Friday, December 28, 2007

Aftermath...


Basically, this is how this holiday season has left me ( setting Jesus' birthday and all that means aside for the moment). From the draining family ordeal that began just after Halloween right up until now...I am just a skeleton of my former self.


I sit in front of a computer, hoping to spill out something worthwhile to write and the words do not pounce forth. Sometimes I burst out crying...and sometimes I beat back the tears in angry defiance.


As all things, "this too shall pass", I have been dealt a good deal of "things" on a personal level over the last few months and it is getting harder and harder for me to get over them (though I know I must) and harder still, to see the proverbial "light" at the end of the tunnel. But I shall and I will...


It will take perseverance. It will take prayer. It will take forgiveness. It will take all those things and much more that I cannot grasp JUST yet, but I will.


I will.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

When Life Hands You Lemons....


In total height, it is probably about 7 1/2'... more than likely taller to the very tip. A real Frasier Fir that I bought at our local grocery store. It is VERY SIMPLY decorated with white lights...red and silver glass balls. VERY small green, blue, and red glass balls...and red berry sprays throughout.
So...we did not go through Christmas without a tree gracing our living room.
But from this Christmas and many Christmases to come, the tree that DOES enter our primary living space will no longer be the same as it once was.
That will be entered into the ledger book into the Ghosts of Christmas past....not to be seen again....until its necessary time..
For now, this tree, and 11 months of thinking about what the other options will be...will have to suffice.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

It's A Wonderful Life - Middle School Play

This is a compilation of pictures from the play my oldest was in. You will see a picture of my youngest taken by the stage as well.

Monday, December 10, 2007

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

Before and After shots....guess which is which...Last post for awhile..Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, December 3, 2007

A Christmas Carol--1951

This is my favorite scene from my favorite version of this Dickens story. Alistair Sim was amazing in his conversion from "covetous old sinner" to the man who "knew how to keep Christmas well". This scene makes me cry EVERY time I watch it.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

That Light from the Southern Sky, Part 3


So....this is LAYER 3...Can you IMAGINE the tree IS NOT DONE YET????????
I still have to find the star....I still have to fill the Shadow Boxes...AND...the bottom of the tree STILL has to have a village...and a couple of other surprises..
God help me...

Monday, November 26, 2007

That Light in the Southern Sky, Part 2



Believe it or not, this is LAYER 2 of my tree!!....Oh, I know..YOU might say, "It looks done", YOU say, "It looks fine", YOU SAY, "Wow, YOU ARE ONE CRAZY WOMAN!"

Well, that may be true.

But I have much work to do and I'm so very behind schedule, so I must get OFF my BEHIND and get to work...kiss kiss.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Of Thanksgiving Day's Past....

I miss the Turkey Day marathons of my favorite show. There was nothing like spending the day cooking your favorite meal and watching bad movies being skewered with precision....

Oh....how I miss those days...Here's to you Mystery Science Theater 3000, for making us laugh at bad movies again and again.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! May the only turkeys you encounter this holiday week be the ones you decide to stick a utensil into (unless that also happens to be a relative...an then..well...all is fair in love and war...and all that jazz).

Monday, November 19, 2007

That Light in the Southern Sky...Ummm ...Well....


We started this holiday season with a Christmas Tree conundrum in our household. I was TOLD to look for a replacement tree this year. THIS was after I was told we would be replacing our lights with the energy efficient LED strands...'sigh'.....
.
My tree....was purchased nearly 20 years ago. It is a VERY nice artifical one that has to be put together branch-by-branch. This tree works well, because the branches hold MANY ornaments and lots of lights. I short-shifted my light quantity last year because most of my light sets had seen better days.
.
I told my better half (and today I use that term loosely because he's been appearing on the "Naughty" list more than the "Nice" one lately), that IF we were NOT switching to LED lights (a look I LIKE, but he does NOT) or BUYING a new tree (the only ones I've LIKED near the $300 price range), then I would have to have NEW REGULAR lights .....regardless.
.
So....while we were at Wally World....we bought TEN boxes....AND I'M STILL SHORT!!!!!!! This is with two more extra sets of clear lights I found mixed in with the Halloween stuff....So, I wait some more and try and DECORATE THE BOTTOM of my tree until I get MORE lights later on today.
.
The tree is 7' tall.....and I've put over 1000 lights on it!!!! HOW IN THE HECK DID I DO THAT????
.
Take the journey with me....This will transform into something beautiful...I PROMISE!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

MST3K The Christmas Essay Segment

During episode #321 Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, they all write their Christmas essays...stay tuned for a touching turn..Before and after, you'll see a bit o' riffing.

