well, I'm *kinda* cheating, dearie...

mi esposo installed LINUX, so this Toshiba Satellite laptop ACTS sorta like a Mac, which is helpful, really, really helpful.

*I just LOVE having a geeky husband, lol!*

now, if the power supply capacitors would arrive in the mail, we MIGHT be able to get the eMac going again.. wish me luck!

:grouphug:

LOL. totally understand that. The only time I worry is when I hear a gleeful cackle from my hubby's office :D

What the HEY happened here last night?!?!?!?!

Or should I say in the wee hours of the morning. lol

Becky, Kay, and Frank - I sure hope you all got some sleep.

Renee - Thanks for checking in. We missed you.

Kay - Geeks rule!!! LOL I tell DDs that all the time. Geeks make far better boyfriends than jocks.

Fin - How was the pizza last night? I hope you feel more "energized" today.

Sandy - Glad things are coming together for you in the kitchen. Patiently waiting for pictures. *insert smilie with tapping foot* lol

Good morning everyone else. Hope you all have a great day/weekend.

Good morning everyone ... i know ... it's been awhile since i last was on but frank has been keeping me abreast on everything that has been going on here ... to say the least ... it's been one hectic month here ... not sure what all frank has told you about our "life" here the last month ... between the new job ... which i love and am doing really good at too ... and my son deciding to move in with his girlfriend .. that he met online but had never met in person and lives close to 4-5 hours from us... needless to say ... i haven't had too good of a time handling this ... doing better now though and he seems to be happy so ... we will just wait and see and hope that it does work out for him... anyway ... good morning and ... i'm back!!!!

Top O the morn to ya,:Tip-Hat:

lol Kelly that was my first thought hmmm bill collectors, big, really big birds, whole new concept to sesame streets big bird

Hey mrs Fix it, relax today have fun, who are the huskies playing, I will watch it if its on, and root for them, maybe get to spot yall on tv. Howdy Jim

Kay enjoyed our talk muy mucho, curious though, I didnt get the SHARPLY (lol frank) part of that message, what did I did, sorry i made you talk about things you miss I was trying to be sardonic about the new english language up this ways, as always:hug: peace

speaking of peace hiya Trish, how are YOU doing today? hope this finds you doing well, enjoy the company

Morning early birds, Yes I miss Renee and her rapier of wit:hug: but knowing you are doing well is good. I am so glad for you, how are you doing, well I hope.

Sandy dont be talking about this guy :santa: yet, please, we are up a creek too debs is gonna try to sock some away, our xmas contribution is slowly going up in smoke via petrol

everyone i missed, i am sorry its just pure selective memory, my brain selects what it will allow me to recall some days its not much yesterday was a good day in that dept. today well, so so, so far so long



peace

Frank - Just an idea . . .

Ever since we were really little we picked names about a month before Christmas. The rule was you had to make the gift. As time went on, we got married, had kids, jobs, etc. some got away from it. This past Christmas, more of us made the gifts than not.

One of my brothers spent days in the kitchen cooking a months worth of meals from my brother and his daughter. He packaged them up and frozen them so all my brother had to do was pull it out of the freezer and microwave it and dinner was done. (Trust me, I was over there when he was cooking and he made some dang good food!!!)

One of my sisters made fleece blankets for another sister, her husband, and her 3 sons.

Another brother made a poster size "picture" of himself as one of my sisters was complaining she had no recent pictures of him. He took a picture of a some good looking hunk, put his own face on it, brought it somewhere and had made in to a life size poster. lol He did something else for her, I just can't remember.

I painted a painting for my brother.

My older brother made me the most awesome domino set out of wood. He cut them all sanded them, drilled the little dots on them, stained and sanded, stained and sanded until they were perfectly smooth. Absolutely beautiful.

One year one of my sisters tie dyed and/or dyed pajamas for the girls and I. They were great and we loved them.

The girls and I have made clay (salt dough and/or Fimo) finger puppets and "paper dolls" for their little cousins.
These handmade gifts mean so much more to me than anything else. I actually still have one that my little brother made me 20 something years ago.

Your photography is so awesome you could certainly make some fantastic gifts with those.

thank you Trish, I love what your bro did, thats really coo,l I bet he has wished for those tv dinners a million times since, I know I would of, heck I probably would of cried when i pulled the last one out lol

Here's what we're doing this Christmas. It takes the pressure off everyone from having to decide what to get someone who really doesn't "need" anything.

We're sponsoring an elderly couple and buying them gifts instead of ourselves. There is an organization that's been in this county for years and years and I got the names from them. We get a profile of the couple (no names), a "needs and wants" list and what, if anything, they might be allergic to. We buy, wrap and deliver the gifts to this organization (The Quinn House / Signs & Wonders) and they are either picked up or delivered to the family.

We have a couple who is 74(DW) & 79(DH) years old. The things that they've asked for are slippers, warm pajamas, toiletries (like toothbrushes, comb, brush, hand lotion, etc.). These are basic necessities...yet they are requesting them for Christmas.

Nobody in my family is in need of anything. Both boys agree that we will just buy for these folks and not each other. No surprises....or the guilty party will be wet-noodle whipped!

I can't wait to start wrapping and getting everything ready. We'll still have our family Christmas dinner. I'm hoping this will start a new tradition for us. :)

Kelly - What a great idea!!!! Oh, and don't forget t.p., paper towels, napkins, etc. as these are not covered with food stamps and/or most assistance. People tend to forget about that and being the recipient of such food "baskets" and toiletries, the toiletries were such a luxury and money saver for us. (We had the food stamps).

I hadn't thought of that, Tricia. Thanks!! :)