I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

It's been awhile, football fans. So, the Saints won the SuperBowl...YAY!!! Who Dat?!?!?!?!?! That was awesome...hatin' Peyton, boo-hoo better luck next year, Manning. You are the equivalent of a Saskatchewan Roughrider...a backwoods, inbred banjo-picker. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

It's been busy, at work & at home. Work is work...busiest week of the year for me, so I just have to suck it up. And put in o/t that I can take off at a later time, when I have time.

Had tonnes of obligations the last little while, but all done now. My dear Aunt passed away Jan 24, may she rest in peace. You're diagnosed with cancer one day and 24 days later you die...life is short. Plan for tomorrow but live for today.

Toyota update - taking my Corolla in on Saturday for 'inspection'. David told me that yes, my car was affected, I have one of the wonky accelerator pedals. But then he said that it might not be a problem in the end, as only 3% of these wonky pedals were purchased from that bad factory in Japan. And yet...the news media will have you believe that things are dire...that this may be more than a pedal problem...it may be the car's electronics, the COMPUTER, the very heart of the vehicle. And if that's the case, we're all fucked. Toyota and all us car owners whose vehicles will be rendered worthless. Toyota will go belly up paying us out (I've only owned my car 5 months!) and we'll be driving pieces of shit, unless we get enough money to buy another, decent car. GRRRRRRR!!! I hate this. Even if they fix the pedal, can I trust the car? Can I feel safe taking granddotter S anywhere with me? Or going to the mountains? Wouldn't that be fun to start careening out of control just at a critical moment in Golden, BC. Yah...f*in fun. I just don't know and I hate this, but I think I already established that.

Granddotter S - so cute, so fun, so charming, so adorable!!! She is saying tonnes of words now and she calls me...Ganny!!!!! I LOVE IT. I must post pictures, but not right now. Anyway, she was over for SuperBowl and discovered dip, or "deep" as she says. And now she has to have deep with everything...all her food, she don't care, she dips it all in there. SO SWEET, I never thought a granddotter could be so precious...and so fun...and so incredibly loved. And her grandpa (Papa) thinks the world of her too, by the way.

She and I and her Mom went shopping on Saturday and she is getting So much better at shopping...actually having a bit of fun. We went for lunch to Applebees and she was well-behaved, charming and ate most of her dip, some celery, but not much else. But she had snacked on Goldfish and a cookie earlier, so prolly wasn't all that hungry.

Anyway, here's a cartoon about the birds and the bees:


too cute...i love cheezburger.

Anywho, I'm done like dinner, so poke me with a fork.

Bye, y'all

CFM

Toyota...What Were You Thinking?!?

So, football fans, I take 2 years to: think about, look around, think seriously about thinking about getting a new vehicle, look in earnest, test-drive shit, do my homework, go back in and seriously buy my brand new car, only to find out it's involved in probably one of the biggest recalls in Toyota's history! Talk about the Griswold Effect. *sigh* I was bound to make the wrong choice...it's what I do :0)

Oh well, this too shall pass. Apparently next week, Toyota are supposed to do something for the dealerships and someday soon I'll get a letter to take the car in to get the accelerator pedal and gizmo-thingey-stuff repaired soon, before the car suddenly becomes an unsstoppable, self-propelled, unguided missile! What the hell were Toyota thinking changing the design of an accelerator pedal in the first place?!?!?!?!?! If it ain't broke...don't fix it. My philosophy...shoulda been Toyota's. I mean...it's been working for you hasn't it? Why f*ck with it? *double sigh*

Enh! In other news, Pro Bowl is on tomorrow and I so don't care! I haven't even heard who's actually playing in it. Gotz chores to do tomorrow anyway and then we're going over to dotter M's place for Chinee Foo dinner...nom, nom, nom. Me love Chinee Foo! And Grandpa can see Baby S, whom he hasn't seen for awhile. I babysat her today, she has learned many new words...Ganny (that's me!), apple, cookie, laptop!, pees or mees (please), etc. like that. Many words. And she's so cute, I can hardly stand it! We played, colored and watched cartoons and The Jungle Book and then we napped...separately...she was in her crib.