MST3K - Patrick Swayze Christmas

I can't help myself. I need to laugh. This helps me.

MST3K - Merry Christmas...if thats okay

I love this...especially since I'm tired of being POLITICALLY CORRECT.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

What's a Few Tears Between Holidays....
















It's sad taking down the decorations.....I'll cheer up when the Christmas stuff starts going up.
Allow me this moment....sniff..sniff...

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween 2007!

AND I have found my cape! I was a little worried because I usually have it readily available but...I have it.

The picture to the left is LAST year's costume. this year's will be similiar, I imagine. My hair is shorter and I have fishnet stockings and some longer gloves...Anywho, it should be good fun...

Now, I have to get off my duff and get some things done...

So in the MODIFIED immortal words of Zacherley...."Happy Halloween, WHATever YOU ARE!!!!"

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The Nightmare Before Christmas - What's This?

Second times a charm!

The Nightmare Before Christmas - What's This?

The above video shows one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite holiday movies, Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. It is being released this Friday for three days only in 3D. I'm looking forward to the chance to seeing this cinematic delight on the big screen this weekend.

It is truly a special film.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Of Hershey Bars and "REALISTIC" Pumpkins...


A few years ago, the "realistic" pumpkins hit the retail market.....What makes them so cool is that you can carve a FAVORITE image and keep the pumpkin year after year. Unfortunately, the cheaper of these CARVEABLE orbs WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to cut into and most of the end result made you wish you'd just LEFT it to be thrown into the compost heap. The easier to cut, realistic pumpkins were/are VERY expensive and you still need to have patience and a modicum of skill with a cutting tool to do anything. There is a guy every year who sells EXQUISITE pieces of artwork each year with his realistic pumpkins. I believe his eBay ID is "Pumpkinking"...Look him up, they ARE AMAZING!!
Anywho....since my skills with an X-acto knife are not that great, I begged Santa to get me cordless Dremel drill a few years ago. I planned on using it for many tasks; however because my mind is SO very cluttered and my focusing skills are dulled...'sigh'....I have sadly only used my precious drill on these pumpkins...
Now, here's my problems....I KNOW that I had two more at least either completely or partially carved and another was sketched out. This was verified by my offspring...One Creature, One Dracula (he may have been the partial one), and the BRIDE of Frankenstein was sketched...
But they have disappeared....Has the Creature fled to the Lagoon? Did Drac go back to Transylvania? I DON'T KNOW.....WHAT OF THE BRIDE??????? WHAT HAPPENED????
Anyway.....SOME OF THESE PUMPKINS ARE GETTING THE DRILL IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO...
Or ELSE!!!
Oh....and the Hershey Bar part of the blog...oooh...I ate one of those before I started typing. YUM YUM!!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Eating More Fibre...Or Do I NEED Help Moving BLOGS In the Morning?

I sit here and I do not have time to write anything. I've been out of town, I've been volunteering, I've been decorating, I've got laundry piled up, movies to watch...and NOW -- I'm dealing with the POSSIBILITY of moving my primary Blog: http://360.yahoo.com/mombie61

Yesterday, I spent WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much time moving a YEAR'S worth of blogs on my Yahoo! 360 Page to some document files on my computer. I still need to clean the files up and move them to disk, but at least from here on out I can write EACH individual blog on a .doc file and then transfer it. I ALWAYS preached this practice to others....but failed to do it myself most of the time. WHY WOULD I DO IT NOW, YOU ASK???? Only for one simple reason -- NO ONE at Yahoo! seems to be willing to give the bloggers an answer to a simple question: Is 360 STAYING, GOING, MERGING, UPGRADING? Will bugs be fixed? We are completely being ignored.

