested for December's OH Rants & Raves' book club selection had come in. As it turned out--yes, the book had come in that very afternoon! How 'bout that?

2. Not only had that book come in, so had a book I'd requested way back in June--Push, by Sapphire. But I only have two weeks to read it. And as it happens, I finished A Christmas Blizzard today and so I could start right on it! It's not a big book. I can read it and at least one more Christmas book I'm sure!

3. I have until next year to read Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, the book club choice. Doesn't that just have a neat sound to it? It just means the due date's in January--but it's a whole new year!

4. I'm done decorating the Christmas tree and the living room! I decided that it's enough for this year, no need to go nuts over it. I read Lightening Online's blog about simplifying Christmas. It made a lot of sense to me!

5. I made a really delicious meatloaf. I love meatloaf. It's such an easy thing to make and you never have to make it the same way twice. It's so filling too.



Today we're kickin' it old school. Classic. Vintage. Black & White films. Digital special effects and vibrant rainbows of colors are terrific. But the simplicity and clarity of B&W movies creates an entirely different effect. And one that we love to experience every now and again for old time's sake. Here are some of our favorites. Share on your blog those color-free flicks that stop you in your tracks and link back here at The Bumbles.

I love the old black and white films! Sometimes I'd rather watch those than the new movies!

Okay the ones that I'll watch over and over because they've stopped me in my tracks:


Harvey: James Stewart as the gentle and totally delusional (or is he?) Elwood P. Dowd is a riot and gets you roaring with laughter at his antics and those of his 6 foot rabbit/pookah pal, Harvey...but what he says is just so full of wisdom!

Psycho: Scariest. Movie. Ever.

Casablanca: A true classic in every sense of the word!

The Incredible Shrinking Man: That giant spider was sooo scary! Poor guy, shrinking away to nothing!

Some Like It Hot: This one had me rolling on the floor laughing so hard I could barely breathe sometimes!

Angels With Dirty Faces: Love those Bowery Boys! This was totally a terrific picture of the two best friends, one good and one bad ... and the other one putting on an act at the end to save the souls of the gang that admired him as a "tough guy"

Other favorites I already saw mentioned elsewhere: Arsenic & Old Lace, It's A Wonderful Life, To Kill A Mockingbird and 12 Angry Men

The Music Memoirs

10 songs that were on your weekend playlist and one photo that relates back

1. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
2. Frosty the Snowman
3. Chipmunk Christmas
4. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
5. Silver Bells
6. White Christmas
7. Believe
8. Happy Christmas/War Is Over
9. Christmas Time Is Here
10. Joy to the World

Let It Go

I've had a really nice productive day--meaning I've done things that I wanted to do. This morning I finished decorating the tree. I had a nice lunch and then took a two hour nap, which I really must have needed because I very nearly decided that we could have dinner at 8 and almost kept right on sleeping. Maybe I took such a long nap because I'd been worrying about my TB, who's been in so much extra pain since surgery.

When I got up, I thought that after I got dinner going I *should* do my Grace in Small Things post and another blog entry. Instead, though, I thought, hmmm, I think I'd rather sit in the living room with my daughter. Although she was busy on the computer, it was nice to be in the same room, occasionally talking to each other.

Okay, so after dinner I could do my GiST and blog posts.

Except ... my brother called and I really wanted to talk to him. We had a good long phone conversation and it felt so right to be able to talk to him. We've been so busy over the last few weeks, both of us either on the go all the time or rather stressed and pressed. This evening, both of us were pretty laid back and in a nice groove.

So now it was after 7 and The Amazing Race was nearly on--the finale, and I definitely wanted to watch that with TB. My son came in and joined us and cheered on the young couple that's been winning each leg of the race for weeks--Meghan and Cheyne. They won, too.

The evening's still early. I could go get in my posts except ... now I wanted to hang out with my son.