Tired...was a long (fast but busy) week and was still suffering after-effects today - tiredness. So I'm gonna go hold down the couch and read and/or watch tv in my Snuggie. Surely you know what a snuggie is...it's a fleece blanket with sleeves! But...I didn't just get the blue snuggie, my snuggie is a leopard snuggie. Or, as a friend from work commented when told I rec'd a leopard snuggie for Xmas, "Oh! You got a COUGAR snuggie!" ha ha, too funnie.

So adieu til next time, football fans and may the best Pro Bowl team win...I guess...I don't really care. We'll talk football next Sunday...woot, The Who are playing at half time...should be really good game. I friggin HATE the Colts so will be cheering for the Saints.

Night, night...
CFM

Cowboys Lose! Chargers Lose! and other things I think I think...

Well, football fans, the Cowboys got their asses handed to them, didn't they? Favre prevailed and I gotta say, Go Brett!! You are Da Man!! I am so impressed...a scant 2 years ago, the guy retires, comes back to play for the Jets, retires again (kinda, sorta) and comes back to play for the Vikings and now they are in the final, final, final game before the Superbowl (forgive for not knowing the exact terminology). I think it's Awesome!

And speaking of the Jets, unf*kingbelieveable!! I cannot believe how well they have done (notwithstanding they beat my Chargers, but they beat them fair & square) and this Sanchez quarterback, he is pretty awesome. Who'd a thunk the NY Jets would be on their way to the Superbowl, leaving the Patriots and Giants (to name but two teams) in their dust. Way to Go!!!

This image from icanhascheezburger is perfect for today's blog:


So that's football..next Sunday we will see who plays in the Superbowl. I don't know about having this Pro Bowl thing first though, before the Superbowl. I guess they have to try something different. Nonetheless...Superbowl at our place is always filled with food & drink and hopefully the dotter, son-in-law & granddotter, who have been indisposed for a while now with various ailments :-( Hopes they get better!

*sigh* fighting a dam cold...not what I need or want at this point in time. I blame the warm January weather...the cold, she fights germs! We need it colder...these balmy temps in Jan are redonkulous!

And so, I must go & rest and fight, fight, fight this cold.

Adieu, football fans.

CFM

When The Man Comes Around

Greetings, football fans. Who will win the match-up betwixt the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday? My son will be happy with the former, my hubby the latter...especially in light of the hard loss of the Packers in the last seconds of their last game. So, because he is still a Favre fan, the Vikings/Cowboys game will make them both happy, methinks. Me, I'm interested in the outcome of the other game, namely San Diego Chargers vs. New York Jets. Of course I'll be cheering for the Chargers...go Rivers! Go LT!!! and all you other guys...exciting. Lovin' that this wknd there are absolutely NO obligations and if I wanna sit around in my gotch and scratch myself an' watch football on Sunday, well...I can. And who's gonna stop me? Hah!

Johnny Cash - when the man comes around. I really miss Johnny Cash. I used to listen to him all the time, the past few years...and then I kinda stopped. My interest in Johnny Cash was resurrected in '05 with the movie "Walk the Line"...which I thought was an awesome movie and yes, I've watched it a zillion times! I've read the books, listened to the songs...go ahead, ask me ANYthing about Johnny Cash and I could probably answer it.

Some Johnny Cash quotes:
“How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell. There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man.”
“Welcome to New York, now go the fuck home.” (I think my niece saw this on a t-shirt in NY...love it :-)

this is my fave JC pic...ever

“Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight.”
“You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way.”