My 360 blog is a different blog. It is my "GOD" blog. I've got my formats that I'm comfortable with, my tags set up...my friends.. Sure, I don't have many comments, but at least it is all together.

So yesterday, I played Salvage Truck....

Tomorrow, who knows.

I just know I have spent HOURS and HOURS writing and Yahoo! is NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Pumpkin Facts

Since it " 'Tis the Season", I thought you might enjoy the following facts about one of my favorite fruits....YES, FRUIT!!! ENJOY, while pretending the Lucy and Linus Theme is playing in the background.




1. The word ‘pumpkin’ comes from the Greek word, ‘pepon’, which means a ‘large melon.’


2. Pumpkins originated in Central America.


3. Pumpkins are actually a fruit. Many people think it should be our national fruit.


4. Pumpkin is really a squash. It is in the Curcurbita family along with squash and cucumbers.


5. The yellow-orange flowers that bloom on the pumpkin vine are edible.


6. Pumpkin seeds taste great roasted and contain medicinal properties.


7. Native Americans grew and ate pumpkins and its seeds long before the Pilgrims reached this continent. Pilgrims learned how to grow and prepare pumpkins from the Native Americans.


8. Pumpkin was most likely served at the first Thanksgiving feast celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Indians in 1620.


9. The earliest pumpkin pie made in America was quite different than the pumpkin pie we enjoy today. Pilgrims and early settlers made pumpkin pie by hollowing out a pumpkin, filling the shell with milk, honey and spices and baking it.


10. Early settlers dried pumpkins shells, cut it into strips and wove it into mats.


12. Pumpkin has been prepared in a variety of ways from soups to stews to desserts since the immigration of the first European settlers.


13. The ‘Pumpkin Capital of the World’ is Morton, Illinois. Home of Libby’s pumpkin industry.


14. The state of Illinois grows the most pumpkins. It harvests about 12,300 acres of pumpkins annually.


15. Each year, growers compete for the title of growing the world’s largest pumpkin. The largest recorded pumpkin grown was on October 1, 2005 at the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Weighoff. It weighed in at 1,469 pounds, breaking all previous world records. It was grown by Larry Checkon of North Cambria, Penn.


16. Pumpkins were formerly considered a remedy for freckles and snakebites.


17. Natural medicine practioners have proven that consuming pumpkin seeds reduces the risk of prostrate disorders in men.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Overwhelmed By Manifested Clutter!!

I do have to apologize for being SO absent this week. I have been preoccupied with LEFTOVERS from last weeks' mess where I closed my MySpace page, dealing with the finishing touches of Halloween, trying to work on the beginnings of another HUGE series for my other blog, AND getting ready for a trip out of town to go to a wedding.

I'm tired just thinking about it!

First off, I had to close my MySpace page. I got so tired of the WHINING and no one REALLY communicates, but just copies and pastes little things back and forth...and then the same old bulletins and quizzes...and it is WORSE if you have family as a circle of friends (GOOD GRIEF). I just didn't have the time or stomach for it any more, it was DEPRESSING to go on there every day and see which "friends" had changed their profile names ....for the BILLIONTH time...and which ones were still griping...

Had to let it go....It was fun to play with the pages and add videos and such...but I wanted more, I guess.

Secondly, the outside of our house would've been decorated this past weekend EXCEPT we are going out of town this weekend and have put it off. That is okay, though it gives us less time to tweak it and enjoy. The inside is done, but I have a few more pictures to take--that'll have to wait until later.

Next, is the HUGE series that is coming up on the other blog. I don't know why God is giving me LARGER projects like this now, but I have to be OBEDIENT to what He's telling me and just write it as HE sees fit and NOT as I SEE FIT.

Lastly, we are heading to my husband's hometown of Milwaukee and surrounding area this weekend. We are attending the wedding of his oldest niece. We haven't been up there since his Mom passed during Memorial Day week of 2006. Hubby has visited briefly with his youngest brother and his family, but has only seen them for a few hours. Our trip will be quickly up and back as we leave tomorrow afternoon and then have to come back Sunday. My boys are on Fall Break this week, so today, I need to finish getting stuff packed up and re-attach my head. It's always tense going on trips with my husband.

