Mr Freeze is winning

I can handle the snow. To a point. If it snows, and hangs around for a day or two, that's cool. This 6 snow storms in 6 days, followed by the coldest temperatures in two years? That's a problem. I even cancelled plans yesterday, because I was so freakin' cold I couldn't stand the thought of going back outside. Sigh. So, I know I've been lax with this here blog. Mea culpa. A quick weekend in review. Friday I didn't go to work. I had hit the wall. I'm in that mode right now where I have a lot of plans, I say yes to, well, everything. I got tired. And, of course, we had Another snow storm on Friday. So, I stayed home from work on Friday. It was everything I needed it to be. I wrapped all of the presents (once I remembered what was for who), I watched three movies. I finished reading Twilight. I ended up cancelling my plans Friday night too, I was too comfortable in my cozy little apartment. It was exactly what I needed. Saturday Laura and I went to dinner, and then to the Daily. She had never been there, and was curious. We picked a good night to go because pretty much everyone I know there was there, both staff and customers. I had this tasty little beer called Skull Splitter. I highly, highly recommend this beer. It's from Scotland. It's 8.9% people - what more do you need? Go get you some, you won't be disappointed. Sunday I headed to Montgomery IL for breakfast with the godmother. My godmother is awesome. I get the feeling she feels about me the same way I feel about my goddaughter. Mimi is one of my dad's best friends from forever. When I became Catholic in third grade, Mimi became my godmother. Anyway, she lives out in the middle of nowhere, and we go to her house every year for breakfast right before Christmas. It was a great time. Her granddaughter showed up and joined us for breakfast, which was nice. The only problem was it was so so so cold yesterday. When my parents picked me up at 8am, it was -6 with a -30 windchill. That's why VonSis and I ended up cancelling our plans last night. We just couldn't get ourselves to go back outside. I swear it took me about an hour to warm up after I got home from breakfast. Today isn't much better. I got up and got myself by just not thinking about it too much. I have noticed a happy thing this holiday season - I've heard more and more people saying "Merry Christmas" more than the standard lame "Happy Holidays". Every time someone says "Merry Christmas" to me, I respond, enthusiastically, in kind. I think it just sounds better, I don't know. I will try, really try, to blog again this week, but it may not happen. It's just an incredibly busy time right now. Hopefully I will have something entertaining to share after Christmas. Wishing you all and all of your families and friends a very Merry Christmas, or a Happy Hanukkah, or a happy last week in December, whatever you'll be celebrating this week.

Auntie Mame

I didn't hate it. I'm not going to lie, I was a little unsure at first, but the company that I kept last night made it a hilarious round of good time. My favorite line? "I'm ya SPONGE!" I'm going to use that. A lot. (If you haven't seen this movie, rent it. NOW. If only for that line, it's worth it) Sigh. Right now? Looks like we're livin' in a snow globe. I do love working on the 30th floor downtown! Not really looking forward to heading home. Not just a major snow storm, but cold as hell. COLD. H A T E W I N T E R. I know, I know. Weekend review and all of that. No time, my friends, no time. Tonight, you say? Um, well, I would, except that I am going to dinner with my friend Toni, and following that up with a movie..... What movie, you quander? Well, um, let's just say we're going to be lecherous cougars leering at some fine young vampire meat..... I know. I know. Let the harassing and haranguing begin..... (p.s. I know quander may not be a word, but I liked it, so I left it in)

Dod Gamn

Busy weekend, busy life = no time for weekend in review. I'll get back to you on that. Right now? Going to sit on a radiator and try to get feeling back into my body. God Damn Chicago. God Damn 7 degrees, with a 15 below wind chill. God Damn Monday.

Happy Friday

I find that giving someone a piece of my mind gives me peace of mind. I'm having lunch with Shannon today. She's bringing me my first Bake Off entry to sample and judge. Where are your entries?!? I've got nothing else as of yet today. But with the monstrous full moon, you never know what could come spilling out of my brain.

