9:56 am
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I got a Treadmill for Christmas!!!! I am so happy about it, now I can start my quest to lose 25 pounds! I have used it twice and it is very cool. It wasn't really a surprise because I picked it out, but I am really happy the hubby finally got it for me. I asked for it last year, and for my birthday.
Sprocket has got some skin problems. He is on meds and I am bathing him once a week. He is on a special diet and everything. It is getting worse. The Doc said he he will need to take prednisone if we can't get it under control. I feel sorry for the little itchy guy :(.
So I got into it with the girls on Christmas day. I suppose it can't be Christmas with out some family strife around here. Since Andy is Jewish I get to provide it during Christmas. His family provides it at Thanksgiving. Short version as follows: Natalie called from Grandma's where they all spent the Holiday and indicated that she was going to spend the rest of her vacation at a friends house. I told her that she needed to go home, she could spend one night at a friends, but not the rest of her vacation. She is supposed to be on oxygen at night, and has a but load of medication that she needs to be doing, which usually doesn't happen when she is out and about. So she whined and cried, she is almost 18 BTW. Then her big sister got on the line, telling me that I can't tell her what to do and how I am wrong, etc. Anyhow Christmas dinner was an hour late because of that incident.
I didn't write about Candice blowing off the therapy appointment that we made earlier last week 12/21. We had gone to the therapist on 12/18 together to try and get through some of the problems from last summer. She is trying to blame all her behavior on the fact that she had such a hard life. UNACCEPTABLE! Anyhow she wanted another appointment by herself, so we made it and I asked her to call me the day before if she couldn't find a ride, as I was working. She called me 2 hours before the appointment and said she needed a ride. That was the day we found all the laptops stolen from the office so I couldn't leave. I still had to pay $130. for the appointment, 24 hour cancellation policy. She didn't go.
So thanks for listening. I am going to go hop on my treadmill!
December 24, 2002
9:33 am
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My Christmas Letter
sent in cards this year
As you can see I am
getting a late start this year. I
have abandoned the Holiday headline format, for a more traditional letter
(easier to whip out in less time). Sprocket
is on my lap; he can’t stand me at the computer if he is not sitting on
my lap. Oh, that’s why they
call these little mutts lapdogs! Kodiak is lying by my side.
She is getting on in years, doing well but a bit stiff with
arthritis. Homey cat is here too, he can’t be to far from the pack,
since he really thinks he is a dog.
It was a fairly
quiet year. Andy had a trip to Asia again this fall; he is busy working as
Process Engineering Manger for the biggest pen company in the world. He
will be going to Europe this spring, and I hope to meet him in
Switzerland.
Last year the
travel itinerary was light. We
did a ski trip to Mammoth, and some skiing in our local Southern
California Hills (umm mountains). Jacob
made state finals for a competition called “Odyssey of the Mind”, and
so we traveled to Sacramento to be there when his team presented their
project. We traveled apart
from the team and their chaperone, of course Jacob had a blast traveling
on the bus, sleeping in a hotel with his team, eating out, we brought the
chaperone coffee the next morning, poor guy.
Candice is a
sophomore at the University of Santa Cruz, home of the banana slug. She loves it, and this year is living with 3 roommates in a
house half a block from the beach. She is majoring in Community studies
with a minor in education.
Natalie is a senior
in High School, and is busy applying for college, taking ACT, SAT, etc.
exams and looking for scholarship opportunities.
She has received some awards this for community service and is the
editor of the annual literary publication for the school.
She is an excellent writer and I hope to pass the writing of this
publication to her shortly.
Jacob is a freshman
in High School, his voice sounds different and I am not sure if he has a
perpetual cold, sinus condition, of if his voice has changed.
He played soccer this fall and tried out for the High School team
too. Some tough competition,
and he decided he would stick with AYSO.
I am busy! Had several large technology projects going this year and
would love to tell you all about them, but you would be bored!
I was asked to speak at two conferences, one in Denver to a group
of Finance directors, and controllers on technology projects. It was a
very large conference and I was very flattered to be included in the
“technology track”. The
other was for the Mayors conference in Monterey. I did a presentation on GIS (geographic information systems).
So from our house
to yours, Happy Holidays, Peace in the New Year and Goodwill to all
Mankind.
December 23, 2002
10:24 am
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I finished my shopping this past weekend, I mailed all my Christmas
cards this morning. I didn't think they would ever get done because I usually
write a newsletter, well that ain't happening! So I did a letter,
just a plain old letter instead. I stuffed it inside the cards, and
complete! I will post it up tomorrow.
I just need to wrap, grocery shop and cook. The kids are spending
Christmas this year with Grandma and Grandpa. I am relieved, with
all the family strife going on I just assume not have to deal with
"lets pretend we are all getting along".
Today is my last day at work until January 6. I am soo glad.
hopefully it will be quiet in the office and I won't end up having to come
in to put out fires.
I found a tumor/mass on DunDun. He
will be having surgery to have it removed tomorrow morning. I am a little
worried, but at least I will be home so that I can care for the wound as
it heals. Say a little prayer tat the little guy makes it.
December 17, 2002
9:24 am
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Yesterday we discovered that 5 laptop computers were missing from
various offices in City Hall. One of them was mine, my old one. It
had been sitting on my desk. I was going to remove all the data from
it before it was reloaded and reassigned. My journal is now out there
somewhere, probably at a pawn shop.
The company my husband works for is making noises about a promotion for
him if he relocates to Chicago. I don't think I would mind. The idea
of 4 seasons intrigues me. I miss them from my days in Tahoe.
I have no close friends here really, and I have a lot of family (daddy's
side) in Wisconsin.
My main concern would be Jacob. He is a Freshman and I know how hard
it is to switch schools during those 4 years.
December 9, 2002
4:10 pm
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Barbara
Today is my sisters birthday. She would have been 41. She was 1 year
and 11 months younger than I am, which means I will be 43 in January. I
still have not visited her grave. She died 7 years ago. I was thinking
about going today but the cemetery
closes at 5:00 and I would never be able to make it in time. Maybe
tomorrow.
December 5, 2002
12:53 pm
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I have been reading all my friends blogs, yes that's you if you are reading this:) For some reason enjoying them immensely today. Maybe I need to connect with people. I think I may just need a hug.
I ordered all my Christmas cards and they finally arrived yesterday! SO now I am ready to start my Christmas Card list. Do you want to be on it? If so let me know. Andy and I put up lights along the driveway last weekend, and I will start to get out my Christmas boxes this weekend. I think I will wait to put the tree up until the 15th.
We have not lit the menorah this year. Andy (my husband) is Jewish, and we usually will light the Menorah during the festival of lights. I like the prayer, he taught it to both Jacob and Natalie and everyone had a night to recite the prayer in Hebrew and light the candles. I am the one who usually encourages this, and my holiday spirit is waning. We were invited to The Bernstein's for latkes this Friday. I guess that will be the extent of it.
December 3, 2002
3:20 pm
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Well Thanksgiving Holiday and November flew by. Whoosh!
Mine was uneventful but if you would like to read a very funny (sorry c)
story here
is one!