The wife does. Christmas is her favorite time of year. Every year I have to bring down the five bins of decorations. The tree. The christmas balls. Misteltoe. Holly. The manger. Seven Santa Clauses. Not the cheap plastic ones with the red suit. European ones in the old german style with mink coats and all kinds of archaic dodads. I expect the fucking Grimm guy to show up to kill them or something.
We stopped doing the outside the last three years because we are so busy in the store. But this year we decided to just put some simple wreaths with one strand of lights. Minialist.
But it is still a pain in my
But the wife is very happy.
78 comments:
I think you misspelled "menialist".
Your wife has such a great smile. The pictures you take of her always make me smile back.
(Pretty wreathes, too.)
Aren't MY decorations on MY house pretty? That guy over there? The one drooping from schlepping them and nursing a skinned thumb from putting them up? He's my menial...er, husband. Oh, hon? On second thought those Santas should come outside too. Don't...no don't...now stoppit! Crying at Christmas. What a killjoy.
I just started decorating, no guy here to haul the bins, unless I get my son to fly in to help Mom decorate. So between peeking in here, I am doing my minimalist style of decorating which consists of my tree and ornaments and wreath on the door.
My daughter will be home on leave in a few days, so I'm sure she will go up to the attic and drag down more stuff. I can't wait to see her!! All the family will be able to make it this year, the hectivity is about to commence!
Sixty, is hectivity a word?
It is a good word. Your contributions to the English language are like the Irish contribution to civilization - staggering!
I'm not sure if hectivity is a word, but I know that beertivity is.
Hi Allie.
I asked my son last Christmas while he was putting up the tree if he would always do this for me. Probably wasn't right to put that on him, but he's 18 now...I'm hanging on to what I can. :)
He said "Sure, Mom." *misty*
Hi Darcy, yep it all goes too fast, they grow up and move away, thank goodness they come visit and bring grand kids with them!
The grand kids spend quite a bit of the summer here at the lake, my grandson age 9, is a natural sailor, he takes sailing lessons when visiting, he loves it. my oldest granddaughter, age 11 hates sailing, got hi in the head one too many times with the boom.
My smallest granddaughter, still visits with Mom and Dad only, but they don't know I'm going to kidnap her this year, so hey can't take her back home with them, lol.
Oops iPad going haywire again, damn that thing can't spell.
I asked my 17 year old son if he wanted to go with us to get the tree. He actually thought about it before he declined.
We gave away our advent calendar today. The kids are too old and whenever we're grandparents, the grandkids won't be around for 25 days to work it. So, we gave it away to a young family with four kids. The woman was a neighborhood kid. Now's she's all grown up with her own family. At least we know the calendar will go to someone who can appreciate it. She might even remember it from when she was a kid. I didn't ask; I just wrapped it and left it on the bar for my wife to take.
Is it a sign we're getting old, now that we're giving our shit away?
Not the cheap plastic ones with the red suit.
I think that dissing plastic is like dissing reality TV.
Allen I love New Glarus Brewery, Fat Squirell is one of my favorites. LOL, they have a beer called Totally Naked.
New Glarus Brewery
We are getting old, windbag. But bittersweet has that sweet aspect to look forward to, no? :)
Getting old and giving away stuff is all good, as is being wise enough to know what to keep around for the grand children. I have a cubic yard of Legos that some child is going to play with, whether he or she wants to or not!
I don't know why people never talk up Capital City Brewery. They started up back in 80's before the whole microbrew thing was trendy.
I grew up several blocks from that place. When I was a kid, the same building housed Mazo Egg.
eggs
You got me wrong. I love the plastic Santas. I don't have to comb out his fuckin beard or iron his coat or .....errr....it not's like the wife makes me do that....errr....I LOVE THE PLASTIC SANTA!!!!!!!!!!!
If I let my mother she would decorate for me every year and my house would look like christmas exploded!
I like it a little more toned down; a tree, a wreath and a few lights works just fine.
I do love the micro brewery thing--when I was stationed in Europe every little town had its own brewery--then the big guys moved and took them over--when I came back to the states in the late 60s I started brewing my own beer--my kids continue to brew their own beer. In the interim, micro breweries took off and one of my great pleasures is sampling local brews.
The worst experience I had in self brewing was went I sent a sample to the local health dept for analysis. I was disheartened when I got the note back that said "dear sir, your horse has diabetes."
I know I am not getting old. I am old.
I tell the wife that all the time and she yells at me all the time that I am not old.
But more and more I am channeling Mr. Wilson.....
GET OFFA MY LAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Roger J - I hear that - at least Rolling Rock got their beer from healthy horses.
Sixty--I was never convinced that rolling rock was all that hot--but there is something about the micro brews that speak to the best in the American experience--Now it is possible to brew your own--some bad, but mostly all good. Capitalism, as it least it pertains to local brewing makes life grand, and keeps my kidneys functioning.
