What's on your plate...
 

Our sanctuary was so lovely this morning...all the red poinsettias in rememberance of loved ones gone. A darling 4 year old named Bell, dressed in red velvet stepped up to the microphone and sang "Away In A Manger"...all by herself, acappella...all three verses while her parents, grandparents and the rest of us beamed through our tears.

So many of us are struggling with mixed emotions this time of year..I find it helpful to take deep breaths and remind myself that it's a celebration of joy at the birth of a baby...that it isn't about losses, it isn't about me and my regrets...it's about hope for all of us.

Hugs for the room. :grouphug:

I spoke with my husband in AZ yesterday and told him not to worry about us - to focus on enjoying his time with family.

Around 6 pm I heard a strange hissing noise in my laundry room. Opened the door to find our pipes had frozen and burst. The room was flooded, and the water was spraying ice cold water everywhere. This happened years ago, and we had a shut off valve installed - but I couldn't remember where it was with my eyes closed (due to the water spraying in my face), and I can't tell what I'm feeling due to the neuropathy in my hands.

I ran to the kitchen to turn off the main valve, but the water in the laundry room kept on spraying. :(

Grrrrrrr....My son had no idea how to fix this, so we had no choice but to call my husband. I feel like such a burden to him sometimes. I had the right valve in the kitchen - just needed to turn it a little further to shut off the water. We got the water shut off, but now the pipe in the kitchen is flowing water - a steady trickle that fills up a bucket after about 2 hours. I also noticed a faint smell of gas, and remembered they told me there was a small leak there when the village moved the gas meter to the outside a couple of years ago. I'm hoping that's not a dangerous combination - never heard of water setting off a gas explosion. :confused:

I think I'm beginning to hate this house. It scares me because I don't know how to fix it, professionals don't want to touch it, and we don't have the money to rebuild. My husband will be home tonight, and I feel bad for making him deal with this nightmare when he gets home. Being Christmas Eve, I doubt he'll be able to find a professional to help him out - and I'm not even sure if stores will be open on Christmas Eve night, in case he needs to buy plumbing materials. :(

I've gained a greater appreciation of water. We can't shower, use the restroom, or wash dishes - and I'd really like a cup of coffee. :o

(((Kathy))) What a dreadfiul thing to happen to you at this time. I am happy, though, that hubby will be home for your holiday and to help.

I never use dishwasher or washing machine and then leave the house with them running anymore! Learned that lesson the hard way! One year my daughter and I heard horrible noises coming from the laundry room. The connection to the valve had burst open and water was flying everywhere ferociously!

Much love to you and a cyber cup of coffe for a very dear friend. :hug:

I hope hubby got home to you both, safe and sound! And that you have water again. Merry Christmas KathyM. :hug:

I told my daughter i'd take her to this big mall in north OKC today. They have a Hollisters and thats her favorite place to shop... I certainly need to have my head examined.....:rolleyes:

I'm too tired to post. *grin :grouphug:

:hug:i hope you had a wonderful time and a safe trip.

i'm brain fried. frazzled. red cheecked and spotted. you wanna trade? :wink:

I'm so sorry to read that you ended up getting fifth's dear Curious...I hope you are beginning to feel better. :hug:

Goofy I had to giggle at your Hollister post having just spent the holiday with three teens, sporting Hollister shirts, jeans, yada yada....I think I mentioned to you that we live near an outlet mall that has a Hollister store in it.

Today I'm going to try to find a place for everything...Santa was very good to us as was the Man upstairs when he blessed us with such a wonderful family...

Wren...:hug: *grin

BJ...I'm praying that this coming year will bring you some peace. :grouphug:

Oh my gosh Curious!!! I was hoping you wouldn't get that. Maybe we should get you and daughter doody together so you can share your symptoms! ;) I hope it goes away soon! Daughter is better but still having problems with her wrists and hands.

I took time off from work the rest of this week which is nice, but of course I'm getting nothing done around the house. :rolleyes:

I have a chiro appt and a massage appointment this afternoon, so I'm looking forward to that.

Granddoody was adorable over Christmas and a really really good boy.

I hope Kathy got her pipes all taken care of! I talked to one of my oldest and dearest friends yesterday. She lives in SE Iowa where they have really gotten the brunt of our storms. They were without electric and hot water for 3 days from the last storm and we have another one moving through this weekend.

kathy...did you get your water fixed? how awful. i froze up the pipes one year living up north. :o

you know how men are...if they can get out their tools and get dirty...they are happy campers. kinda like we are when we can cook them a good meal. doing something the other appreciates.

i can't wait to see the pictures doody. :D

well..if i was gong to catch this..i'm glad i did it now, when the kids are off school. :rolleyes:

:grouphug:

oh...on the hollister, amercian eagle...abercrombe..aeropostle stuff....
lil'monkey has a closet full. all bought at goodwill. never paid more than $1.99 for any top...or $3.99 for jeans. takes some searching, but people donate that stuff everyday. if the kids don't mind gentle used..it's the way to go. heck..i always washed new stuff to get out the chemicals anyways. we have found many with tags on.

Curious - so sorry to hear you got it too. :(

Doody - Yep, I got running water for Christmas :D - but we had to shut off the supply to the laundry room, and our washer/dryer may be ruined. Our local laundromat closed down recently, so we'll have to travel a distance to wash our clothes. I'm not looking forward to this because I'm not able to help carry the load, and can't afford to lose any more clothes to the dryer thieves. :rolleyes: However, I'm very thankful we weren't among those who lost their electricity.

