I started my Christmas shopping this weekend. I keep vowing that I am not going to wait so long but then always end up putting it off. This is actually kind of early for me though, so at least I’m making progress. I have gotten to the point over the past couple of years where I do at least 50% of my shopping on-line, and more if I can find what I’m looking for. I really don’t like fighting the crowds in the malls - bah humbug! Sometimes I think the worst part is actually trying to figure out what to get people. Luckily, I did happen to find one perfect gift. That one you only find once in a great while. My daughter and her best friend are huge fans of the movie (and soundtrack) RENT. Anyway, the play is showing at Shea’s in January so I bought tickets to take them. I got great seats (3rd row in the balcony) and I can’t wait - I think they’ll be really excited. If only figuring out the rest of the gifts for folks would be that easy - ugh!

Also, I know there are many worthy organizations gathering gifts for the needy, but if anyone is looking for someplace to make an unused donation (toys, books, clothes), the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Buffalo and Erie County puts on a "Christmas is for Kids" project every year with gifts going to children who suffer from mental illness and their families. Most of these are families living in poverty and have very few resources. The group is providing for a higher number of kids this year than they originally expected and could really use some additional donations. If anyone is interested or would like further information they can contact AMI Buffalo at 832-4035. I know they would totally appreciate anything someone could give.

Started this morning with my granddaughter arriving at 6:30; I was babysitting today while mom and dad went to work. My son, who lives upstairs from me, didn’t actually have to work until about 11:00, so he stayed downstairs, mostly sleeping on the couch, until he had to go get ready. No big deal, I had to get up early anyway because I had to put the ham in for 10-12 hrs. of slow cook since I was having my entire family over for dinner tonight. Got that prepared and started then left son and granddaughter to go meet my regular summer camping group so we could make our reservations for Allegany for next Summer. Initially things were not going so well there as a number of the regular cabins we reserve each year in a group were taken. Things weren’t looking too good and we were pretty surprised and frustrated (we’re usually very adept at our marathon booking method) but we ended up getting a group of cabins together on another trail. It’s a trail we’ve camped on in the past, but not for a number of years now. That reservation stuff is pretty cutthroat and they book up fast. Next year when we book we’re going to have to figure out some other approach. Anyway we have our 10 cabins, in what a friend once referred to as “Cheektowaga in the woods,” and we should be good to go.

Came back home and got back to work on prep for dinner. My granddaughter helped me make a salad, had some lunch and then we kind of hung out, played Lego’s, watched some stupid Disney channel stuff, read a couple books, and didn’t take a nap (damn). Her mom came and picked her up at 3:00. They were invited to stay for dinner but had other plans. All in all we had a good day - but I really could have used a nap.

Finished getting dinner together - had my mom, brother and nephew, and sister and niece over as my mom is leaving later this week for her annual wintering in Florida. We had really good ham, au-gratin potatoes, asparagus, and, of course, the salad granddaughter and I made. Also put out a shrimp (which I hate) appetizer and a bread, bruschetta, olive, and cheese tray appetizer. It was really quite a spread. Laughed ridiculously because I got some of the shrimp juice on my shirt and made some comment about how it stinks and that I had shrimp-boob. This was really only hysterical because anyone who has seen me would know that shrimp-boob is an absolutely absurd oxymoron in my case. Sometimes it’s good just to be silly. Had coffee and delicious cannolli cake from Tops for desert- I’ve decided this is my new favorite cake-it was so freakin good!

Days like today kind of remind me how lucky I really am to have family close.

Now I’m just tired and think I’m going to go and watch what's left of Brothers and Sisters and try not to fall asleep while doing so. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
. Betting I for sure won't make it till the News.

...Coffee, Chocolate, friends...

Just a reminder in case anyone is interested, tomorrow is Literacy Volunteers' annual Coffee & Chocolate fundraiser - 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Shea's Smith Theatre & Intermission Lounge. A $20 donation gets you an evening of goodies from Fowler's Chocolates, coffee from Starbucks and appetizers from some local dining establishments. There's also entertainment, basket raffel & silent auction.

Ummm - I love coffee and chocolate.. almost as good as... whatever! hahaha

I went tonight to the Literacy Volunteers annual Coffee & Chocolate fundraiser. I brought my daughter and her best friend to work serving food/appetizers so they could earn some community service credit for school, and just because it’s good for them in general to do that kind of thing. They did a great job and actually said they had a good time and enjoyed being part of the event - imagine!

Anyway, the evening had a few things going on like a theme basket raffle, silent auction, big basket of booze raffle, and a Willie Wonka-style raffle to win a diamond ring. They were having a “special deal” at the door that got you your admission and some tickets for all of the raffles. The package was $10 less than if you purchased all of the tickets separately. So, I went for the deal, and got the bunch of tickets for all the crap basically because it is for a good cause and even if you don’t win it’s fun to try (knowing of course that I NEVER win anything at these things).

Well, the ring they were raffling was really pretty with chocolate and white diamonds in either a platinum or white gold (not sure which) setting. The jewelers who donated the ring to the event were there and said the ring was valued at $1,000 and that they were only selling off 100 candy bars (ala a 1 in 100 chance of winning-not bad odds). Well, if you bought the package when you came in, it included 3 chances at the ring - cool, chances just increased. After walking around for a little while, I went back to the ring table to see if people could buy extra chances (I’m still not sure what possessed me to do this). They said yes, but only until the 100 bars were all sold out. For some unknown reason, I decided to buy more tickets. The cost was $10 for one or $20 for 3. I only had a $20 on me and figured what the hell. I bought the 3 chances.

At 7:15 pm, everyone was told to open their candy bars to find out who the winner was - see pix below - they don’t do justice to my new ring, but they give you a little bit of an idea anyway. I can’t wait to show it off tomorrow at work!




Oh yeah, the coffee and chocolate were really good too.

While I hated the negativity of this long, arduous campaign, and the campaign b.s. and rhetoric definitely made me lose some respect for both of the candidates, I must, nonetheless, say that they were both very gracious in their speeches this evening. During his speech, McCain once again seemed the man I might have considered voting for 8 years ago had he, rather than Bush, been on the ticket. But who knows, maybe a hard run at the White House back then would have changed him into whomever it was that came out in this campaign. Anyway, I thought Obama’s speech was great too. Nice to see both of them speaking of working together and healing the nation...

YEA! It’s over - tonight - I can finally sleep!

Happy Election to All, and to All a Good Night.