Now it's late and I started to feel stressed and pressed for the first time. I need to do my GiST at the very least ... and then a little voice said, would it be the end of the world if you didn't list five things today? Who would judge you for that ... except for you, yourself? You can go back to your list tomorrow.

Wow! What power, following that thought. Here I'm putting all this stress on myself for something that is supposed to be positive in my life. What is that but more "all or none" thinking? I have to get it all right or ... or... what? It's all coming from me. It doesn't have to be a certain way or posted at a certain time or even at all if I can't get to it!

The stress immediately dissipated.

I think I'm learning.

That's definitely a graceful moment--as was all of the things I experienced today.

And the pièce de résistance to the day: TB is feeling less pain now!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

TT&TOT Gang Jib Jab Elves

When I was on Facebook yesterday, I was delighted to see the greetings videos my nephew made of his family at the JibJab website. I wanted to give it a go too. This is the first time I've ever tried this and I don't know how to use photoshop so please excuse the messiness of the pictures, LOL. Enjoy! I sure did!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Here's a greeting from TB and me.

And here's one from the whole family!

Grace in Small Things #22

Lots of graces today! Here are my five:

1. Carpal tunnel surgery went well for my TB! This time, the doctor just gave him a local and the procedure itself took 8 minutes. Of course, all the time spent was in the prep for the procedure and then the post-op stitching. He's resting comfortably right now. :)

2. I am pleased with myself that I didn't blow up when TB asked about his CPAP when we were five minutes from home. Both of us forgot it and he needs it to sleep at night so I knew I would have to drive back. The surgery center is an hour's drive one way and we'd just spent all morning there!

My first impulse was to scream and curse, exploding in frustration. That's what how I'd usually respond to such a situation. But then I had a moment of rational thought and remembered a trick. I took in a deep breath. During that split second, thought: Would anything change if I had a tantrum? No. Would anyone feel better? No. So I just said, "It is what it is." We would have to go back and having a fit about it was just a waste of energy.

We went home, ate, and then I drove back. TB went up and got his CPAP. No problem. We got home in time for dinner. Yay, me!

3. The Irish beef stew TB threw together into the crockpot this morning came out delicious! Yum!

4. My nephew made some Christmas Elf Jib Jab movies starring himself, his wife and baby boy. Oh, it was so much fun to watch! I want to try to make one!

5. On days like this, I need a belly laugh and I got one thanks to a friend who sent me a timely joke in my email. I liked it so much I posted it here.

I really needed this...

This is one of those fun internet jokes that makes its circuit of the email as well as the web and I am *so* grateful to my friend Lynn for sending it to me today! After the day we had, I needed a belly laugh so bad and I was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down my face! Here goes:



Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl,
check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality,
pour one level cup and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter
in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point
it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another
cup just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup
of dried fruit.

Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry
it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves
a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table.

Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can
find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall
over.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the
Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.
Cherry Mistmas !

Feline Friday: Kitty Neck Support

Kosmo: I'm borrowin Daddy Bean's neck pillow. Am I wearin it wight?


Sumhow I feels lik a horsie!

Want more cat blogging? Be sure to check out Blogging Cat Noos for all the latest and a listing of this weekend's carnivals!

Thursday Thirteen #41: My "big" Christmas list

Thursday Thirteen
I call this my "big" Christmas list because these are wishes that affect a country of people, if not the world:

1. Respect for each other regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, country of origin, culture and so on. It seems to me if we could accept and try to understand those who are different, there'd be a whole lot less wars in the world. I'd pray that this wish would eventually lead to peace on earth.

2. Universal health care. This has become a basic need too. It's not right that anyone in this country should have inadequate or no health care coverage at all. That includes dental and eye care too. How can anyone function or try to hold a job if they are sick? Dental decay leads to serious health care problems. If someone needs glasses and can't afford them, how is he or she supposed to function? Most of the people without insurance work!

