More North Dakota Stuff - continued

Started this on 9/6/07 - I think it may be time to finish it.....

It's a continuation of this post.

Lynn Anderson- I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden.....Born in Grand Forks in 1947, Lynn was a major country star in the early 70's.

Harold Schafer - The founder of the Gold Seal company, makers of Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath! He was also instrumental in turning the tiny town of Medora into a major toursist attraction and he is the father of former North Dakota governor Ed Schafer, the current nominee for Secretary of Agriculture.

Charlie Korsmo - Child actor who starred as "Kid" in Dick Tracy, now all grown up with a degree in physics from MIT and has a Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School. He's currently working at a NYC law firm.

Peggy Lee - Born in Jamestown, she is famous for singing "Fever" and one of my faves - "The Siamese Cat Song" from Lady and the Tramp.

Darin Erstad - Another Jamestown native, Darin played major league baseball for the Angels from 1996-2006. He is currently a free-agent.

Josh Duhamel - Can you say yummy??? This hunk is from Minot and if memory serves, my brother's wife's brother was in the same graduating class..... So I kinda sorta know him, ya know? Las Vegas, Transformers, Fergie - this guy is good.....and he is part-owner of a restaurant in Minot that I can't afford to eat at.

Jonny Lang - aka "Kid" Jonny Lang....at least that's what he was before he left the state....But I guess when you release your first album at the age of 13, we can call you Kid! Born in Fargo, in 1981, this blues guitar player rocks!!

And of course, everybody's favorite --- Cooth --- but you already knew that!!

Traveler IQ Challenge

This game is completely addictive! I gotta go study ---- I can't get past level 6.

Nippertails

I made this hat for my neice - the turtle necks at the top are for putting her pony tails through! Can't wait to see it on her!

You can find the pattern for it here.

And now - I'm working on a pair of matching mittens! This is my first attempt at mittens - so far, so good.....

Must Be Damn Good Pie!

Taken at Hardee's in Jamestown, ND

12/25/2007

Kung Pao Christmas

I can't believe it! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!?!?! Already? How did that happen? I'll be working til noon, then taking off to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my parents. I'm the only one of the 4 offspring that will be there. Nice quiet time.

On Christmas day I will be visiting Tb in Jamestown for the last time. He has a 4 hour pass, so we will be going out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant. (Thank the Lord they are godless heathens and remaining open for the day) Then we will probably try to see a movie. Don't know what's playing there, but lucky for me, I have access to the Jamestown newspaper so will check that out tomorrow morning.

Lately it seems to get harder and harder to get into the Christmas spirit. About 4 years ago, our artificial tree just looked way too sad to bother putting it back in the box, so we threw it out and planned on buying a new one the next year. Or maybe even getting a real tree for a couple of years. Well, that didn't happen - my Grandma died, so the only decorating I got done was to put up a 3' pre-lit tree and that was only done because my nephews were staying with me for a couple of days. Last year, I got the tree out, but could only find 2 of the three legs it needed to stand up. This year, just never even bothered.

Then I saw it. A purple tinsel pre-lit tree. I found it last weekend at Menard's in Aberdeen. I loved it. I wanted it. But, decided against buying it. About 30 miles out of Aberdeen, I wanted to turn around and go back and get it. But didn't. So today, I went to our local Menard's and they had the tree!! But not only is it available in purple.....there is also a lime green, red, turquoise and a silver one!!! Now what do I do? Oh here's a great idea - buy the purple one AND the silver one. But wait - there's more!!! There was also a nice regular 6' green tree with clear lights, oh and since the tinsel trees are 3' tall, I need some smaller ornaments to go on them, let's throw in some of them too.....So $64.50 later, I have 3 Christmas trees and new ornaments.....The trees are still in the car....I probably should go get them before I go to bed.
And store them til next year....

Merry Christmas to you all!!

Christmas Music

I love Christmas music. I could listen to it year round. But I don't. Well, occassionally one will sneak in on my Yahoo radio station.....but that's okay. But during the holiday season, I have a "Mood" of Christmas songs. Heard one yesterday that was great. "The Dreydl Song" by Another Man Down. So of course, I had to "Google" it to see if I could find a link so my friends could hear it and in the process found a great website! It's called Song a Day. Since Thanksgiving, E (the author) has been posting Christmas songs and one was the song I was in search of. It will probably take me days to get through this site, but I'm pretty sure it will be worth it! Here are links to the Christmas songs that I'm really digging:

The Dreydl Song - Another Man Down
Elf's Lament - Barenaked Ladies
Bjallerklang - ABBA (Jingle Bells in Swedish)

Check them out! They're fun!

Bragging

On the official website of the state of North Dakota, there is a section of postcards. I submitted a couple of my frosty photos and they are now on there! On my way to fame and fortune.....