I take note that when in Viet Nam the only beer we had was Pabst Blue Ribbon; Went I made the morning inspection rounds the troopers would always give me aq PBR--I note with much satisfaction that PBR had enjoyed a comeback.
Well everyone knows that Corona is about 75% mestizo urine.
I only drank Rolling Rock once - just enough to puke my guts out. Equating it to horse urine is damning it with faint praise, at best. I was just saying that their horse was not diabetic. Or at least I couldn't tell if it was.
I think I avoided drinking for a couple of decades after that, so in retrospect, my liver would like to thank the fine craftsman in Latrobe for doing what they do best.
My maid quit today and I think she is rubbing her cooch against everything and peeing in the lemonade.
Those Peruvians are tricky.
Troop - that leaves 25% for what - the cleanest water from Tijuana?
We are going on Craigs list to find a new person and it is scary.
Roger, what no Ba Moui Ba?
Try looking in the "maid" section this time.
Troop--I tried to rent a few rooms of my house (I am seldom home so what the hell)--I got a few hits from various characters that were simply scams--use this website: webscammers.com--
My maid quit today and I think she is rubbing her cooch against everything and peeing in the lemonade.
"Milk, milk, lemonade, 'round the corner fudge is made"
~Children's Verses
AllenS: was pretty much a tight ass when it came to local products in Viet Nam--well, except for the steam and cream operations. :)
Roger, I always tried to intermingle with the locals. I must have made a good impression with the ladies. They used to tell me: "I love you long time, GI."
Damn AllenS--thats what they told me too--you dont think----nahh that isnt possible :)
Now at the risk of jeopardizing our current relationships, I gotta tell you.. Vietnamese girls are gorgeous--I mean gorgeous--If Allie wouldnt do the tie died schtick, she might be right up there :)
And they would love us for a long time, or at least till our 30 minutes was up :)
@Darcy, When talking about my kids, I tell people, "We had them last week. They're leaving next week. I'm just enjoying them this week."
@Sixty, Legos, Bionacles, and Thomas the Tank Engine. I'm thankful that my daughter outgrew Barbie after one kitchen set and gave all that away when she was about 8. I am going to hang on to the Thomas stuff. Lifetime warranty, so when the grandkids start popping out, I can exchange the ones with chipped paint and get new. I pride myself on having never made the same track twice with my son. HOURS of fun. MINUTES of fun with Barbie...sorta like real life, huh?
Trooper, I'm not getting fat...I'm getting fatter. I already past fat.
@windbag
Hee. :)
And I love train sets. So fun.
And I love train sets. So fun.
I like the very last scene in "North By Northwest."
Chicken--was that were they were in the sleeper car? Alfred Hitchcock did a lot of really great scenes.
@RogerJ: link
CL - Hitch's symbolism there is too subtle for me to understand...
chick--precisely--do you think they made it? I am betting yes
My lady and I have been watching 1930s films of Hitchcock--She has roku which is a joy. The Lady Vanishes is a great one, and AH has his cameo as the cab driver. Love those movies where ladies wore white slinky dresses and had cocktails on little tables with their own table lamps--damn, I am such an old fart
Your bride looks so much happier than you w/ the wreaths.
The strange thing about that scene is that Hitchcock had implied that something sexual had happened between them earlier. When Carey Grant makes her cry at the art auction, I couldn't help but wonder if some tunnels had been gone through en route to Chicago earlier.
Roger, which ones of his early ones (1930s) are the best?
CL: Hitchcock did a great interview in the 50s--his version of suspense was, IIRC, was to let people know what was going to happen--just not when--Like when Martin Balsom was going up the stairs in Psycho--the audience knew what was going to happen--just not when--and he, I think, did the sexually suggestive scenes in the same mode.
A great director.
My favorite Hitchcock film is from 1948. "Rope." Lots to see there.
CL: check "the lady vanishes". 39 steps was good too, but not as good lady vanishes.
Also I kind of liked "Frenzy."
Psycho was a great date movie--your date would always get close to you (not that there is anything wrong with it)--the shower scene was a classic--nothing ever graphic but the audience got to fill in the blanks.
I will put "Rope" on the Homeschooling list.
I just wanted to say something boring. I'm on double secret probation @ EBL. I'm supposed to genuflect and accept "their terms." What do you think the odds in Vegas are on that?
I know this was predictable and inevitable. But, their posts, comments and enthusiasm is down. Joe Frazier just keeps coming. He worked the body, softening up his opponent and exposing their weaknesses. I know I've opened some eyes of commenters over there.
Thanks for the forum to vent.
Oh...the Giants suck!
Roger, my kids got me a Roku for Christmas, two years ago and a prescription to Netflix, I love it! Plus I can watch Netflix movies on my iPad in bed, so nice warm and cozy on cold winter nights. Me and my iPad.
The other thing I loved about Hitchcock was the audience would always look for his cameos--I think in Psycho, AH was a pedestrian walking across the street when Janet Leigh was driving out of town.
LMAO, not prescription, subscription, although in my case it is a prescription.