Needless to say, I've had a high-powered week, fraught with emotion and danger...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....Not really, I just wanted to use the word "fraught" in a sentence.

You see? Completely and certifiably CLUTTERED!!

I'll see y'all on the flipside o' Sunday where I HOPE the Kentucky Wildcats, Wisconsin Badgers, AND Green Bay Packers are STILL having UNDEFEATED seasons!!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The HHS Epidemic...


I know people who are afflicted with HHS (the HEE HAW SYNDROME)...They are always singing, "Gloom, despair, and agony on me...." and they always wring their hands talking about their horrible life and can NEVER SEE anything GOOD..
Do you know people like that?

Monday, September 24, 2007

Moniker Mayhem *HEAVY EYE ROLL*



I didn't think that when I chose the moniker for this blog (among the varying ONLINE names I possess as I DO NOT like using my real name under any circumstances) that I would stir someone to want to "stomp" me out...but ...as the subject title indicates...*HEAVY EYE ROLL*, Whether the "stomp out" be in jest or serious (because I can't tell), I got a couple of UNFRIENDLY comments this weekend that I decided NOT to post, you can get the idea from this person's angst by going here: http://iamservocrow.blogspot.com/

What follows is my personal note to "servocrow":

OBVIOUSLY, I am using a different Google-based domain and NOT a "gmail" account and I watched MST3K during its FIRST run (possibly while you were still in short pants). I have NOT used the name "servocrow" for as long as you say you have, but since you do not own exclusive RIGHTS to it and I WAS NOT BLOCKED FROM USING IT, I picked it because of its nice flow and how it looks on checks. If I could've thought of a SWELL name combining Servo, Crow, Gypsy, Cambot, Mike, Joel, TV's Frank, Dr. F., Pearl, Bobo, Brain Guy and Dr. Erhardt---THEN I WOULD HAVE used THAT as an online moniker instead. As it stands, I will REMAIN "ServoCrow" with the capital letters because I love both of those little bots equally and since their names are PROPER NOUNS, they should be capitalized. As for your comment about NOT knowing which show the clip (posted earlier) was from??? There, I must take MSTie humbrage with you again, as it is (and I'm not going to accuse YOU of not knowing this) from episode #421 Monster A-Go-Go and happens to be my favorite quote. So PLEASE, PLEASE....take a little break from the disease which you are suffering: ARS -- Angry Robot Syndrome and watch a couple of seasons of the show and post again when you've calmed down a bit. I'm sorry you cannot get a government check for it yet. There's room enough on the World Wide Web for everyone and remember, "....Repeat to yourself, it's JUST a show, I should really just RELAX..."

Now, for those of you who want to know MORE about the show, go here: www.mst3kinfo.com .....I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing day doing things that are FUN and enjoyable. I'm going to continue with some picking up and putting away all the things that happen around the house during the weekend...and maybe I can squeeze in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode. I suddenly have a hankering for some cheese-skewering.

Friday, September 21, 2007

So You Think It's Too Early For Halloween?

























Well, as Wilford Brimley barks during his Liberty Medical commercials, "THINK AGAIN!!!"



I did 20 years HARD TIME in the retail INDUSTRY, and I KNOW EARLY....and this ain't it...



This is only PART of the INSANITY I put myself through beginning each Labor Day weekend. The frivolity DOES NOT end until I'm watching College Bowl games on New Year's Day (Go BADGERS!! Go WILDCATS...um THAT would be KENTUCKY...and yeah, SOMETIMES we know what to do with those little balls that have the points on the ends...oh how I digress again....).



ANYWAY....This picture on the bottom is just a little corner of a HUGE bookshelf. I do plan on taking more pictures next week and release the glory of my Home Decoration Creation in bits and pieces to the roving eyes who may skid by. I don't know if the AVERAGE, NON-Holiday-decorating Homo Sapien could handle it all at once, so I MUST BE CAREFUL...

