Christmas Countdown - 2017

[Holiday]

We have to start making lists of toiletries we will need, what clothes we will need to pick up for the boys, and possibly ourselves. I did get a "light" sweatshirt for myself yesterday with the trip in mind. Last second things like parking at the airport for the week...

I have several tops/sweater/sweatshirt in my shopping bag at Kohls. Looking at some shorts at Eddie Bauer. It's not easy to find summer clothes this time of year!

 

[Edge612]

Good Morning, First Milestone approachers.

Can that be true? Can we really be close to our first Milestone of 2017 already?
Well, a quick check of our post number 1 chart tells us that we are in fact LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY from that point!

Days to the Season: 306
Days to Christmas Day: 348

Yes, Folks.
In a scant 6 days, we will be at the 300-day Season Window, ready to begin a 200's level count to the Season's beginning.
(Wow! The 200's so soon. Hardly seems possible. And yet........)


Well, we warmed up above freezing yesterday (and on into the 40's) at long last.
Today, the 50's.
Tomorrow, the 60's.
And Friday......the 70's?? (Well, maybe.)
Currently, we stand at 43 degrees here in central NC, grateful that we did not drop below freezing last night (which means the ice was melting all night long)!


Have a Wonderful Wednesday, Everyone!

See you at the 'Pines this evening for the second open house of 2017.
There is plenty of beautiful, fresh snow at the inn and I have heard that Carl, always the opportunist, will be experimenting with coffee slushies, using the white stuff.
(Worth a try? I'll let you decide!)

Thanks Crown! Glad that ice is melting for you!

 

[Holiday]

Good evening,
Just finished watching the Bruins win vs the St Louis Blues, this team is so Jekyll & Hyde this year.

Made it to my day off tomorrow, nothing planned but thinking about heading to the indoor flea market the next town over. A friend of mine got a vintage Christmas candle there back in November. Maybe make a quick run to KMART to see what they have left for Christmas.

Suppose to get in the 50's tomorrow, so a sloppy day on the roads awaits.

I hope you all had a great day

Goodnight, everyone

Enjoy your day off. Have fun if you go to the flea market!

 

[Holiday]

Same here. Even though at this point I still would rather hold onto it a tad bit longer and continue doing Christmassy things as opposed to anything else in my free time, that feeling of being compelled to hold onto it and scared to let it go has all but faded.

Even on my way home from work tonight I decided I didn't need to take the long route and just went straight home. Whereas in the first couple days of my work week I felt like I absolutely had to take the long route to see all the lights and decorations still up and get my fix so to speak. The next couple of days it was routine and a "why not?" kind of thing. And tonight I just decided to skip it, I did still see a few homes with lights, and that was enough for me.

Same with the movies and TV shows I have on my DVR. I'm not really actively watching them anymore, it's more or less just background, and at times I've even switched them off in favor of something else. Like Star Wars the other night and the college football championship last night.

But ya know what, the really crazy thing happening right now is Sounds of the Season Holiday is still going. The schedule said it was supposed to end Sunday the 8th. But I've been really surprised to see it still going this late into January. So I've definitely put it on for a bit the last few nights, it's been quite a pleasant surprise. And I'm genuinely curious if this is a mistake, or if someone in the control room has actively decided to keep it on, because this is something I always pay attention to as every year it is literally the absolute last thing to go from the holiday season, and I have never once seen it run this late.

Anyways, my mid size tree is still up and decorated along with the shelving unit I have, and I still continue to plug all the lights in when I get home from work. I just finished my first full work week back and have the next three days off. It's supposed to be overcast, windy, and rainy. Plus everyone in my house is gone. So I'm just going to relax and give the season some last few solid days of celebration. Watch each movie and TV show one more time as I see fit, listen to some Christmas music, and probably by Friday afternoon start dismantling my room and tree decorations and box it all up. Spend that evening still reminiscing, watch a last movie, or medley of scenes from movies, and then come Saturday I start my work week again. And I'm sure by then and as my second work week rolls on it will just about disappear.

Enjoy your days off, your tree, decorations, movies & music!!

 

[Holiday]

Morning all and a happy Pines / hump day.

Good morning Tis! Merry Pines/Hump Day to you!!

 

[Holiday]

Good Wednesday morning! It's extremely windy and raining and will continue tomorrow. I hate this crazy weather, can't it be actual Winter during Winter? Just work for me today. We're trying to secretely have everyone sign a card and buy a gift for a colleague getting married at city hall next week (she may go down South for a beach wedding, if her husband's health allows it). Not easy to do when she's working each day. Hope everyone will enjoy a great day!

