Having chili night tonight - inviting over friends and DSeester. We're gonna do campfire chili in the cast iron pot we bought in Corpus. Yum.

What all do I need to do over the next few days?
1) I need to send out my annual Christmas letter. The holdup? Labels are at work along with the address list. I may handwrite the majority and then check the list when I get back to work.
2) Pay bills - this was supposed to happen on Sunday so who knows what is late at this point. Do I care? A little.
3) Sew the blankets I have set out to make.
4) Clean up this office which includes going through the recipes I've been hoarding over the year(s). I have a computer recipe database but who knows when I'll have time to enter these into that?!
5) Sift through yarn and fabric - what all is in those clear buckets?
6) Go through GB's closet and see what craft crap I have stored in there. How long has this been on the list? Years?
7) Clean out the games area and incorporate GB's games into the mix.
8) Gather up pictures of my youngest brother so that we can make a disk of his life.
Here is where I get to keep adding.

Last night we did the MIL Christmas eve and then we went to long-time friend Dori's house for a party. It was fun - good food, libations and then we joined them for their annual Christmas caroling. It was fun - they sing the 12 days of Christmas as the finale and they have the ten lords a leaping (example)....as stick puppets and you get all different puppets and when the song gets to your part, you sing it and hold up your puppet. It was fun and was a tradition of Pete's mom, Joyce. It was nice to do it in memory of her.

On the way to and from Florida, I finished DH's Sage Slippers, started on the Crochet Afghan and finished all but a little of DS's Pink Slippers. Not really sure why my son would pick pink other than he likes to go against the norms of society. I will have to pick out the toe of slipper one because I don't have enough pink to finish both size 12 slippers. I'm thinking purple toes on the slippers.
I started the afghan since I've been cravin' some crocheting. This being portable and all will work out great for the holidays. I packed a butt load of yarn for the trip so I had plenty to keep me occupied. Hadn't a clue how long we'd have to be there and glad we're back home. Trying to get some semblance of normalcy back to my life.

What is on the agenda? DMIL's house today at 2, Dori's house tonight at 8 and Christmas at my house at some point tomorrow. I hope that is all the expectations of me this year. I still need to get my annual letter out in the mail. Super late this year since I'd planned on mailing them the day we were travelling to Florida.

Cleaned some of my office today. Lots left to do. This room never seems to be in order. I have three blanket sets sitting there looking at me. I need to get out the huge azz roll of batting and get these three put together so I can zip them together on the machine.

So, how was the party? In a word: Fun. They didn't have as much food as I expected but they had enough for me to munch on - shrimp, cheese, tenderloin appetizers, fruit. I spent more time with the bartender than anyone else. I had her make me Mexican Martini - IMHO, it is good for a few sips but I had to ask Bob to finish it for me. I watched her make a Cosmopolitan and I could probably drink one or so of those. I had 2 Crown/7 w/Limes and a few tastes of the martini. Enough for this lightweight. It was fun seeing everyone. I enjoy that group.

I finished one of the socks and have the ribbing and most of the st st complete so I will soon be on the heel. I worked on this while DH drove around with his messed up directions - LOST. Oh well, time to knit so I don't kill the idiot who gave the directions nor the idiot who took the notes.

Second party down, third tonight. Last night's party was fun. Debbie and Deron bought DH & I a bottle of rum that you can only purchase in Puerto Rico. They remembered me boo-hooing about not sending my brother money, while he was there, so that he could ship me a bottle. The bottle is hand-made and you can't purchase this stuff in the states. Her food was yummy but snagged me a glass of red wine that I couldn't shake down. I didn't attempt another after that so sober and tired was I as we headed home. I slept until 7 this morning. It was a hell of a week.

Here's the proof - proof in the pudding. Finally got the ol' diploma framed and hung in my office. Is amazing all the work that goes into that thing that just hangs on the wall. I'm glad to have it and even happier to have it framed and hanging.

Tried to talk on the puter last night to Cousin Ruthie. Stupid puter kept knocking me off. I called our provider who, of course, had no knowledge other than telling me to download an adware and renew my virus protection. While that scanned my puter, I worked on these dish cloths. This used to be a sad, little 59 cent, thrift store dish towel. It was telling me that I needed to buy it, cut it in half, sew up the edges and use it to wash dishes instead of drying them. So, that was accomplished last night and they will go through the laundry and into the drawer this weekend. As Ruthie would say, LOSER. I like pleasing inanimate objects. Can you see them smiling?

Knitting - one row is all I knocked out last night. I got home late and talked on the phone with Cousin Chrissy about that rep job - then did the computer and sewing thing. Not much time left since I had to get in the bed for beauty rest after setting out clothes for my interview today. It is not the job I desperately want but I'm sure it's better than where I'm at. Wish me well.

A lady and her daughter followed me up the highway and to the store in order to ask me about the "Bad Girl Club" sticker on the back of my car. They were wanting to know what it is and all I could tell them is that my dear Seester got it for me and that they REALLY don't want to know what it entrails entails. You wouldn't believe the attention it attracts but this is the first time I've had women pursue me.

After all the running around I had to do and getting home at 7, I did get a chance to knit some on the first of the 4 socks for the guys. These whip up really quick so I'm 1/4 of the way finished with this set. I love the color. These are going to be fun.

Took an on-line quiz yesterday:

I AM 32% WHITE TRASH! The white trash in my blood will not keep me from becoming a doctor or a lawyer, but it will keep me from a good haircut and any sort of fashion sense. Take the WHITE TRASH test at Fuali.com

I guess that about sums it up.

Yesterday I bought the frame for my diploma. I was so excited I about danced to my car with it. I hit B&N after that and bought three knit mags - unfortunately I bought IK Fall 2004 which, I already have. It will be going to DD's friend who is on a roll with her new found knitting/crocheting talent. I'm glad she didn't already have it. I think I grabbed the wrong copy. Sux to be me most of the time.

If everyone gets their time sheets turned in to me, I'll be off half day. I have to head to DH's Christmas party. No telling how late I will arrive. Then we have a party Friday night and Saturday night. Party people - fun, fun!