With great power comes....great...something-something....

As you can see by this picture, I am a HUGE fan of the Jack-O-Lantern...Now, as a PRACTICING, Born-Again Christian I am well-aware that many people sitting on church pews get all bent out of shape celebrating Halloween and whatever Pagan rituals that might be associated with it. I DO NOT get caught up in this MESS...TO ME, a Jack-O-Lantern is a wonderful, cut-up, GOD-CREATED vegetable, emitting a wonderful glow when the sun goes down. Pumpkins make GREAT PIES, and the seeds are delicious too. There is ONLY something inherently evil if it is in your heart to make it so....SO, I shan't Picard this holiday. Halloween is a fun time for dressing up, eating candy, watching scary movies, and ENJOYING the wonderful change of season. Besides, Halloween is ALSO my Dad's birthday, so IT WILL ALWAYS BE a celebratory time. I also have this corner shelf adorned with some Peanuts memorabilia (another long-time seasonal tradition of ours) and some cards.

Now, the picture on the top is our front doorway. Each year I have to slightly modify the decorations somewhat. This time last year, we did not have our plasma TV OR our new living room set, so things that I had for my "sit-abouts" are no longer available to me (or are in different rooms). The ghost hanging on the door was one I made over a decade ago. The orange covered "table" that is sitting on the floor is ACTUALLY a large DOLL CASE. In it, is a $500 Scarlett O'Hara doll from The Franklin Mint! I covered her with orange material and put a black tree on top (which has ornaments on it -- I'll have a better picture later in my Flickr Album). In front are two ceramic owls which belonged to my late Mother-in-law.

So, you see....I've only begun to fight...er...um...decorate...OR AT LEAST SHOW PEOPLE...The outside will be started in the next couple of weeks. The inside, except for some odds and ends stuff is nearly complete and there is NOT ONE ROOM that doesn't have SOMETHING in it.

You see, I have to start early.....If I didn't -- I'd NEVER get done!!!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Okay, I Have to Add This....Explanation Tomorrow

MST3K: Gypsy Doesn't Get Crow

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Why Here..

Let me tell you that I have tried many different places. I currently have a thriving blog (actually two of them) in the Yahoo! 360 world. I like the format there. I also have a MySpace page which is such a WASTE of time because NO ONE actually does anything worthwhile there except post inane quizzes, upload songs, and pimp (steal) pictures from one another. It would be okay if you networked with family members or a like group of people (I suppose), BUT I enjoy by anonymity online and really don't like to harness myself to private pages (just so my family can read it). Of course, since I am a Christian, many of my family members AVOID ME LIKE THE BLACK PLAGUE, and don't invite me into their world anyhow. That is fine. I left my hometown free and clear 20 years ago this November and never looked back. I do not need their approval or their affection in my life -- I've pretty much been without it for a very long time anyways.

It is different with my Dad and Step mom...AT LEAST they come and see me (along with one niece who makes the effort now that I live within a few hours driving distance to home). Most family members believe the interstate only travels one way. And even on the times when I visit my hometown, my own BLOOD siblings do not make an effort to see me then. And so the apathy grows....

But I digress....

I was prompted by a friend to use this blog spot and I promise the posts to be wittier and weirder. I just had to let off some steam; knowing I have no previous family members on this reading list; nor do I plan to.

So I am here to veg....to talk about things I don't get to talk about normally to anyone (save the voices in my head...muahahahahahahahahahahaa)....I hope to figure out the little idiosyncrasies of this page to upload a few more pictures and make it, at the very least, VISUALLY interesting.

Until then....My Cluttered Mind has some Halloween Decorating to do...Early you say? Ah, well, we'll discuss that tomorrow....along with "Where did that weird moniker come from?"

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Well, So I Begin...Again

I will post randomness that enters this often cluttered mind of mine....I could be here many times or rarely. I'm going to try this on like an outfit found at a yard sale -- It is picked it up cheaply, if it fits well, then by gum, I'll wear it all the time...

If it doesn't....to the back of the closet you go with the other blog pages I've tried on.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!