Unmitigated

Updated: Good Riddance

2009 has certainly been....a year. I can't say I'm sorry to see it end. 

January

 Colonoscopy prep. It came out fine, but still was no fun.

February

Okay, not complaining about February.

March

Apparently I lost the camera during March. I did whine about meetings, foreshadowing what would happen in the fall. 

April

 

The month of the sewer back up. On the bright side, it was also the month I learned to use the settings on my little Canon point and shoot.

May

I love when the leaves are finally back. 

June

Child number two graduated. No more report cards! And a Cosco cake, too! 

July

A lovely vacation in one of my favorite places, Northern Michigan.

August

Connie Chung joined our family.

And then I quit my job. The two were not related.

September

Another chance to spend some time with friends in a beautiful place.

October

Expanding the culinary skills, now used on a daily basis, and still in need of some work, although that one was a success. So was this one...

November

The last visit to Brook Lodge. Goodbye Brook Lodge. 

December

A lovely, quiet Christmas to end the year.

Happy New Year, everyone. Here's to a much brighter 2010!

photo from flickr commons  

Update: I have just realized that THIS piece if genius is my 500th post.

If I Post This to Facebook, Does it Make A Circular Reference Error?

 

I would be embarrassed to tell you how attached I have grown to pixilated fish.
 

And to think I teased 18-year-old-Boy for getting hooked on the farm thingie.

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Almost Over the Aughts

Two more days left in this year. I have decided that time passes a little more slowly when I am not employed outside the home. I think this is a good thing, but I'm not sure.

 

• Last back procedure was on December 9th. Husband Styro has already given up hope that it will work, but I still have my fingers crossed. Most days it still aches like a mother, but it was like that in July when I had the lumbar area done. 4-5 weeks is the magic time, so if it's not significantly better by January 13th, I'll start looking to the next step.
• The wonderful thing about my pain guy, Dr. R., is that there is always "the next thing we can try."
• When I finally got the insurance company to cover my most expensive medication, we will be switching to a new carrier. Husband's employer, Perot Systems, is now Dell Perot Systems (no, I can't get you a free laptop). Our coverage is improving and the cost to us is going down by about 35%. I am so grateful, I can't even tell you.
• It's really freaking complicated to enroll in new plans, ya know? It's one of the tasks I crossed off the list on Sunday.
• I applied for part-time work at the local Borders Bookstore. They probably aren't hiring, but what the heck. The cash wouldn't hurt, and I would be moving my body around more, which can only be good. I can still do the freelance thing, too. 
• My car is going to need new tires soon, which kind of sucks because I'd really like to sell it. I hate to invest for someone else's benefit, but I don't want to drive on questionable tires, either. Especially in a Michigan winter. Michigan doesn't close down when we get a few inches of snow.
• Sunday and Monday this week were supposed to be 1-3 inches of snow, our first real accumulation of the winter. Everyone around us seems to be getting slammed, and here we sit with almost none. I must have said this a dozen times, and eventually, it's going to bite me in the a$$, I know it. Until then, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah.
• Demand Studios is doing a daily bonus drawing to keep people writing over the holidays. If you hear a scream, it's just me being able to pay for new tires.
• You know the President's honeymoon is over when Garry Trudeau starts in on him...

 
 image from GoComics

It's Hereditary

Christmas Eve dinner is traditionally held at Somewhat Older Sister's House. Much Older Sister, Invisible Sister, and Big Brother all live out of town, so it was just the three younger siblings and their families available for festivities.

The setting was sparkly.

     

Three of my four favorite people in the world were there.

20-year-old-Girl, Lovely Young Man (the fiance, and Husband Styro-see how the lights twinkle off his head?) 18-year-old-Boy had to work, and missed the dinner.

Younger Sister instigated some goofiness.

Not only festive, but practical, as well! 

Doesn't it look like silverware? Plastic allows much greater silly-capability. 

It may have spread to other family members.

Hopefully recently-wed-Niece was done using it...     

So you see, I come by this trait naturally.

And I'm None Too Fond of Edward, Either

...regular tomfoolery returns tomorrow...