FINAL FRIDAY -NOT

[Harmony]

I enjoyed reading here. Had not known the weather was SO bad out there. Sometime in the night a storm rolled through here and the lights flickered several times. There was thunder and a bit of rain. Some sort of front must have come through, as today was really chilly. I stood outside several times chatting with people who came for different things, and I was frozen!

Well, all this busyness has caught up with me. I suspected it would, but hoped to get through until our trip.... last evening I needed a nap and slept a couple hours then I started in sewing, and I put it down when I discovered it was 4:30 AM .

Yeah, it all caught up with me. I got up with a headache after 3 1/2 hrs sleep, and the headache got progressively worse. After eating and taking 2 kinds of painkillers, I finally went back to bed. I tried to stay up and I got a couple things done, but it was no use. I slept from about 1:00 till 8:00. I feel like I can still sleep through the night anyway, once I go back to bed.

We had a shopping trip planned, but that didn't happen. DH wanted to rest from his morning of work, and I had to sleep, so tomorrow is the shopping day and the list I'll have to do tomorrow is so long I'm a bit distressed about it. I don't have as much time to get ready as most of you do, we are leaving Sunday morning early so tomorrow is it. I still have a few gifts to buy, all the wrapping to do, a lasagna to make and at least a couple kinds of cookies for dkids.

OKay, the Synthropol did work. I didn't have a huge problem, but my white square with red edges from the red piece brightened to a brilliant white again. Lady in quilt shop said she used it when she sewed with unwashed batik which bled afterward and it worked for her. A little bottle was $3, but it measures in tablespoons per gallon. I used that in hot water and also put in a couple shout color catcher sheets, which oddly enough came out like they had collected no dye in them.

I'm going to sort gifts and make a list; make a cookie ingredient list; wrap a few presents; that will help tomorrow's chore list.

Kathryn, I'm sure curious what kind of candy is healthful?!

[Harriet]

lucylee, a company called NationwideCampus.com sold, through Amazon, some of the last of "my own" I was able to buy. They proved reliable and reasonable, with pleasant customer service. They search all the time for out-of-production toiletry items - men's shaving items seem to be a specialty. Recently, they emailed me after finding "mine" that had been produced in England for the European market. I took a chance on that and ordered a pack of 3. So through the coming year I'll be trying those a few times. It might be worth it to you to check their site to see if "your own" is one they somehow find.

[Lilac]

Elizabeth, Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful time with your family in Alabama.

Dd2 had a surprise going away party for the guy who has been working for her since August. She had a cake and there were 2 gifts. One box had 2 items he had painted for samples. The other was an Ipod docking station that had several functions. She also gave him a card with money. I gave him a card and money also. He has been a lot of help to her and has been her back up. Anyway I wanted to write him a note and thank him. He was so shocked that she had bought him a cake, gifts, etc. As he opened his presents, he commented that he hadn't opened presents in years. He went on to say that he had not seen his family in over 10 years. He is going to Florida to live with his sister and try to get on his feet down there.

I really hate that he is leaving. Dd2 has decided to reduce her hours after the first of the year. Instead of opening at 10 on weekdays, she will open at 1. She says that there is never enough business to justify her opening at 10.

I was feeling bad that I don't even have stocking stuffers for dh. Then he tells me that his friend that he takes the motorcycle trips with, wants to go to the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, OK in 3 weeks. The Chili Bowl is car racing and T ony S tewart always drives in it. This is something dh has wanted to do for several years. The tickets are non-refundable so if we have bad weather and they can't go, too bad. So by the time he buys tickets, 3 nights of hotel rooms, gas, food, etc. It won't be a cheap trip. So I am not worrying about stocking stuffers for him now.

I went with both dds to Christmas shop. I found the last stocking stuffer I needed. It is now wrapped and with the rest of them.

I forgot that I needed C batteries for one of dgd20mos gifts. So that is on the beginning of my list for my early Sunday morning shopping trip.

Tomorrow I need to clean.

[Lynlee]

I need to wrap presents tonight. I needed to go out again today I actually spread everything out and counted people and gift destinations.
Hope everyone is safe in the weather over there