I present this week’s photo challenge at I Heart Faces, a scenic Black and white.
Nothing better when backpacking thank a nice cooling swim in one of the prettiest places…nothing is worse than the tent flattening winds and the pounding rains that chased away the sun (and the moon for that matter).
It’s been a while since I’ve done a Wedded Wednesday post. Partially because the post I link up with has been busy bringing their bundle of joy home through a snow storm.
Then there’s my lack of blog postings because I got a job. Frankly, it’s handing me my rear on a platter. Simple classes aren’t supposed completely drain you (although, yesterday I felt more energetic after work than I have in a while, so I made cookies. You want some? Come visit—just pardon my dust bunnies).
And then there’s my "little project" that I’ve been spending a lot of time on. People go shopping! =>Pick a Little Brown Cow link, any link=> => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => => =>=> => =>
But seeing as tomorrow/today is Thanksgiving, I just can’t skip this post this week.
This little venture was discussed/conceived of/twinkled-in-my-eye back here in October. It was a thought, an idea. An I-probably-could-do-it-I’m-not working-I-have-time project. I just needed someone on board who, um, had some artistic talent. I’ve got some, but none to spare, if you catch my drift.
What’s that? What does that rambling have to do with Wedded Wednesday you ask?
Why, it has everything to do with it. I would never of actually gone forward with it if hubs hadn’t said “that’s a good idea, you should do it.” And so, I did it. WE did it—clearly the Little Brown Cow isn’t mooing without Brandy (you see how I did that? Mooing? You got it…sorry. Bad jokes are genetic).
But hubs gave me the confidence to spread the confidence. And, Brandy, you know what? We are going to make this take off!
And throughout this whole process, hubs repeatedly lets me know he’s proud of me for following though, putting so much time and effort in this, and, even with his support and confidence in us, he was surprised at how professional the final work is. (See, professional…buy it! buy it! buy it!) It’s not unique in the product field (nursery décor), but that design, it’s pretty-Brandy-unique.
And so I am so thankful that I have a husband that says, Go for it! Dream your dreams…and together we’ll watch them take off.
That’s what I’m thankful for today…how about you? What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving from the Hubs and I!
). Goodness knows we’re new at this.
: 
Thanksgiving. You ever heard of that one? Pilgrims? Indians? Cornucopias? Turkeys?
You know the one represented by images such as this one?
More importantly it’s the holiday that reminds us to be thankful for what we have and to lend aid to those less fortunate. It’s a holiday that reminds us to think of those things we should be grateful for…. everyday. It reminds us what we take for granted.
However…
Apparently we jump from this:
TO This:
…draping these two holiday with commercialism. Halloween? Face it, it’s commercial. Completely.
Christmas? There is meaning loaded into the very essence of the holiday. Religion is at it’s core. Religion is why we give gifts (well at least it used to be. Now? Much is commercial nowadays for many people). Religion led to the putting up of trees, religion is behind the carols. Religion is even behind Santa Claus.
But now? Now Christmas is so commercialized. So much so that the doorbells are barely done ringing from trick-or-treaters (if Halloween has even occurred at all yet) before the stores are playing Christmas carols, hanging decorations, putting up trees, etc. But do you know what’s worse?
Radio Stations. Christmas Carols, 24/7. Now. Today. Well actually Friday. I can’t avoid it. I need to listed to traffic reports, weather and news. I. Can’t. Avoid. It. And it drives me mad. Do people not know that Thanksgiving, that all important holiday, isn’t until Thursday? Thursday, people.
Let’s give thanks. Let’s remember. Let’s help each other.
And then?
Then we can sing carols. But first, let me (let us) have our Thanksgiving.
kthanksbye.
So today was my first day of four letter acronym bank employment. But what I’m really really doing (besides answering phones) is still a little bit of a mystery. Today was orientation day, aka fun bank history, policy and benefits day. Maybe tomorrow a little corner of the curtain will be lifted. Or not.
The Sabres won in a very exciting overtime so that was quite nice to see.
Other than than that and some work on this here project, there isn’t much to post about today. But I am very hopeful that soon I’ll spill the beans…don’t get too excited. I will tell you I didn’t win the lotto.
Monday starts a new adventure. And I don’t think I’m ready! Well I’m up for changes and new starts, but I got used to going back to bed after making hubs’ coffee and lunch. I got used to chilling at home, getting projects done, cuddling with the kitties and getting to see my family a lot. The sentiments from this post, did stick around too long. I quickly learned that sitting around job hunting on the computer all day didn’t accomplish anything. So I’d dedicate time to it everyday, but other than that I worked on the Grandpa’s house, my house, etc.
Going back to work means a steady paycheck—unemployment is the shiza. Yep, a scam. My determination was reverse; I suspect I’ll be asked to pay what I go back. I’m going to talk to an attorney, but I suspect that since I only actually received about four weeks of unemployment pay, the attorney will cost just ask much. But man does it irk me that my former boss wins. They determined that since I was employed by this employer for five years and that I didn’t try to work things out, I didn’t deserve it. I think the five year thing is a crappy excuse and I did try to work things out. Oh well.