So, I have been listening to JC's American IV album a lot lately, The Man Comes Around. It's good...my only complaint is that on some of the songs, June joins in in the background and I swear to God, it sounds like some sick cow wandered into the recording studio. This would have been very soon before she passed away, so sorry, June but you could never sing. Don't get me wrong, she was a good person and I liked her but...she could never sing. Reese Witherspoon,now SHE can sing...she sang way better in the movie than June ever did.

Anywho, that's about it for today. Go Chargers!!! Go Cowboys!!! Go Vikings!!! I'll cheer for whoever I want, thank you very much, so shut up and have a nice wknd.

CFM

Merry New Year!!

So, football fans, it is 2010 and what are YOUR resolutions?

I resolve to be more organized, for starters. And de-crap our house of clutter, lots in the basement and elsewhere. And get son A's room in the basement finished, so his room can become Granddaughter S's room. We already have the bedding and wall art for her new room...Disney Princesses of course. And a cool lamp. Have been buying stuff as we see it, for both rooms actually. Have a new corner desk (black & glass) for A's room, an ottoman so he can put his feet up while online, which is where he spends most of his life. Have to get him a new bed/mattress. But the first (big) step is getting these rooms cleaned out.

Other projects for us for 2010 include: replace all windows, replace roof, tear rug out of front room (living/dining room) and install hardwood floor. These are things we have put off for too long and must get done; the windows are terribuls and so is the roof. The rug is old & ugly...etc. etc.

Hubby made pizza last night (which was deelish) and the boys watched Sports while I watched 'Dinner: Impossible' and sipped lots of wine...which eventually put me to sleep before 12 bells. First time I can recall missing the new year...oh well, it's not that big a deal. Here is an awesome New Year's cake that a friend made for hubby's office (actually 2 branches, hence 2 cakes, and we got one!):

Credit: Crystal Caruk of "C Cups" (cakes, cookies, cupcakes)

We will slice into it today, it looks & smells deelish. Thank you Crystal! Oh...now you're jealous...sorry!!

Edit: whoops! forgot Granddaughter S's New Year's picture...silly Granny:



Is it just me, or do we all have that nightmare where we show up to work in our jammies or, we're still in high school and forget out locker combination? Ok, maybe it IS just me but take a look:



Evidently, even penguins have that same bad dream...

This is what I feel like today, having eaten a whole pizza by myself yesterday (I'm not ashamed):



So, my next resolution is to lose weight and hit the gym. I definitely must do that.

Today is relax day, tomorrow babysit Granddaughter S day and tomorrow evening, over to my bestest friend's house to watch a movie, drink MGDs and have a sleep-over. We haven't done that since the 80's. She is newly single again, bought herself a house and is doing very well. We will have fun.

Sunday, want to take my dotter M to St. Boniface hospital and visit my Aunt who is in palliative care there (very recently) having been given only 4 weeks to live. Sad and tragic it is, and pretty unbelieveable. One minute you're ok and the next you're full of cancer.

So my last resolution is to QUIT SMOKING. Two of my friends have quit, one cold-turkey, the other with the help of drugs, but whatever it takes, I really must try. May go out & get the patch. I think I'm ready...and like they say, never quit quitting. I have to try...

Well, that's all for today, ladies & germans. Happy New Year to all and best for the new year/decade!!!

Love & Peace,
CFM

Merry Christmas! ...and happy New Year too

Greetings, football fans. So, the Colts suffered their very first loss...boo hoo...well, I cannot stand Peyton Manning, he is a legend in his own mind, so to him I say "Phtttttttttttttttt!!!"

Christmas was wonderful this year, shared with good friends on Christmas Eve and with Family on Christmas Day. What more can one ask? Maybe for World Peace, for a change, but other than that...

I can finally reveal the awesome, awesome gift I purchased for Granddotter S. at FAO Schwarz in Vegas. A doll that looks like her!! Ok, I thot it was pretty awesome.