My son leaves first thing tomorrow morning, so I intend to savor this last day with him. :hug:

I was passing through and read about your problem Kathy,with my
PN it's hard to turn anything.So when this happened to me are
fire department is right down the street,I camly told them what was
going on and that my friend was out of town and I was disabled..
I also asked if they would be so kind to not to turn on the siren.
Well here they came,they turned on the siren the minute they
got in front of the house..They got out laughing got it turned
off and were great,i cried how nice they were and how lucky I
was..I don't know what I'm doing in a house,oh yes I do you can't
sell them now,well for all the money you put in them no way.
I'm glad you got it fixed and I'm sure your husband understood.
Sorry about having to go so far to wash you clothes..Hugs to all Sue

http://sp1.mm-a8.yimg.com/image/4159809844


hehehehe....thank you alffe. choccy monkey chai tea...what a better thing to make a monkey feel better?

:hug:

Your welcome dear monkey....feel better! :hug:

Grrrrrr

In buffalo to see my family

My aunt with cancer not doing well. Was at dinner with her last night and she was breaking down and whole table broke down. I imagine she is in last stages but my family is not good with docs so they dont really know.

Our rental car was vandalized last night and we are waiting for police. Hubby is being a crabby jerk while I do all the work.

Grrrrrrrrrr

:hug: i have my aim on if you need me.

Well you're not having a lot of fun are you Shelley. What's the weather doing there? :hug:

I went shopping with my mom today and tonight i'm going to my last Christmas Party. It was planned for earlier in Dec, but had to be canceled because of that crazy ice storm we had...

I think the new year is supposed to make us reflect on the past year and after reading BJ's post...The Echo, I wanted to take a minute to say how grateful I am for all of you who, though the grace of God, have been in my life these many years. You comforted me when I cried and held me up when I couldn't stand by myself. You'll never know how much you have helped me.
Your encouragement has kept me going and I am truly grateful. :grouphug:

:hug:

that's an awfuly full plate there mrs alffe. it is wonderful to have friends help unload it. as y'all have done for me so many times.

psst..i hear shelley has fudge. :wink:

:hug: Alffe I hope you're enjoying your wonderfully lazy day, all comfy and cozy with a good book :D

*grin....don't leave out the nap part. :D

Well so far it's been veeery interesting! SNOW! Lots of it...our guy finally came and plowed us out...even did the bricks up to the hot tub..:o..what can I say...he's young. :D

The temperature has been dropping all morning..it's down to 7 now and our garage door won't open. Guess I'll have to continue having cabin fever for now.

An entire flock of those awful big black birds have discovered the feeders and have driven off all the pretty birds...what a racket they are making..drives Cooper wild.

Bizi called from Indianapolis and they have started the long drive home...left a day early cause the weather was scaring them...cold wind..little snow. She said she'd had no access to a computer since she left here and was suprised when I told her about the birthday threads for her..she asked me to 'splain why she hasn't responded.

I'm going to spend the afternoon putting away the decorations. And then curling up with my book!

What's on your plate?......................

I just heard on the weather here in Ok. about all the lake effect snow in your part of the world Alffe.... I hope you guys are staying warm.... I wont complain about the "cold" north wind blowing here today.:rolleyes: i have no real plans for the day. today is the last day of the kiddos Christmas Break, so i'm sure as soon as sis gets out of bed she'll want to go somewhere.
{{HUGS}}} for the room

We used to get a lot of crows in our mulberry tree out back. My husband shot peanuts at them with a slingshot through an open window. We got rid of the crows, but attracted a lot of squirrels. We couldn't drive them off with peanuts because they stood their ground and tried to catch them. Oh well, at least it kept them busy and away from the bird feeders. :D

I hope Bizi has a safe trip back.

It's VERY cold here. This morning the wind chills were -22. I feel SO BAD for our homeless people. The news reporters showed some of them huddling together to keep warm under flimsy blankets, but I know that's still not enough. :(

((Hugs)) back atcha Goofy (and everyone else too) :grouphug:

I can't SEE the plate .... it's covered with cold

LOL i have this visual of these squirrels standing on their hind legs grabbing the peanuts as they go whirling by :wink:
its a cold morning here as well, I just checked the thermometer and its warmed up to 12 degrees :rolleyes:. They say its suppose to be in the 60s by the weekend.... such crazy weather. I hope everybody has a good day!!!:hug:

http://re3.mm-a6.yimg.com/image/3476913003

here's a hot plate for you wren. :wink:

how about a nice warm hug? :hug:

cold here to vicky. i was soooo not wanting to take the kids to school.

Well, it's been so cold here as well...I pulled a 'Kathy' and came home Tuesday night to frozen pipes. :( I was so upset. No water anywhere! Luckily, the fellas that I hired to come out the next morning said no pipes were burst. Just the same, it came at a time when I was/am feeling extremely depressed and I was...well, just suffice it to say, upset. :rolleyes:

Granddoody apparently got in a fight yesterday at the babysitter's house. He and the other little boy (close to granddoody's age) got in a pulling and fighting contest over a toy, and granddoody ended up getting a gash under his eye. :rolleyes:

Well, I know for certain that it was the other kids fault. Our lil Doody is an angel. :winky:

Really bad luck about the pipes...do they still say leave a trickle of water running so that doesn't happen or is that an old wives tale.

I'm sorry you're feeling depressed my friend...it's a January condition I think. :hug:

((Alffe)) thanks. I'm surprised at how hard the depression sometimes hits. It can be scary.

And yes! I'm sure that the other child was at fault, but of course! :)

You know, I watched Spongebob Squarepants SO much over the holidays because little man loves it, that I can now do this....

OHHHHHHHH! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea!?

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!

Absorbent and yellow and porous is he!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!

If nautical nonsense be something you wish!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!

Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish!!!!!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!

READY!?

SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants....

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!!!!!! HAHA!