Inspiration Alley

Groundhog Day

I've previously stated that I wanted to one day go to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney PA to see Punxsutawney Phil do his prognosticating.  I think I've had this dream since seeing Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (one of my favorite movies).   Well, I've found something that will be "almost" as good.

So the "new" house is up in Lake County, and is very near Mt. Dora.  Well wouldn't you know that Mt Dora has Mt Dora Mike and Mt Dora Millie.

"Mount Dora Mike & Mount Dora Millie move out of their winter hibernation from a palm tree stump to give prognostications of long awaited information like when winter will end, how many hurricanes we will be affected by this season, and the Super Bowl prediction.

So this year, I received the news too late, and didn't take the day off work to go up.  But next year, look out!  Groundhog day is on a Saturday, and you can bet I will be in town to see Mt Dora Mike and Millie (who are not even groundhogs) do their stuff. 

Yes, I still want to see Punxsutawney Phil, but that will have to wait for a wee bit. 

Witch Hats

The contest for creepover was to take a paper mache witch hat and decorate it any way you like.

Every hat in the contest was outstanding but here are just a few up close and personal.

First the winner was Kelly's

Then my personal favorite and way to think outside the box ...


And then there was one done in a Wizard of Oz theme ...

And one where the witches hands are opening up the hat itself.

One of the ladies at the crop made a photo montage of all the entries into the contest.  The prize was that you got into the Winter Retreat crop for free, so the competition was stiff.
Now, you might be wondering just exactly which one was mine .... and yes, I did complete one.  Mine is on the far left in the middle.  It's a witch hat with a sign underneath.  The sign reads ... "You say Witch like it's a bad thing".  It's me, what can I say.

Aside from the witch hats, Linda and her crew did an amazing job with the decorations and the food.  In fact, Linda and Elle made 150 cake balls.  Yes ... 150 - I think I figured that it worked out to about 5 or 6 cake balls per person. Let's just say, I ate my share, and they were delicious.  I don't know ... for me, you can't get much better than one of the Hilltop Crops.  I am always in awe of the talent that is in that crop room at any given point in time. 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween

That's my boy in his devil costume.

The indignity of it all.  Cats are not like dogs and my Maxwell was not too happy playing dress up.

No kids tonight, so I guess the candy will be brought into work tomorrow.  I think we missed some because we got home kindof late from work, but we usually don't have too many anyway. 

Groundhog Day ...

Gosh, I love that movie.

I wonder if the groundhog saw his shadow today.

You know ... that's on my list of things I want to do before I die.  Ever since I saw the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, I've wanted to go to Punxsutawney, PA to see that Seer of Seers Prognosticator of Prognosticators Weather Predictor Extroidinaire Punxsutawney Phil (the Groundhog) predict how much longer winter will last.

Some Day.

 

Gotta get myself in gear.

Usually, I'm pretty much done with my Holiday shopping.  But not so this year.  Believe it or not ... I haven't even made up my (naughty and nice) list yet.

Not to mention, I need to find something to wear to the work Holiday party next week.

I see a weekend of shopping in my future of both the retail store and online varieties.  I do have some ideas in my head, but I just need to get a move on

I guess it doesn't really matter - I always end up wrapping gifts all Christmas Eve long to the 24 hours of A Christmas Story no matter how early I'm done shopping.  It'll all work out how it is supposed to anyway.

Christmas Past

I wanted to share a picture of my nephew at Christmas.  This is the race car that we got him.  He's just shy

of 18 months old and learning to maneuver around.  He was so excited when he saw it and it was difficult to get him off it when it was time to eat.  It took him only a short while to get the hang of using the wheel to turn the car in the direction you want it to go.  In keeping with the car theme we got him a car bowl ... it suction cups onto the table/highchair and every time you put the spoon in the bowl portion it goes Vroom.  He figured that one out right away as well -- spent more time putting the spoon in the bowl than eating.

After Christmas Update

I didn't really talk much about Christmas so I wanted to start by catching up here.  It was a great Christmas, and at one point I was together with all of my sisters and brothers.  That was the second time in the year which is something that doesn't happen much.  I started Christmas with my niece and sister being in town, and ended Christmas at my mom's and Jay's mom's houses.

One thing that I got from my mother was a book of the history of Miami Children's Hospital from 1950 to 2008.  Just about my whole family has worked there.  It's where we started as our first jobs.  I was a volunteer starting in 1975, then became a unit secretary and worked there until about 1987.  There's loads of pictures of my mother starting with her nursing school graduation picture and then several throughout her history at the hospital.  There is also one picture of me from probably the early eighties.  What a blast from the past.  I'm going to be ordering another copy for my good friend Holly who was my sidekick when I worked there.  Dawn and Holly the dynamic duo.