Allie--the pandora feature on roku is also great--we usually spend at least an hour listening to the choices--we love cape breton scottish fiddle music and its the only place where we can actually put together a play list--we are also big into cajun music. Same story.
I watched Rope in high school, I am old, but at least it wasn't still in first release then.
Had all the early Hitchcock movies on DVD but I think I sold the set when I moved. Sometimes clutter makes one react emotionally.
Netflix might be thought of as a prescription if you watch Weeds and Breaking Bad, just sayin'...
Weeds is really good. But, according to a recent survey, only liberals like it. And the same for Dexter! That's horseshit.
The Netflix DVD of "North By Northwest" had some interesting commentary by Ernest Lehman, the screenwriter. That's one thing you gotta love about DVD format--how you can find these recorded memories of the people who were part of the film making. Just turn on a microphone and let them go.
OK--the morning shift is going off now which means I have to review all the threads tomorrow morning. My lady has commanded me to make cuban style arroz con pollo for supper tonite along with black beans and platanos maduros.
Best to all--and allenS and I will inform you if the sun rises in the morning. Its the least we can do
You know we count on you to bust balls nd. Just keep it coming.
I don't think their idea is going to work. Pulling comments is too big a job if you have something to do with your life.....errr....on second thought it might work.
But it is not any of my concern.
Trust me when the shit hits the fan here it will be over the top and you will have a lot to talk about. Just sayn'
Roger, the Pandora feature sounds great, lost a huge playlist I had created elsewhere. I was listening to some good opera last evening, Sull'aria, Nessun Dorma, are two of my favorite scores.
Not opera, but I love that cute little Josh Groban, what old lady doesn't? Also love Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli.
Spinelli, you are a champ.
Yep, Spinelli you are relentless, good private dick.
I'd like to nominate Spinelli for The All-Star Clutter Award.
I think they have a problem with nd. He is a like a dog with a bone. He won't let go.
Just don't get too obsessed. You don't want to wind up looking like Loafing Oaf opining on Sarah Palin. Palladian will bite you.
Thanks folks, I appreciate the compliments and I know they're sincere. But I'm more just looking to vent w/ people I like and trust.
And Trooper, I have taken your advice vis a vis the email. They REALLY want me to email them. That's a control thing..I worked w/ attorneys for over 30 years..classic horseshit. I won't do it.
Poor Meade is running around like the Mad Hatter deleting. Then he has to peel the Mrs. some grapes when she gets home. He got pissed when I called him an errand boy.
Onto more fun stuff. Trooper or any other paisan's out there, do you do the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve? I got too many Cheeseheads out here, so I don't. I miss it.
And, for the non paisans..firstly, I'm sorry. Secondly, what are the food and drink traditions.
Allie knows about Tom and Jerry's. I hate them[it's hot egg nog w/ brandy, rum, nutmeg]. A real Cheesehead tradition. But, I make them for the inlaws. I put a little extra brandy in it for my mother-in-law along w/ some NyQuil. She goes out in the fucking chair quickly and I'm @ peace w/ the Good Lord!
Yuck to Tom and Jerries, egg nog ice cold with rum, the only way it tastes good to me.
He got pissed when I called him an errand boy.
Are you really surprised at that? It's like bitching at someone in a parking lot about their driving and then being surprised if they bitch back.
It's easier just to let it be.
I'm not sucking up Trooper, honestly. I just want to tell you your wife is gorgeous, all that beautiful dark hair! She a lucky lady, but then again sounds like you're a lucky guy.
nd--now judging from your last name I am guessing you are of the guinea persuasion :) my second ex wife was italian, and she always did christmas eve with baccala marinated in olive oil, garlic onions and peppers--then on to midnight mass, where came back to the good stuff--
We are doing the seven fishes at my Mother in Laws this Christmas Eve. I want to cook but the other "girls" don't want to do it. You see each family would bring something but I am the only one who wants to do it. So we are having it catered.
That wouldn't have happened if they came to my house but I can't do it all in her little kitchen.
We have Chicken soup with little teeny tiny dumplings called rivel, Hungarian sausage , gereste kartoffel( a type of a spicy hungarian paprika potato dish), cucumber salad, massive amounts of Christmas cookies( many of them are similar to Italian cookies). Nuss Kuchen, Liebfraumilch,and of course eggnog for desert. Someone usually brings a Black Forest Torte.
Back when I was a kid, these goodies were consumesd after Christmas Eve Service, in which the kids were cast members in the Nativity play, I got to be the Virgin Mary once. We came home, ate, then opened our Christmas presents. Christmas Day was morning church service and then home for Turkey Dinner.
We have Chicken soup with little teeny tiny dumplings called rivel, Hungarian sausage , gereste kartoffel( a type of a spicy hungarian paprika potato dish), cucumber salad, massive amounts of Christmas cookies( many of them are similar to Italian cookies). Nuss Kuchen, Liebfraumilch,and of course eggnog for desert. Someone usually brings a Black Forest Torte.
I love it when Allie talks dirty.
Food is love , pure love.
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