I agree with you 100%! Let it be winter, when it's winter!!! I am not a fan of this warm weather in January - at all!! How nice to surprise your co-worker with a card/gift to celebrate her wedding. Congrats to her! Have a great day!!

 

[Holiday]

Morning MMC! The weather changed from cold to warm over night. Should be mild through Friday now and then a colder weekend with maybe some snow. Still seeing lots of Christmas lights out. I'm appreciating them a lot in January knowing this is the last month we'll see them till November. Oh well yesterday was another busy day at work. Today will be pretty similar. Planning to go to Applebee's tonight if my brother feels better. He was sick yesterday.
Have a great Wednesday!

Have you heard anything about Applebee's going out of business? My BIL mentioned it the other night b/c we got an Applebee's gift card for Christmas - he said we better use it quick. Apparently they are having upper management (mis-management) problems. I sure hope that's not true -I always think Applebee's has consistently good food! Anyway, have a Merry Pines Day!!

 

[MerryCarey]

Morning MMC!! Our wind storm has finally passed by after 8+ hours straight. We had close to 2" of sleet and freezing rain/snow mixture late afternoon yesterday. Now its suppose to warm up today....idk whats going on with this weather.

Ick ... I hope that icy stuff doesn't stick around for long. Snow is bad enough, but it's impossible to drive and walk on ice!

 

[Holiday]

Morning MMC!! Our wind storm has finally passed by after 8+ hours straight. We had close to 2" of sleet and freezing rain/snow mixture late afternoon yesterday. Now its suppose to warm up today....idk whats going on with this weather.

IDK what's going on with this weather either. The wind was NUTS yesterday/last night. So many people were out of electric. Thankfully we were not, but it flickered a few times!! I just took some sinus meds, thanks to this crazy weather....
Hope you're having a great day!

 

[Holiday]

Good Morning MMC !!

still here, did not blow away in the wind gusts last night that were as much as 65 mph....I have to go and look for my snow shovel. It rained as well so a lot of the snow is gone. Roads are icy now causing school buses to be cancelled again.
Do not have to be at work until noon. Just took the sourdough bread out of oven so it smells wonderful in here.

Still windy but not as bad as last night, gratefull our power stayed on. My brother has been without since 9pm last night. At least he has a generator.

Hope you all have a great day !

Glad to hear you didn't blow away!! I bet your place smells amazing!! Hope the roads are better by the time you have to go to work!! And I hope your brothers power comes back on soon. Have a good day CS!

 

[Holiday]

Good Morning, First Milestone approachers.

Can that be true? Can we really be close to our first Milestone of 2017 already?
Well, a quick check of our post number 1 chart tells us that we are in fact LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY from that point!

Days to the Season: 306
Days to Christmas Day: 348

Yes, Folks.
In a scant 6 days, we will be at the 300-day Season Window, ready to begin a 200's level count to the Season's beginning.
(Wow! The 200's so soon. Hardly seems possible. And yet........)


Well, we warmed up above freezing yesterday (and on into the 40's) at long last.
Today, the 50's.
Tomorrow, the 60's.
And Friday......the 70's?? (Well, maybe.)
Currently, we stand at 43 degrees here in central NC, grateful that we did not drop below freezing last night (which means the ice was melting all night long)!


Have a Wonderful Wednesday, Everyone!

See you at the 'Pines this evening for the second open house of 2017.
There is plenty of beautiful, fresh snow at the inn and I have heard that Carl, always the opportunist, will be experimenting with coffee slushies, using the white stuff.
(Worth a try? I'll let you decide!)

Glad to hear your ice is melting!!
See you tonight at the Pines! Bring on the slushy coffee!!

 

[MerryCarey]

I agree with you 100%! Let it be winter, when it's winter!!! I am not a fan of this warm weather in January - at all!! How nice to surprise your co-worker with a card/gift to celebrate her wedding. Congrats to her! Have a great day!!

I'm not minding our warm spell at all, because it's melting the icy spots on the roads!

Our yard has big gray puddles of slush, though, because the ground is still frozen hard, so it can't absorb the snowmelt. Ugh. But the sunshine makes up for that!

 

[Holiday]

I'm not minding our warm spell at all, because it's melting the icy spots on the roads!