I could hardly wait to see her reaction, and here are a few pictures:

Here, she was a little fascinated with the eyes, nose, etc:

Here is "Christmas Kitteh"

And, Grandpa Santa (or Santa Grandpa):

Son A with his Cowboys football:

Son-in-law S with his Russell Peters $34.50 t-shirt, special ordered on the Innerwebs (you can't see the hat very well, but it is a Bud Light hat with a special feature - a bottle-opener cleverly hidden under the peak...is there anything you can't find in Vegas???):

Dotter M (isn't she purty?) with her baybee, my favourite granddotter:

Before Xmas, niece C on her 21st birthday:

And finally, S doing her "Boxing Day coloring":

Sweetest toddler EVER!!

And that' all she wrote, at least for today. Must clean house and get some stuff done. I way over-spent the day after boxing day when I got out shopping, so I cannot do any more of that.

So, until next time, Peace and Love and Happy New Year!

CFM

Football News and Other Stuff...

It has been a looooong while, football fans. Have I got juice for you. First - yesterday in Pennsylvania, coach Mike Kelly was ARRESTED for some kind of domestic disturbance. Yup, he punched the girlfriend...apparently she hit him first but, hello? You not s'posed to hit WOMEN, Kelly. Anyway, during the day the news broke that Lyle Bauer (Kelly's only protector, 'twas he who hand-picked Kelly as head coach) resigned! Yes, he did. Clever man...he clearly wanted to take the Calgary offer and the way to do it without repercusssions...yup, resign! And so he did...and he will be off to Calgary. As my hubby 'splained to me this morning, Calgary is a far sight closer to Utah than Winnipeg, and since Lyle's wife is from Utah...well, you do the math.

So, flash to yesterday early evening, after reports all day that Coach Kelly would likely be fired, in a way that would not compel the football club to not be bound to honour the remaining year of his two-year contract. Fired he was! But...the Beauty of this Whole Thing is Kelly did it to himself!!! 'Behaviour unbecoming to a professional (and I use the term loosely, ladies & germs) football head coach'...or some such like that. It's perfect! It's so beautiful I could cry...or laugh. Now, everyone's happy...except those few people (I call those people crazy) who actually LIKE Kelly. Yes, the damage was done to the team, to the media and to the fans (ungrateful b*st*rd, yes I DO pay your salary, MIKE!!! a**hole). But in 2010 we'll have a brand new head coach and hopefully a much better football team.

My drinking team has a football problem.

Now, on to other news. Speaking of football...oh, were we? Yes, we were...

Hubby and son A came back from their trip to Dallas with some awesome pictures that I'll post another day, too tired today, been a long week. They toured the stadium on Friday...it is a thing of beauty and unfathomably large. It should be for more than ONE BILLION dollars, football fans. One...billion...dollars Can't even imagine that much money! So - their "screen" (which we in Wpg. call a "Jumbotron") is a $25 million LCD screen that is 8 storeys high and I forget how wide. But, trust me, it's big. So the tour was grand, the game was grand (hubby indifferent to who won, son sad that Dallas DIDN'T WIN and me...well the Chargers won, like we knew they would :-)

The shopping was grand...I love outlet malls and must insist I go along next time :-) and they did a 'fast food' tour, hitting such American staples as 'Popeye's' chicken, 'Lik A Chik' (don't go there-:), Sonic Burger, In 'n Out Burger, etc. They never had salad or veggies...they are men. They also went to a place called 'Rudy's BBQ' and had some awesome BBQ food. This place can only be found in Texas...they drove out into the desert for 50 miles to find it and they were not disappointed. My sister was in San Antonio a few years ago, and brought us back a spice called 'Rudy's Rub' from...Rudy's! It is amazing on steak and other red meat...and we were almost out so of course hubby brot some back. Some for us and some for my friend's hubby whose name just happens to be... Rudy...and he barbeques...so I think he will love it when he opens that shit up on Christmas morning!

And that's really all for today, next time pics & stuff...too tired...

Love & Peace,
CFM