3. Enough food for everyone. This is another basic need and in this economy, more and more people are hungry. We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world and we throw away food even when there are hungry adults and children. What's wrong with this picture?

4. Shelter for everyone. This is yet another basic need that isn't always met. Why isn't there enough affordable housing for everyone? Why don't we have more places for homeless adults and families to go when they need to be warm or out of the element? Why are there vets living under bridges? It's shameful!

6. Feed the world. I think that even if we fed every person in this country, we'd still have enough food left over to share so that others wouldn't go hungry. It's not just us either. This is something that countries around the world could do. Maybe they do ... to some extent. I'm not sure that donating countries work together well enough to distribute what we contribute...and that our contributions get to the right people.

7. A well functioning transportation system. I don't just mean highways. In other countries, people don't have to depend on their cars to get around. In this country, though, if you don't have a car in many places you are screwed. In our community, forget about getting anywhere efficiently if you don't live right on a bus line--and here, there's just the local shuttle bus and one mass transit line.

8. A Congress that represents the people and not special interests & lobbyists

9. Inexpensive movie theaters and bowling alleys so that people suffering in this economy have some kind of fun outlet

10. Bring recess time back to the school day. The poor kids are overbooked and overworked--they need some time for free play

11. Parenting classes before people start becoming mothers and fathers

12. Job security

and this one should have been #1:

13. Bring back the true meaning of Christmas. How did it become all about Santa and presents? What were we thinking?

Unplugging the Christmas Machine

I was just thinking about how deeply the commercialization of Christmas is rooted into the fabric of our society. Christmas is not supposed to be about gifts, gifts, more gifts and Santa Claus...but it is. When you have a lot of money, you don't even give a lot of thought to it. In fact, you can give to the needy too and not even think too much about the message other than, I am doing a good thing, giving these gifts so that people who can't afford gifts can give them to their families. In these economic times, more and more of us can't afford to give and give and give presents to our families...and we feel guilty. Our kids can't get all the nice things their peers are getting. Still...that's not what Christmas is about!

Another poster participating in Gifts in Small Things is taking a pledge she saw in a book called Unplug the Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli. This is it:

1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts.

2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents.

3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family.

4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas.

5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.

-from Unplug the Christmas Machine , by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli

Hey, I wanna get this book! This sounds like a pledge I need to be taking!

XM Brands Scam III: This is it! This is the article!

It popped up again! This is the article that sucked me in, and looking at the URL, I realize: I should have known better! ARGH!

Breaking News: Google Now Hiring People To Work From Home

I couldn't even leave a comment blasting them. The ability to comment is shut down.

Lousy con artists!

ETA: It's not exactly the same but it's on the same idea. You pay $1.95 for this so called deal. If you don't cancel in 3 days, you get charged over $100 plus another $39 for training materials. I didn't get far enough into it to read and see if the fine print includes selling your info to other companies. You know, they ought to just be honest about the cost from the get-go. Them who has the money to invest will do it. Why rook everyone who shows an interest?

Blogger Comment Moderation Broke!

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Wordless Wednesday: Peek-a-boo

Wordless Wednesday

Late Late Ten on Tuesday!

10 Things You Want, but Wouldn’t Buy for Yourself

1. The entire Dark Shadows collection on DVD
2. Membership to a swim club
3. Inground pool
4. Toyota Camry hybrid
5. Writers' software
6. Crafts
7. More memory for my mp3 player
8. trip to Ireland
9. Tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra
10. A week at the beach

Cats on Tuesday: Catnip!!!!

CATS ON TUESDAY is a group of cat lovers who share pictures and/or stories about their cats once a week, hosted by Gattina.



Munchkin: We gots an early Chrissmuss prezent! It wuz sooooo goooood! 'Member, Mousie?


Mouse: Hoo boy, yuss! Less tell inna slideshow!

Want more cat blogging?

Be sure to check out Gattina's blog. Today is also Tuxie Tuesday and then there's Blogging Cat Noos for all the latest!