We are back in MA! The train is definitely the way to go, even w/ the stress of worrying about missing it :)

Christmas in NY was good - it was nice seeing everyone! And I got many nice presents, including many, many books, winter breeches, and a couple of gift certs to tack stores! Woot!

And we got to see my step-brother-in-law's pug and French bulldog!! They were awesome.

Last night we all went into the city (have I mentioned just how much I HATE NYC?? If not, I do.) and saw Cirque de Soleil's Wintuk, which was ok. I was expecting something sorta more out there and amazing, and it was mainly meh. I mean, the things they did were neat, but I don't think they were any cooler than acrobats in a normal circus.

Tomorrow, the dentist. And the appts are at 7am, not 7:30 like I thought, so we have to get up even earlier thasn we would have to for work, which is so not fair since we're both off work!!

I was going through my address book today and realized that almost all of my postal addresses are totally out of date. People like Summer and Catherine and Michele have moved within the past year (or two, heh heh), and now I can't keep anything straight.

This is a screened post. If you don't mind me having your mailing address and/or email address for the very infrequent mailing that I do, could you please either leave me your address here, or else send me an email? (sillyliss @ gmail.com).

Thanks! :)

I am having a big problem with my computer. A lot of pages are not loading, not in Firefox or Internet Explorer.

It started yesterday when Z was trying to send me a picture of snow-covered trees in our yard. I kept getting a picture that was divided into three different colors. So he kept sending it, and each time I received it in gmail, it looked different. I didn't think much of it, except that itw as obviously a glitch.

Later I could not get some of the Facebook applications to load.

So I cleared out my cache, cookies, ran spysweeper, and rebooted.

Now I can't get gmail to load on Internet Explorer or Firefox. I can't get most pages with flash to load at all, not on either browser. I turned off all add-ons (I only had one or two going), but nothing has helped so far.

Anybody have any suggestions?

I know this post sounds calm, but I am ready to throw the computer out the window. And that's no exaggeration. I've been stuck inside this house for four days and on the very day we were planning to get out of here to do grocery shopping, it was announced that Fargo-Moorhead is receiving a mix of icy-rain, so now there are travel advisories for every single highway. Stuck in the house with computer problems -- something has got to give. Help meeeee.

Happy Two Days After Christmas!!! I hope everyone had a great Christmas :)

We're heading back to MA today - DH's mom is actually driving us from LI to Penn Station, so PLEASE cross your fingers that traffic isn't bad, as no one is as paranoid as I am, so we're only leaving two hours before our train leaves, which is making me horribly nervous. So cross your fingers that we don't miss our train...

And that I find a way to shove like 20 hardcover books into my luggage, because I am not going to be parted from them to ship them back to ourselves!

Ok, "see" you in MA!

(also, since the 12 days of Christmas just barely started, I am not ditching my Christmas icons yet, so don't yell at me!)

A quiet Christmas was planned as usual, just the family. My grandparents, my aunt and uncle and my mom and me. Usually they all come over to our place (we live about one street away from them) and we open and exchange gifts, eat tons then everyone goes off for a rest then back later for tea or hot chocolate etc.

This past year my grandfathers health hasn't been brilliant. He can't manage stairs very well (we have many in our place) and he can't walk too far. His memory is also fading at a rapid rate and he has stopped eating much of anything the last couple of months. So this morning we get a call to say he is still in bed, feeling dizzy and they wouldn't be coming over.
Roll on a few hours and they managed to make the trip over, my mom fed everyone and family festivities were had. The whole time trying not to think this may be the last time we have Christmas together with all of us still here.

Then we had a knock at the door. Our lovely new neighbours had come to give us some food - to share their Christmas traditions. West Indian jerk chicken, patties and lots and lots of rice! In all my time in London I've never experienced that sharing - cards and small gifts yes but I thought this was really nice of them. Maybe its because they are fellow Africans and it is more the done thing to know your neighbours really well and be familier with them.

Roll on another hour and our downstairs neighbour messages me to say she has left me a little something downstairs as she was heading out to her moms for the day. Birthday rum cake! MMmm yummy!

Now the day is winding down, gifts have been put away (I will never be cold again with the amount of thermals I was given) and just waiting on the families return for some dvd time.

I hope everyone here has had a good day and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and lots of festive cheer!

...the best part of today so far has been:

Rum Cake! West Indian, home made Rum cake...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!


(and Happy Birthday to my Papa! He's 83 today!!)

Best Christmas morning evah! Sock monkey/gingerbread man JAMMIES FTW!!!!!

I am having way too much fun w/ the Norad Santa Tracker.

The two songs in question that have caused such a stir :

Joe McElderry singing The Climb - X-Factor winner 2009

vs
Rage Against the Machine singing Killing in the Name


And the winner is RATM thanks to a big campaign started on Facebook.

Info can be found here:
http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/inspect-a-gadget/2009/12/how-did-rage-against-the-machine-become-xmas-number-one-youll-never-silence-the-voice-of-the-voicele.html

As can a link to this clip where RATN attempted to follow the BBC's request of a live performance without the use of the 'lauguage' the song is known for.

A quote taken from the article reads:

"The song ends with Zack whispering the famous line 'F**k you I won't do what you tell me' building to a full on rampage. Around 8 min 28 seconds on the video below.

It was this line the Beeb asked to be censored... if the band removed the word f**k then there would be a serious problem with the message.

At first he missed out the F-word but eventually, in true metal fashion, let rip! Before the BBC presenter is heard saying 'Get rid of it!!' before the live feed gets pulled.