Another thing I got was the Vituri Urban rolling tote from my husband and should bag from my MIL.  Jackie has one of these, and a set was given away at the Crop4Hope.  I have coveted the set since I saw Jackies so I was happy to get it.  Not that I need another tote bag, but it is something I wanted.  I think I'm going to pass on one of my other totes to my SIL who is just starting to scrap since the birth of her son.

Aside from those things, I got one of those air purifiers.  It really works.  I've had allergy shots before to desensitize me but I'm starting to have breakthroughs where I get stuffy and congested.  It's in the bedroom and really helps quite a bit.  It's top of the line with a hepa filter and a permanent filter system so you don't have to buy filters all the time.

Aside from these bigger items, I received many books something I can always use, and a couple of CDs (Alanis and Pink), plus lots of gift cards which I always love.  Shopping with a gift card is like celebrating Christmas all over again.  I also got some cold hard cash which also comes in handy.

Welcoming the New Year

It's here! 2009!

Last night we watch Dick Clark ring in the New Year and the ball drop at Time Square.  We toasted with Champagne and had Sardines for luck, watched an episode of Twilight Zone then were off to bed.  It's how I wanted it.  Quiet, at home, with hubby.  My neighbors provided the entertainment all evening leading up to midnight because they were shooting off fireworks.

Today we started the day at Einsteins bagels - we went there because it was past the breakfast time for Panera and I wanted a sausage and egg bagel.  We should have went to Panera and just had lunch.  They were out of most bagels, they were out of eggs, and they were more interested in counting down the minutes until closing time than getting people through the line.  It was still a wonderful, quiet day with hubby.  After Einsteins, we did a big loop around the city.  We went south on US1 into Homestead, then west to Krome Ave, then North to the Trail, then east to the Palmetto, and South to home again.  The city was pretty quiet - my facorite time since Miami is rarely quiet.  The only thing that would have been better would have been if we had set out in one of the old cars.

This evening I've been watching Twilight Zone some more and saw my three favorite episodes - the one with Burgess Meridith where a bomb destroys the world and he is safe near a library and can read as much as he wants, the one with William Shatner where he sees the Whooly Mamoth on the wing of the airplane, and my most favorite - Kick the Can, where the old people turn young again by playing Kick the Can like kids.

Tomorrow, I'm off from work, and really have no plans.  I think I'm going to go in search of an album to do my 365 Project since I was not one of the lucky ones to get a kit from CK.  I'm not sure when they will have more, so I'm just going to go with plan B.  I'm thinking an American Crafts 12x12 customizable album where I can decorate the cover.  I can fake the rest - all I need is some coordinating papers and I can trim them to the sizes I need.  I can computer generate the days of the week, I have a date stamp, and I can use some rub ons for the days of the week you put on the pictures.  In my opinion, the kit would make it easier to do, but not having the kit doesn't make it impossible.  I've joined a yahoo group with some friends are are doing it, I've joined a facebook group, and I think I'm going to create a blog and post the pictures there as well.  I know this is going to be fun.

So Here We Are .... December

Can you believe it ?

Seems like it was just yesterday, and yet it's here again.

Christmas is actually my favorite holiday.  I love the shopping, seeing old friends, eating good foods, giving gifts, wrapping presents, the lights, Christmas Music, and oh yes ... did I say the shopping?

Now usually, I'm done with my shopping, but this year let me say ... I'm not.  Time has just flown past this year, but I'll catch up quickly.  I already have in my head what I want to buy and some people I work from wishlists so that makes it easy.  I'm have a BIG list of people.  Some families pick names, and some families buy just for the kids, and some families once they're all grown up don't exchange gifts anymore, but I think shopping is the fun part, so I love that my family still buys for everyone.  I just wish that we could find a way to all be together on Christmas Day, or eve.  I buy for my mom and her husband, my sisters and brother and their spouses and children, my husbands mother and his brother and family, the Christmas picks at work, plus all of the office employees and my boss, and hubbys boss, and I buy a big something for hubby (usually car related).

My only problem this year is I don't know what I want for Christmas (and hubby is waiting for me to drop some hints). 

I know I'll be spending some quality shopping time this weekend.

Happy Halloween Y'all

It's been cold this week - almost like a real Fall.

I bought some T-shirts to wear for Halloween - one for today and one for the car show tomorrow - and all week I've been worried that I wouldn't be able to wear them.  Tuesday it was Freezing (ok so it was just in the upper 60s low 70s but that's freezing to a Floridian), Wednesday and Thursday were a little better, and today is great.  I've got a sweater/jacket just in case, so I'm all set.

Tonight is the weekly car show at Tower Shops, and as far as I know they are still having it, but is should be pretty light - most people will be out with their kiddos Trick or Treating.  I'm hoping it's a wash and we get to go home early.

On the Facebook front, my YoVille personality is dressed in her Halloween costume.  She is a witch.  Since I had to drop so many coins for the costume, I've kept her in it all week long, but I guess tomorrow (or maybe Monday) she'll have to return to regular clothes.

Hope everyone has a fun time tonight!