28 is not so bad

I like to read. A lot. So, this year I decided to keep a list of all of the books I've read. I think it's late enough in December to share the list with you. Let me warn you, I don't stick to any one type or style of book. So, here goes. Please, don't judge. 1. My Boring Ass Life 2. Wheel of Darkness 3. The Tenth Circle 4. The Thirteenth Tale 5. The Pact 6. The Mistress of Death 7. Lucky 8. The Will of Wisteria 9. Keeping Faith 10. Open Me 11. Five Quarters of the Orange 12. The Worst Day of My Life So Far 13. The Memory Keeper's Daughter 14. Left Behind 15. Hunting Unicorns 16. Tribulation Force 17. Bloodsucking Fiends 18. Nicolai 19. The Collectors 20. Soul Harvest 21. Blessed are the Cheesemakers 22. Apollyon 23. Ysabel 24. Book of the Dead 25. Mercy 26. World War Z 27. Story Telling 28. Kitchen Confidential 29. Twilight (I'm just starting this. Damn peer pressure) Phew. This is quite a list. To be honest, I didn't finish #12, I ended up hating it about a quarter of the way in and I didn't finish. It's very rare for me to not finish whatever I'm reading. If I start a book, I feel like I owe it to the book, or maybe to myself to read it all the way through. I also do not read more than one book at a time. Again, I consider it a disservice to myself, and to the books. My sister and I read All The Time. Our mom instilled this practice in us at very young ages. I don't remember a time when we didn't go to the library, or read books to earn Cubs tickets from the library, or get books as gifts for Easter and Christmas and sometime birthdays. Sadly, VonMom is very very off when selecting books for me. The ONE type of book I will not read is chic lit. I'd rather rip out my own teeth with a rusty pair of pliers and call that a good time. So, of course, VonMom gives me chic lit. My favorite story about that is this: A few Christmases ago I got a book from VonMom. She was all excited because it was about two sisters, and one was blonde and one was a brunette, and the blonde was the younger party gal and the brunette um, wasn't, yada yada yada. I read the first few pages of this Jennifer Weiner crap "And the little blonde one was having rough sex in the bathroom at her high school reunion with some random dude and aren't I so witty with my peppy prose?" Instead of just putting it down and not finishing it, I called VonMom and read her the first few choice pages. I said "Isn't this just so, like, great?" She wasn't amused. From then on she's asked for recommendations either from me or from the poor Barnes and Noble staff who indulge her lenghty description of me and my life story, so they can help her pick out a book or two. VonSis? VonMom buys her whatever giant huge tome she can find. Regardless of subject matter. Sigh. Thank God my sister and I have each other to book swap with and compare notes. We're like our own mini book club, but kinda like one on crack, with the speed she flies through books, and me trying to keep up. Best book on the list above? Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay. But, I will say, he's been my favorite fantasy writer since I was about 13, so that may be a little skewed. *Side note: YES, there are a few of the Left Behind series on the list. However, I was strongly adivsed, and I strongly agreed to stop reading the series. Not only was it boring and weird, it left a bad taste in my mouth. If anyone would like the authors' names or any more info on any of the above, please let me know.

Yawn

Saturday was my third annual cookie and ornament swap. Pretty much my whole weekend revolved around that. Friday night was bake and prep. I really wanted to go over to the Old Town craft fair, there were a couple of things I wanted to pick up, but I had to get stuff done. Alas, the work of a hostess is never done. Saturday morning while I was taking my "pretzel things" off the cookie sheets they had cooled on overnight there was a loud knock on the door. Oh, yes, that's right. Saturday was also St. Nick's day. VonMom was standing outside my front door in the snow with St. Nick's bags for me and VonSis. The upside of having to see her so early in the morning was I got an invite to join my parents for breakfast at my dad's favorite diner down the street. I put down the spatula and put on some jeans and headed over for some pumpkin pancakes. So good. My cookie party people showed up around 3pm, all in their pjs, all ready to drink, eat and swap some cookies. I had about 15 ladies over. It was awesome. I'm pretty sure everyone had a great time. There was a lot of laughing going on. VonMom ended up holding court in the living room for quite a while. I had to put the kibash on her filling in all of my friends on our gypsy heritage, and her idea that I have powers. Yes, she was sober. I ran into the room when I heard the beginnings of this story out of her mouth. She just kept talking. Sigh. I won't be able to live this down for a while. Quite a few of my guests stayed pretty late, until 10:30 or so. I was so tired I didn't have a chance to clean up 100%. I always like to clean up the same day of whatever party I am throwing, so I can have the next day to relax. Didn't work out that way this time. Sunday morning VonSis woke up with a hangover. Though I did dishes, and ran some errands, she stayed on my couch pretty much all day. It doesn't bother me too much. Sil1x told me that I am a good hostess, and that I threw a great party. She's a party-hostessing master, so those words made the cleaning meatball sauce off my wall, and scrubbing wine rings off the counter, and taking out 5 bags of garbage out in 15 degree weather all worth it. I can't wait for next year! Happy Monday.

C is for cookie

That's good enough for me! Two cookie related items: 1. Tomorrow is my third annual cookie and ornament swap. Generally a big hit. This year all guests are coming in pajamas, and they've requested more food. Ask and you shall receive!! There will be a ton of food. My annual party is a good time. A bunch of women get their drink on - we have peppermint schnapps and hot cocoa, vodka and cranberry gingerale, wine both white and red, beer - and bring a dozen homemade cookies and a wrapped ornament. They each get a festive tin and get to pick out a dozen or so different cookies to take home, and a new ornament. Yep good times. Am I ready for this at all?? Nope. Not at all. I'm lucky my house is decorated. I managed to bring the party tables into the house yesterday and mop the floor, but there's no food and no cookies yet. Sigh. It's going to be a looooong night tonight. 2. The Bake-Off is upon us!!! Team Chicago and Claire are eagerly awaiting your entries!! Valuable and super-awesome prizes await you!! Did I mention first and second place get to be the judges next year? Comment here if you'd like further details.....