Speaking of the soap thing...comments like this make me mad.

What will the world do without bad actors, bad writing and plotlines in shows that try to make one believe that there are towns and cities with only three families and 22 people in total and they are all doctors and nurses and captains of industry. Cancel away!


Anyways, we are in our new house but won't get our stuff until tomorrow. I really look forward to not sitting on the ground anymore. I look forward to the girls being in a crib instead of their pack n plays.

I am thankful today that this part of VA hasn't gotten any snow, only brr temperatures, not bad.

It's been freezing here the past few days.

Lucy, who's always gone bonkers whenever we build a fire, is finally getting used to it. Consequently, we've had cozy fires every night for the past week. I hate to say it, but I think that part of the change is that her hearing has changed a bit, so the snaps and pops don't disturb her quite so much anymore.

We've had a bitch of a time decorating our trees, thanks to China. I got an early start this year, and I'm not done yet. That's because half of the lights we had left from earlier years had seen better days, and 30% of the new strings we got either didn't work at all, or only half of them did. Grrrrr...

KaeEll, I never thought that I would stop buying fresh trees, but we finally gave that up many many years ago. And I don't miss them. If you want a fresh pine scent in your holiday household, buy a fresh garland, but there are so many benefits to an artificial tree that it's worth the change. (1) It's the "green" thing to do, (2) the better quality trees really do look real, and need to be touched to tell the difference ,(3) they don't drop sharp needles, (4) they're far less expensive over time, (5) you can bend the branches to accommodate your ornaments, (6) they don't hurt you when you're either decorating them or undecorating them, and (7) they're easily taken down.

Go to: www.christmasinamerica.com. This is a company that bought a family-owned company years ago that was called Hudson Valley Trees. That's who made our artificial tree. The model we bought doesn't appear to be available anymore, but the closest one to what we have is the Alberta Pine. It's slightly blue, but not overly so, and the brown on the branches really does look real. This company is also having a great sale right now too!

Our tree is 7.5 feet which leaves enough room for an angel at the top, and is the "blue" style.

Put something over the base, and people will never know the tree is artificial. And you'll never have the problem of frozen water or leaks again! Just THINK of that...

Moore, I would buy another artificial tree (we had one for years) in a heartbeat, but Ted seems to want the real thing and I have to pick my issues. Sometimes it's just not worth fighting about something like this. And he DOES dig in his heels. I'm resigned to walking through this misery until the whole f***ing holiday is over and I can put it (yet again) behind me. I wish with all my heart that it wasn't so, but alas...

I will post a pic of the new front hall. The painter gave me the shock of the day when he quoted me nearly $2200 to paint out the oak kitchen cabinets in Benjamin Moore Palace White!! I have to rethink that one!! The counter top will be replaced with a new composite of quartz stone in a creamy white and brown but I was advised to wait until spring when the windows can be thrown open for that part.

Today's backs and forths will be longer than usual as mother is getting the works at the spa. I'll amuse myself in the wait with some latte and banana bread from the coffee shop and by reading all the gossip magazines at the salon, lol.