Our yard has big gray puddles of slush, though, because the ground is still frozen hard, so it can't absorb the snowmelt. Ugh. But the sunshine makes up for that!

This up & down weather just messes with my sinuses!! And everybody around here has been sick with flu/colds/coughing...I have been coughing for almost 4 weeks. Everyone is saying it's lasting 4-6 weeks - up & down weather sure doesn't help. Mine is much, much better, but still coughing. Tired of it! I just wish it would get cold/stay cold & kill some of the nasty cold bugs out there.
The ice was all melted by yesterday afternoon, but then it froze overnight again & it was back this morning after so much rain/wind/thunder/lightening last night. Crazy weather.

Just saw on FB a couple we know who lives in town here lost the roof on 1/2 their house last night. She said it's down to the rafters. UGH!

 

[NcGunny]

IDK what's going on with this weather either. The wind was NUTS yesterday/last night. So many people were out of electric. Thankfully we were not, but it flickered a few times!! I just took some sinus meds, thanks to this crazy weather....
Hope you're having a great day!

I hear ya. I started my sneezing already from whatever causes it. Last year it didnt hit until March I believe.

 

[MerryCarey]

This up & down weather just messes with my sinuses!! And everybody around here has been sick with flu/colds/coughing...I have been coughing for almost 4 weeks. Everyone is saying it's lasting 4-6 weeks - up & down weather sure doesn't help. Mine is much, much better, but still coughing. Tired of it! I just wish it would get cold/stay cold & kill some of the nasty cold bugs out there.
The ice was all melted by yesterday afternoon, but then it froze overnight again & it was back this morning after so much rain/wind/thunder/lightening last night. Crazy weather.

Just saw on FB a couple we know who lives in town here lost the roof on 1/2 their house last night. She said it's down to the rafters. UGH!

I hope for your sake you get some steady winter weather soon to kill the "bugs" and help your sinuses to straighten out!

The dry, intense cold the past several days has been really messing with my nasal passages. I had to inhale steam last night to get comfortable before I went to sleep. The warmer weather today means it'll be less dry, which is fine with me!

 

[Bradmac]

Good Wednesday morning, Christmas friends!

It's a nice day here, sunny and should be around 65°F. Then it's mid-70's for at least the next 10 days, according to the weatherman. Not too bad.

We went to mama's for supper last night. Her chicken pot pie is great! Then she took Nancy & Elizabeth to her room to sort through her jewelry. She gave them both several nice pieces, most of which were gifts from my dad to her. She said she was ready to pass them down, to make sure they went where she wanted them to go. Her health is excellent, but she sure has been doing a lot of preparing lately. Oh well. The girls sure appreciated the gifts!

And she gave me a "My Pillow"! LOL

I hope y'all have a great day!

 

[made582]

Good Morning, MMC!! Its an icy morning here after all of the storms last night. There are cars in ditches everywhere and three have ended up in water. Thankfully everyone was rescued or got out okay. Just thee same old same old here today. I need to go see if I can find my plastic table that blew away last night at some point before the rain starts again. I might make some bread pudding too. It sounds good. I hope everyone has a great day!!!

 

[Edge612]

Have you heard anything about Applebee's going out of business? My BIL mentioned it the other night b/c we got an Applebee's gift card for Christmas - he said we better use it quick. Apparently they are having upper management (mis-management) problems. I sure hope that's not true -I always think Applebee's has consistently good food! Anyway, have a Merry Pines Day!!

I haven't but I'm not surprised by anything. Seems like everything is going out of business. Hope they don't cause there's not many good places to go eat at that are affordable!

 

[made582]

Good Wednesday morning, Christmas friends!

It's a nice day here, sunny and should be around 65°F. Then it's mid-70's for at least the next 10 days, according to the weatherman. Not too bad.

We went to mama's for supper last night. Her chicken pot pie is great! Then she took Nancy & Elizabeth to her room to sort through her jewelry. She gave them both several nice pieces, most of which were gifts from my dad to her. She said she was ready to pass them down, to make sure they went where she wanted them to go. Her health is excellent, but she sure has been doing a lot of preparing lately. Oh well. The girls sure appreciated the gifts!

And she gave me a "My Pillow"! LOL

I hope y'all have a great day!

Glad you had fun last night at your mom's!!
Chicken pot pie sounds good!! Enjoy your My Pillow!!

 

[Christmas Knight]

I wish I liked egg nog.

**gasp**