Let the Season Begin

To begin, it is "officially" the holiday season...the turkeys have been picked clean, the cranberries are gone, and there is the hectic buzz of gift shopping in the air. I realized I was torn in my "thankfulness" over the holiday. While I am thankful to have a home, clothes, food, and family, I was also regretful of the fact my mother is thousands of miles away in Florida, my daughter was visiting her father in Michigan, no friends were around, and that because of work I couldn't actually spend much time with my husband. I know, I'm an ungrateful wretch...but its honesty of my feelings, so don't give me too hard a time. Add to it my frustration of driving the kidlet to Michigan & back...twice. On both Wednesday and Sunday I mad it to Michigan with no problems or delays. Driving back is another story. On Wednesday what is normally a 3 - 3 1/2 hour trip took over 7 hours! Sunday wasn't as bad...only 4 1/2. *sigh* 'Tis the season of travelling through Chicago.

So today is time for Christmas to go up in the house. I'm realizing that after 3 hours I'm beyond exhausted. Baby Boy has been kicking up a storm. And I'm taking a much needed rest. Christmas will simply have to come gradually this year. I think I'll start wrapping gifts...less chance for anyone to "stumble" upon something I don't want them to see before Dec. 25th!

One year o'bliss

So Sunday was our one year wedding anniversary, and it was lovely. I know that most people tend to have a special anniversary thost first few years especcially, but after a previous marriage with anniversaries that were sometime less than spectacular, my expectations tend to be rather low now. So, I was more than pleasantly surprised that the hubby took such efforts to make the weekend special.

After work on Saturday he & I had a fabulous dinner at "The Palms" in Milwaukee. It's a trendy sort of upscale place in the Third Ward (read: arts snobby part of town) with prices way more than we can't normally indulge (our meal came to just under $100...by this I mean $98...and I couldn't even have cocktails... but our friend & priest who married us had given us a $100 gift card to dine there...thank you so very much Fr. Bob!) On Sunday I was allowed to sleep in and be woken to a full English breakfast...on china & crystal, no less! It was delicious and he said he just wanted to recapture the many breakfasts we'd had on our honeymoon in the UK last year. We exchanged gifts, and I was given something I've wanted for years...mother of pearl opera glasses (the ones in the picture here)! I just love going to the ballet or theatre and the elegance of opera glasses...and now I have a set to call my own!

After breakfast we took the kidlet with us to go see "Marie Antionette" at the cinema. What a delightful film! I highly recommend it. (I must purchase the soundtrack soon.) We wandered some shops for a few hours, and then had dinner at Red Lobster, where gorged myself on all-you-can-eat shrimp scampi & coconut shrimp with pina colada dipping sauche. Yum! It was a very delicious and laid back anniversary that I'll cherish.

Evil Programming

Ok, so why is it that whenever I attempt to stray from my usual TV viewing (i.e. House Hunters, Ghost Hunters, What Not to Wear, Gilmore Girls and Top Chef) I end up seeing some horrible show about dying babies or mothers? I stopped watching ER because of this very reason...so why in God's name did I tune into an episode this morning? Sure enough...dying pregnant woman. So I flip to some random movie (Jersey Girl, I think) just in time to see Jennifer Lopez dying in childbirth! Last night I flipped it over to Gray's Anatomy (I've never seen a single episode of this show before, mind you) and see a pregnant lady fall & kill her baby. Ok...does Hollywood think this is a good storyline? As a 6 month pregnant, hormonal mess...I declare a protest! I'm going to back to my regularly scheduled shows about ghosts...its much safer.

In Knots

Overall, I’m rather pleased with the election results. I’m not going to dwell on it here, however I must say I’m beyond disgusted with the people of Wisconsin for passing the amendments on Gay marriage/civil rights and the Death Penalty. Apparently a state whose motto is “Forward” actually wants Puritanical laws denying rights to unmarried or gay couples and putting people to death. I’m repulsed. But enough on that.

Does anyone know a good way to eliminate back pain when you’re 24 weeks pregnant? To say I’m in excruciating pain is an understatement. Nightly I have the hubby slather my back in Icy Hot…which works for about 2 hours. The other 22 hours of the are unbearable. Please, if anyone can tell me what I can or can’t take, I’ll be eternally grateful.

Election Day

Remember to vote today!

Ok, that said, I haven't actually been to the polling place yet. I will, I promise. But this morning was my doctor's appointment...everything is great! The doctor is thrilled with the small weight gain I've had, baby is growing well, I'm having no complications...all is well!

