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Christmas Edition

Well, Christmas has come and gone. It’s in bad taste to discuss what I got, so I’m avoiding that.

In the bigger picture, it seems that every year Christmas is more and more anticlimactic. For those of you without a thesaurus, there isn’t much to it anymore. You build it up in your head, you see TV commercials and Christmas movies, and then it’s here, and it seems like just about any other day. Maybe I’m just getting older, I don’t know.

With the exclusion of this past summer’s Hawaii trip, this past weekend’s 5 day weekend was the most days I’ve had off since I started working. It felt pretty good. Friday night I just hung out. Saturday, I did my Christmas shopping, and then went to the Bieri’s Christmas party that night. Sunday, I finished shopping. Monday was Christmas Eve, and I pretty much sat around all day until I had to leave to play in both services. After that, my parents came over and we watched It’s a wonderful life.

Tuesday (Christmas Day), we went over to Steph and Joel’s.

The day after Christmas I pretty much sat around all day. I did go out in the morning to get some discounts on lights for next year’s display. After that I watched TV and Movies all day with naps in between.

Last week before Christmas

Everything has been pretty normal the last week.

Christmas is coming up, so I have been doing some shopping and such. I ended up getting a tree on clearance at Target. They were all out so I got the display model. The gave me the big red dot with the price on it. They had to scan the big dot for me to pay. It was kind of amusing.

I’m still pushing to get my kitchen remodeled. I’m hoping to hear back from the place I’m probably going to go with. I was hoping to be done by Christmas, but now without much time left, that’s kind of unlikely. I did hang a sweet potrack above my stove. It looks nice and it saves some space. I don’t have a lot of space to begin with. Then, add the fact that after the remodel I’ll have a dishwasher, and that will take away more space. So, it seemed like the obvious thing to do.

We had the first snow of the season yesterday. 5 or 6 inches (yes, that’s was she said). My parents and I were watching Alex. We went over to Brad and Leslie’s. They have a really hilly neighborhood. As expected, people were having lots of trouble on the hills. Both up and down. Thankfully, both their car and ours did ok.

Xmas Approaching Fast

Well, we got 1st in the parade. It was pretty sweet. Parades are always fun. It was a little dramatic, because our generator wasn’t working. We had to go to Ross’s house to pick up his. It was pretty cold out, but I think with the playing and moving I produced enough heat, because I wasn’t cold after awhile.

That night at the awards ceremony we found out we got first. The people who got second this year got first last year, so I can sense a rivalry starting. We’ll have to bring our A game next year.

The kitchen’s coming along. Got it painted. I’ve kind of been in house overdrive the last week. Lots of painting. Now I’ve starting painting the staircase. I should have that done in the next couple days. Once I get the actual cabinets and stuff remodeled, my kitchen will be pretty sweet.

I have my lights up and going strong now. I had to get some more last night because some of my neighboors have been putting up lights and more lights, and I was to try to be among the people with the most and best lights.

Almost Christmas

My bone spur has pretty much stopped hurting. I don’t know if it healed itself or what, but I think it’s ok.

I have been trying to keep up with the leaves in the yard. I guess some trees have the leaves fall at different times. Some of my trees are almost bare, and some look like it’s summer. I guess I’ll just keep mulching until they’re all gone.

I put up the remainder of my Christmas lights on Saturday. I think I have the best display on the street. After all, that was my goal. I still need to put up another strand before I’m done.

The kitchen is coming along. Right now I’m in the process of painting all the trim in there. After that, we’re painting the walls a light gray. Pretty soon I hope to get the cabinets remodeled. I’ve been meaning to make an appt but haven’t really had a chance at work.

Overflow was good. Over 50 people I’m told were in attendance for the first one. I played the National Anthem. I did ok, I could have done better if my fingers didn’t get so cold out there.

Friday is the parade. I think it might be cold, but hopefully it won’t be raining or snowing. We can’t get the equipment messed up. We had got first for 2 years I think, and we got 2nd last year. I’m hoping we get first again this year.

Bone Spur

So my left heel has been kind of sore for the last week or so. Some days were worse than others, and I couldn’t find much of a pattern to it. I finally broke down and went to the doctor yesterday. Turns out that I have a bone spur. There was something else weird on my heel they were going to look at, but it kind of sucks. It doesn’t hurt that bad, it’s really more annoying than anything.

On a totally unrelated side note, I’m starting to get a lot of leaves in the yard. I have to break down and get a leaf blower pretty soon.

Get Together

Tonight is somewhat of a get-together at the crib. Some people are coming over and we’re going to play some poker. After that we’re probably going to go to Applebees. I haven’t played poker in awhile. Since Vegas I think.

The kitchen’s about maybe 1/3 of the way done. The wallpapers about half off. After the wallpaper’s off then it’s just painting, and that’s relatively quick.

Halloween was last night. It was my first Halloween actually giving out candy. I guess I had my hopes too high. I had about 5 groups of kids come by. I didn’t expect too many to come, but more than that. I guess it’s the way my house is setup. It’s not really in a neighborhood, so that’s probably why.

Man It Is Cold

In reality, I guess it’s not actually that cold. I’ve been putting off turning on the heat. It was 61 in my house when I got up this morning. I use blankets overnight, and I’ve learned I sleep really well when it’s cold overnight. It’s just the mornings that are cold.

Tonight, my parent’s are coming over and we’re doing some more work on the house. Kitchen wallpaper, drilling a hole in the floor, and dinner. The hole in the floor is for my system that I’m bumping to all the rooms. It will allows me to run video and stereo audio to both bedrooms and the living room. It should work out pretty well with the TV tuner stuff I have.

California Wild Fires

Turns out California is having some problems. They’ve been having a big problem with wild fires. Last I heard almost 1,000,000 people have been displace from their homes.

What I find odd about this, is that so much money and business in in California. California has wildfires, mudslides, and earthquakes. Illinois gets earthquakes, but very rarely. Makes you wonder why California is as big as popular as it is.

Good tech support

This is old, but still entertaining

Wedded Bliss

No, not for me. Darren is married. Last weekend was the bachelor party and this past weekend was the wedding. As far as I know, they’re still happily married.

The bachelor party was great. We had one keg too many, but we couldn’t not have enough beer, so we had to over order to make sure. It was a late night. I was really beat on Sunday.

And then the wedding. It was kind of a whole weekend ordeal. Friday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. The dinner was at Schiappa’s on 161. After that, we all went to Big Daddy’s.

Saturday we had to get there pretty early. Mostly for pictures. I forgot just how many pictures they take at weddings. But there were pictures, the ceremony itself, more pictures, more pictures, then the reception. I had to hold onto all 3 rings for the wedding. Lisa’s engagement and both Darren and Lisa’s wedding ring. I managed to not lose them and I did my part ok.

After the pictures and the limo ride to the reception it was almost immediately time for my speech. If you didn’t know I was the best man. I’d had ideas in my head for a long time about the speech. I didn’t start actually writing them down until a few days before the wedding though. People said I did pretty well. They probably tell that to everyone, though. Just being nice, I imagine. After that, it was drinking, eating, and dancing. It was fun because I got to see all my old college friends that I don’t get to see too often. After the reception we went to Big Daddy’s again. Not for too long, just to round out the night. Darren and Lisa went with us, and I was glad. Darren and Lisa Laskowski. Sounds kind of weird. I’m sure I’ll get used to it.