Happy Birthday to Me!!

It's my birthday! So far it's been a pretty good one. Last night the stitch and bitch group met at my favorite watering hole instead of the library. I got some ho-made fudge, some yarn, some ho-made cherry/raspberry conserve and a dishcloth. Today I got a card from Tug that made me cry, a verbal greeting from my Donny that made me swoon, a card from a co-worker that had me in stitches and now, I get to go to a staff meeting. Woo-hoo!

Leave your gifts in the comments section please!!

Winter Wonderland

Saturday and Sunday morning we had fog. And when it lifted we had this!

I took these pictures just north of Edgeley, North Dakota. Poor old abandoned farmhouse!!

If you like these, I do have a few more on my flickr page. The link is in my sidebar!

Family Day

Sunrise photo taken on the way to Jamestown

Last Thursday, I drove to rehab for family day with Tb. It went well. I think. We still have some major communication issues, but we are working on them. He's just so stubborn...don't know where he gets that....I wonder if some of what he says is what he really thinks, or is just saying it to see what he can get away with.

After family day, I drove another hour so I could spend the weekend with my parents. It's all good! Two days off of work, Mom's cooking, Mom made a birthday cake for me, I beat Mom at Scrabble (3 times!!), I got the ends worked into a bunch of dishclothes, I started and completely finished a hat, and started one more hat.

Yummy carrot cake!! Thanks Mom!!

It was really nice having a birthday cake made by Mom, it's been awhile since I had one of those. Except.....since she was making this one, she thought she should also make one for Dad to take to work for "the girls". Okay, sounds like a great plan, right? No. The birthday girl ended up peeling and grating 4 pounds of carrots. My hands were orange! Slave driver!! But- all kidding aside---it was so worth it. The cake is absolutely dee-lish!! I'd peel and grate all day for another one!

Hat-a-palooza

Finished another one....

I think Dad gets this one.

Help!

I have an office plant. I don't know what it is. Do you??? It keeps telling me to feed it, so I do. That's okay, right?

Happy Birthday to My Donny!

Today Donny Osmond turns the big 5-0! Happy Birthday sexy grandpa!!

It's also the anniversary of the best first kiss ever!! *sigh*

I'm a Total Slug

When I decided to switch schools and have 3 months of no classes, I really figured I'd do more blogging. But no. I've been really enjoying being a slug. I've been knitting alot. I've been cleaning. I've been watching too much tv. I've been sleeping. I'm enjoying being a boring hermit.

Tb is doing well. He has reached a "Level 4" in his treatment and is now allowed to leave the premises for 2 hour passes. Last Saturday, I drove down there in a snowstorm so we could go to lunch at Applebee's. It was fun. It was normal. I'm going down again tomorrow, Grandma and Grandpa are meeting us at Grizzly's for lunch. Next Thursday, I go down for "family day". Yeah - confrontations - my fave! NOT!! But we still have some things to patch up so we can maybe someday get trust back in our relationship. He is scheduled to be released to a transitional center right after New Year's.

I am all signed up for classes next semester. I'm taking Accounting - in person. I'm taking Intercultural Communications - on line. And I'm taking Management and Leadership - this one is a hybrid - online and in person. I'm looking forward to returning to school.

My attempt at getting back to the Y has not been going well. The latest issue - my foot. I've had bad feet for years - started out with plantar fasciitis, then I tore a ligament, and now, for some unknown reason, my right foot hurts. So went to the doc on Tuesday and they wrapped it, told me to get new shoes and come back in 2 weeks. I think my orthotics need adjusting, but what do I know.

My knitting friends and I have started up a regular Tuesday night "Stitch and Bitch". The public library has a quaint little coffee shop in it and we take it over on Tuesdays. It's been really fun getting together and knitting. And kvetching. But, in a couple weeks we will be moving from the coffee shop for one night only - to a bar - a smoke-free one, of course. To celebrate my birthday! Margaritas go better with birthdays!! And then Christmas and New Year's fall on a Tuesday - so no library then! I'm thinking about having a get-together on New Year's day - seems like a good way to start out the year - good friends and yarn!

It's cold today - last time I checked it was 9 below. Brr. Supposed to warm up some next week - hope so!! Had to move Tb's car to prevent it from being towed, so it is in my garage. My car wants to get back in there!! Yesterday, tried to get his started and moved. No go! We'll try again next week.

I'm hungry - gonna see if my co-worker wants anything from McDonalds - if she doesn't I'm going to go get some pop tarts from the vending machine. How nutritious!!

Redecorating

As much as I love this quilt my mother made for me, it's time for a change - I can't stand to look at the pastels anymore!!

So after a trip to TJ Maxx and K-Mart - I have a new look in the boudoir.