Stone Soup

I am sitting here feeling a little disgusted with myself. I ate a bag of barbecue chips for dinner and knew full well when I was eating them that I was going to regret it but they were so good and I was so hungry and tired. Yes, I ate the whole bag. I will gain about 5 lbs of water overnight. I won't weigh myself for a few days.

This hockey moose was on sale at Sears, another 60% off deal. The day before he was $14.99 and I got him for $5.99. Isn't he a handsome fellow? He is full of cucumber melon dish soap, which smells so good I use it for dishes and also my hands at the kitchen sink. I suppose this is how houses get full of clutter, buying things like this but I thought he was fun and I will put him away after the winter.

I will be paying a few bills online tonight. Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed without the internet. It is so easy not to have to make special trips to the mail box or to the bank. I can do most of my banking right here while sitting in front ot the television.

I can't believe I am pretty well finished Christmas shopping already; I can actually consider myself done. Why? Because the sales have been fantastic, everything I see is on sale 30%, 40%, 50% and even 60% off. Brand names, winter wear, you name it--it is on sale in Toronto. The dark cloud of economic crisis has silver upside I suppose. The sales are certainly encouraging consumer spending but I do wonder how the stores will make any profit with sales like this.

I was wandering around the mall again on Sunday and had to buy these bathroom towels and soap dispenser for my powder room at 60% off. Friday night the towel had been $20 and soap dispenser had been $29. Aren't they darling? Got some finger towels too.

I can't believe I am pretty well finished Christmas shopping already; I can actually consider myself done. Why? Because the sales have been fantastic, everything I see is on sale 30%, 40%, 50% and even 60% off. Brand names, winter wear, you name it--it is on sale in Toronto. The dark cloud of economic crisis has silver upside I suppose. The sales are certainly encouraging consumer spending but I do wonder how the stores will make any profit with sales like this.

I was wandering around the mall again on Sunday and had to buy these bathroom towels and soap dispenser for my powder room at 60% off. Friday night the towel had been $20 and soap dispenser had been $29. Aren't they darling? Got some finger towels too.

Shamelessly snagged from Carol. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, copy and paste this entire list, exchanging my answers with your own, and post it in your own blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? 1 week before Christmas

4. When do you take the tree down? January 1 or 2

5. Do you like eggnog? No, I LOVE it, spiked or unspiked

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Don't remember a favourite, I liked everything that wasn't clothes!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My sons, they don't want clothes

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I stopped sending them years ago, hated the chore. I call friends and family, visit, etc

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A black rubber watch with a thick manual from my ex. I looked at him in disbelief when I opened it and he was grinning like a fool. He told me it could be set up to count my steps during the day and tell me how many calories I was burning off. It was ugly. No perfume, no jewellery, no cashmere sweater, just a black rubber watch. I made him bring it back. My friend sympathized with me when I told her about it and told me the first year she was married her husband gave her winter tires for her car...another good gift huh?

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "Miracle on 34th Street and the Polar Express and oh yes, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

13 When do you start shopping for Christmas? I started two weeks ago. Usually I am late.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No but I do pass things on if I don't like them. Whynot let someone else enjoy them

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas Pudding just like my mother used to make, with suet, currants, carrot, nuts dried fruit, etc, served with a sweet rum or brandy and brown sugar sauce. It's so good! And let's not forget Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings

16. Lights on the tree? Yes--candles are too dangerous

17. Favorite Christmas song? The Huron Christmas Carol also like Mary Did You Know?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home but every year I think about spending Christmas just once in a very warm climate, at a resort. Just once.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve the rest Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Sweating in overheated stores

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Ice pastels but it used to be dark reds and gold

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey with all the trimmings, why what else is there?

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A trip to a warm climate

(pinched from Ken, who pinched it from . . . so feel free to pinch it too)

So...If you saw ME in a police car, what would you think I got arrested for?

The results have been announced for the Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest at the office. The winners are . . .


2nd prize was the entry from Sales...Lynda and I entered this one! We won 2nd Prize!! Woo HOO! The prize was a $15 Wal-Mart card for each of us. Kathleen got one too even though she was away at the time. She had to travel to Hong Kong on a family emergency but we kept her name on the entry.


Third prize was the intricate turkey carving. The pirate didn`t`even get a mention and I thought that one was pretty nice.