Then I was off to attempt to find a decent anniversary gift for the hubby...sooo difficult to buy for! (Our one year anniversary is this coming Sunday.) Any ideas? I bought him a pair of trousers, which is no small feat as he's giant tall and uber-skinny...and a CD. Not the most romantic of gifts, I know. *sigh* Christmas will be even harder, I'm certain.

Speaking of, one of the Chicago radio stations is already playing nothing but Christmas music. I found it ironic since its actually in the 60s here today!

Oh well. NOthing more to say.

Halloween Take 2

So tomorrow is my Halloween party, an event I'm greatly looking forward to. (Though I must admit to some level stress...will I have enough food for everyone? Should I provide alcohol? How much? Will the kids be bored? But then I always stress before parties.) The theme, as I've stated before, if "Come as your favourite Literary Character...Dead!" Hubby & I will be portraying Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth...yeah, as if we haven't had enough Jane Austen in our lives lately! The kidlet will be Elphaba from "Wicked". I like my dress that I made last week...it's a lovely shade of pale yellow with a ivory overlay (similar to the drawing here). I know some of my friends will be going all out for their costumes...we're rather crazy like that. I'm certain to see gowns from the 1700s, 1890s, modern, futuristic, and just plain wacky. I can't wait!

What character would you be?

POLITICS...BE WARNED

Warning!! Political statements abound!! While we still live in a land where we “free speech” is still in the constitution, I’m going to exert my rights and make a few comments here in internet world. I may end up on some terrorist list because I don’t agree with the “powers that be”, but hey, I’ll take that chance. That said, if you don't vote next Tuesday, you don't have the right to complain!

Being a Democracy isn't easy. In fact we aren’t one..let's get over that right away. But we still have certain constitutional rights that need to be addressed. Take free speech. You may not like what I say, and you have the right to disagree. But I still have the right to say it. That includes questioning our leaders without being called "unpatriotic." Questioning our leaders and speaking your mind is the most patriotic thing you can do.

Changing the consitution to take away rights is wrong. The theory this nation was built on was equality. And seperation of church & state. If you don’t believe in equality for all people, gay or straight, you’re forgetting those two rights. Pure & simple. (And in my humble opinion, how can you pass judgement on who someone should love?)

I believe in a woman's right to choose. However, I think it should be controlled medically. Perhaps with certain limitations. It wouldn’t be my choice, and I think adoption in this country seriously needs to be readdressed with it, as well. Giving children back to drug addicts who couldn't take care of them in the first place is wrong in every way! And limiting adoption to only the wealthy is just as bad.

I think it should be an URGENT economic policy to develop an alternative fuel to oil and have it mainstream in the next five years. Take THAT OPEC and Mr. President-Whose-Family-Makes-Their-Money-From-Oil!

I think the “mission” in Iraq is a joke. Either make it a full out war and level the country already, or get out. How many young men & women must continue to die…and for what? (That or rename it “Bushland” and send him there to rule. He probably wouldn’t last a week.)

Our foreign policy should not be to play the bully. This is not the way to win friends and influence people. Other countries are starting to figure out that they can stand up to us. Our schools have “No Bullying” policies, shouldn’t our government?

I think that this healthcare thing has gotten way out of hand. I just find it wrong that politicians can accept money from pharmaceutical (or any other special interest, really). The average person simply cannot afford the high cost of health care, and God forbid if you actually get sick!

ALL public places (restaurants, bars, etc) should be NON SMOKING. "Waaaah! But people won't come to our bars anymore!" Are you kidding? If DUBLIN can do it, anyplace can do it. Ifyou lose anyone, you'll gain the same amount from people who don’t currently frequent your business because they actually want to breathe.

If you're paying $500 for a toilet seat, you should be fired. The government should have to shop at Walmart like the rest of us. How can we operate on a Deficit? If I bounce a check, I have to pay a fee. Somone please call a debt counselor for the government.

English should be the national language in the US. French is the national language in France. Italian is the national language in Italy. I should not be asked IN SPANISH if I want English or Spanish at the ATM if I live in the United States. I also think that each American gradeschooler should have to take a second language, and that everyone should have to study abroad to know that there are other countries that exist and that the US isn't the center of the world.

Politicians should never be asked to vote on a pay raise for themselves. If the people they represent aren’t making enough, why should they get any more? The end.