The presenter then apologises by saying 'Sorry we needed to get rid of that because we weren't expecting it... well, we were expecting it but we asked them not to do it but they did it anyway so buy Joe's record'."

Feeling: amused

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

I unexpectedly got today off (thank you part-time co-worker who needs money like whoa!)and I am ready for three days of rest and relaxation with Mrs. CB and the furry bastards. Sunday we will make out last holiday trip and head up to see my mom for a nice dinner. But for now, we have acquired 10 bottles of vino and 1 bottle of Prosecco so we are staying put and relaxing with TV and movies. Night at the Museum 2 anyone?

As soon as I get done with this post, I'm going to make my world famous meatballs and we will have meatball subs for lunch. Dinner tonight is gonna be these beautiful, almost 2" think NY Strip steaks, brussel sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, possibly some rice if I'm not feeling lazy, and wine!!!

Tomorrow, I am putting on my Julia Child outfit and making Beef Burgundy per Mrs. CB's request. I have never made this before and I really hope it doesn't suck. If it does, well, there will still be plenty of wine and meatballs.

So Happy Holiday my peeps! Be sure to post what Santa brought you, even if it is a Sarah Palin blow up doll (theholyinnocent, I'm looking at you!)

Thanks for all the crossed fingers - my feet were fine last night!

and no, Flitwick stayed at home for the trip - he's too new and shiny for me to want to travel w/ him just yet. I don't like to travel w/ things I like, for fear of losing them - Dh's lucky I let him come w/ me ;)

So! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!! SANTA COMES TONIGHT!!!!!!!!

For all those travelling today and tomorrow - have good trips!

(see how much more Christmasy actually sleeping more than 2 hours makes me?)

On Long Island. I was nearly killed by the cold I was forced to walk like 90 blocks through, dragging a very heavy suitcase, after getting off the train, so refused to leave the house today. So far it's working - Dh even went and brought back pizza and garlic knots.

To top that off, and probably because of it, i had NONSTOP foot cramps all night last night. I got like 2 hours of sleep, and ended up getting the worst headache of my life thanks to the sobbing in pain I did most of the night. Ugh. So today I feel awful and not at all Christmasy.

Anyway, the train from Boston was nice - very soothing! I love trains. I'm glad we decided to take it this year.

Keep your fingers crossed that my feet behave tonight?

And also, I know I rode on Sat to make up for not being in state last night, but I was very sad to not have had my lesson last night! I was left feeling very out of sorts when I saw by my watch that I should have been riding!!

also, do not try to rob my house while I am gone - the neighbors are watching it, and they are fierce ;)

also, sorry for the typos - DH's laptop keyboard hates me.

A quick and dirty way of telling the approximate age/service schedule of the airplane upon which you are flying:

If the overhead "no-smoking-when-this-sign-is-lit" sign has been replaced with a "turn-off-electronic-devices-when-this-sign-is-lit" sign, you're in pretty good shape.  If not, then the plane has probably been flying for at least a couple of years without a major overhaul.  Which is not necessarily a problem, but...

Tags: airplanes, vacation

The birds are on their way.  The growth from summer freezes in place.  And the stars shine brilliantly, unfiltered by the cold northern air.

 

Feeling: mellow

Man, I still remember seeing this on TV when it first aired! Even then I knew it was cracktastic.

I'm off to the hinterlands tomorrow to visit family, so Happy Holidays, everyone!

Tags: you tube

http://www.annabellespeaks.com/annabellespeaks/2009/12/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-massive-amounts-of-food-and-a-nap.html

Christmases #1 and #2 OF five are now behind us.  Clearly there is Much Busy Activity happening in the House of Annabelle this time of year (FIVE CHRISTMASES), thus the limited posting.  I’m only two Christmases into the season and already I am pretty much ready to sleep until New Years.  The two Christmases we had this weekend were with my in-laws, who are lovely (if slightly insane) people.  There was vegan chili-“cheese” dip, there was Chinese food, there was a snuggie gifted to my uncle-in-law, there was a “heated discussion” about Art Garfunkel (yes, really) and there was a Frenchman my brother-in-law met on the Internet who is visiting for a month.  I love them all, and I didn't have retreat to the attic for quiet time hardly at all!

joyeousjust sent this to me and I HAVE to share:

Cutest pics of ratties ever!!

Ok, not really Friday, but MY Friday! I'm leaving at 11:15, which will hopefully get us to Alewife and then to South Station in time for our 1:15 train. It really should be, as Alewife is like 20 min from here, and Alewife to South Station is like 30 min.

Eeep - Cathy and Leslie are trying to force me to leave at 11! They don't want us to miss our train. Too funny! I'm telling you - I am the model of rationality here! ;)

I am all confused - DH dropped me off, which was weird, it's Tuesday but I won't be riding, which is weird, and I'm leaving at 11:15. I'm all confused! And sure that I forgot to pack something. I hate packing. Hate it.

Someone posted a chocolate brownie cake recipe and now I WANT it. NOW. Maybe I can make it for New Year's? Though a New Year's party is not the best time for a cake-cake. Cupcakes, yes, but an actual cake? I dunno. Maybe I can make it down at DH's mom's.

My new computer continues to amaze me - this will not sound like a big deal to you all, but I can connect it to an external monitor and CLOSE THE LID!! Amazing. I can't w/ my iBook, as it cools through the keyboard. And since Flitwick is able to run the latest iTunes, I actually get to use that neato Genius function that creates playlists based on a specific song, which is just the COOLEST thing ever.

Ok, time to eat my muffin...um, I mean work...