Going back to work, especially for the first few weeks of class and training, means leaving my house when I used to GET UP for my last job-gah! Hubs is gonna have to make his own lunch—and I’m gonna have to figure out what I want in mine. I’ll probably still make coffee though because I’m. Gonna. Need. It.
For the first few weeks I get to fight with parking—and pay for it ***UPDATE: My new manager just called to welcome me and answer questions…I don’t have to pay for parking!!!***. The subway station is as far as the office sooo that’s not worth it. Once I start my shift I get paid parking.
Once I start working, I’m not going to be able to lunch with the mother every week 
. No more choir practice, no more AFS meetings, and no more Sabres games.
It is sad. But I’ll deal. I’ve worked worse.
So today, I will enjoy my last weekday off…well until Thanksgiving that is. Time to chill with my lazy little ones.
Perhaps it is Abraham Lincoln who said it best in his Gettysburg Address…
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us …”
It is our job to continue their unfinished strive to end the war. It is our job to work for peace so that we will have no need for soldiers and their sacrifices…and so that families will not be divided or destroyed.
But as we have not yet reached that point in this world, we must remember to remember, and to thank our veterans.
I am thankful for mine:
Linking up with Johanna for this week’s Wedded Wednesday.
When days turn cruddy, and you hurt your finger on a railing going to get fingerprinted so you can prove you aren’t a criminal, then you forget bags (yes, as in more than one) of groceries in the shopping cart at the grocery store, and other things hit the fan. It’s good to remember you have this:
At times it’s ok to be “me” and “I”, but often “we” is better.
I have taken over making the majority of the cakes for the family birthdays. It helps my mom out and I have fun. Sometimes I run out of originality…sometimes I’m inspired.
Over the years I have done such cakes such as this/these for Mark and Eric who share a birthday:
Soccer field and hockey rink
Ladybug
Big 3-0
Flowers
Mountainscape
But the one I made yesterday…well it takes the cake…har,har,har… We were celebrating Wendy and Peter’s birthday on the same day. They wanted two different types of cake, of course. Chocolate with Peanut Butter frosting and Funfetti with Strawberry frosting. And I needed a way to transport them both. So I sliced them, frosted them and voila. You now have a….
…caterpillar-worm-snake. What? I’m not actually supposed to know what I made am I. Mid-creation I was expecting disaster to be the best outcome. But I think it’s kinda cute. Don’t you?
First noteworthy item, the hubs has whipped the ‘puter into shape. It’s up and marching along. Yay!
But back on topic. As part of the employment process with the four letter acronym-ed bank, I must complete a series of steps.
First, there’s the education and employment background review. Education=easy, they call my school. Employment? Well, I didn't want them contacting my former boss as I’m sure you can all understand. Therefore, I had to provide the company doing the background search with five years worth of W-2s. Within 72 hours. Now I knew I have three years. Five, wasn’t so sure. Luckily when we bought out house I requested five years from the IRS. I dug up the house paperwork and *voila* five years. Then I had to fax them. Which I did, via my computer, a scanner and a phone line. Technology is wonderful (Thanks Kurt).
Then I peed in a cup. I told hubs “today I peed in a cup.” He turns to me with the most horrified look on his face and said “I hope not! Why would you do that?” I couldn’t help but laugh. You see, I had to also be drug tested before employment. Which was the most you-are-a-criminal-feeling process. And, well, kinda gross. The you-are-a-criminal-feeling part may seem pretty obvious. They put a blue chemical in the toilet to make sure you peed, you can’t flush the toilet, you sign things, blah, blah, blah. But the gross part? Well the sink in the bathroom didn’t work. So you have to wash your hand in the “exam room” (or whatever they call the room). But you bring your nice “sample” to said exam room. And, before you wash your hands, they hand you a pen. Sign and date here. Open this, put the cover on there. Then the woman took the pen and cup from me. THEN I could wash my hands. I guess after thinking about it, I’m glad I washed my hands after touching the who-knows-where-it’s-been pen. But throughout this process, the woman DID NOT WEAR GLOVES. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.
And tomorrow, I will be fingerprinted.
Because, clearly, I am a criminal, just look. Robbing Minnie’s fridge… the nerve.
As previously mentioned, Sarah and a camera begets crazy randomness. The downside (upside?) of a digital camera is the removal of self-control where a camera is involved.
Let’s have a peek…
And because there were almost seventy pictures from Sarah’s randomness, I have created this here album for those who really want to see how nutso she is.
On Saturday night we attended a Halloween party thrown by one of hubs’ co-workers. Hubs also had a wig that really completed his Hercules (or the retired Hercules as he called it) costume, but I failed to get a picture of it. We are hoping a co-worker will have a good picture.
We were asked to make this “adult” snack. We will now make them for every party we go to…ok well maybe not every. I present Rummy worms.
Hercules sure does look good in the kitchen doesn’t he.
Because of Disney and our travelling (or at least that’s my excuse) I failed to decorate for Halloween, but I couldn’t leave it like that. So on Halloween I carved pumpkins and decorated the house. Last year we had almost 70 trick-or-treaters so I felt the effort would be worth it. This year we only had 35. By 7:30, they were done. What a disappointment. Oh well.
I present my decorations:
