Cellar Scribblings

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

Made it to the weekend! 

I had a lunch in NYC on Friday, so I spent a portion of the day in traffic.  However, I did drive by Rockerfeller center and see the tree. 

Tonight  have a Christmas party to go to, so I'm making some stromboli and sauce for dipping, and I've wrapped two gifts I need to bring.

OH, and I don't recall if I posted this, but I found this wrapping paper this year.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

Another busy weekend down, and one more to go!

However, this week I have off, so I can get stuff done during the week, and not have to cram everything in on a Sunday.

My international holiday cards were sent out before 12/6, and the first back of US cards were sent out today.  I sent out the ones that are going the farthest away, so they'll have the extra time to reach their destinations.  I have 25 more cards that I just completed, ready to go tomorrow.  I will drop them off after my dentist appointment - nothing major, just a cleaning.

After that I have to hit the grocery store and get the ingredients for buffalo chicken dip.  Tuesday night is a small party for the holidays, and everyone is bringing "snack" food like cheese and crackers and such, for us to eat during the games.   I'm making buffalo chicken dip, and getting two or three loaves of Italian bread to slice up to use for dipping.

When I get home after bowling, I will complete the last of the Christmas cards, and they'll get mailed out on Wednesday.  At that point, all the recipients are in the NJ area, so that is soon enough for them to reach their destinations before the holiday.

Thursday I have to get some stuff from the store, and Friday I have to drop the Santa Fe at the dealership for some regular maintenance.  Since I will be without car, I will spend the day wrapping gifts for the weekend, and baking for the White Elephant party I'm going to on Saturday.

Saturday I have a family gathering that starts at 3:00.  The White Elephant I'm invited to starts at 6:30, so I will drop of the food and gift for the white elephant on Saturday afternoon, then head out to the family party, and then over to the white elephant.

Then Monday, back to work for a few days, and BAM!  It's Christmas!

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

My stay-cation is almost over!     Oh well, all good things come to an end.

As of today, I'm pretty much done with my Christmas prep!   Cards are sent, shopping is done, gifts are wrapped, and I don't have much to do now.

Tomorrow the car is in the shop for its scheduled six-month maintenance, so while I'm stuck at home, I will be making a batch of Buffalo Chicken Pasta.  I don't need it until Saturday for my friends' White Elephant party, but my family is celebrating Christmas on Saturday before the White Elephant party, so I will be dropping my gift and the food before going to the family celebration.

I think that tomorrow evening, after I have my car back, I will go for a drive and look at the houses decorated for the holidays.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I think that tomorrow evening, ...  I will go for a drive and look at the houses decorated for the holidays.

We used to do that a lot when I was a kid, sometimes on Christmas night. We called it going for a ride "to see the lights." Then came the Energy Crisis of the 1970s (when Jimmy Carter urged us to wear cardigans like Mr. Rogers  ) and people largely stopped decorating outdoors. Obviously there's been a resurgence, and I'm glad to see it. It took me a while to get used to the mini-lights (on indoor trees as well) because they weren't the Christmas lights of my early childhood, but I've grown to like them, especially when people use all white lights. I haven't yet gotten used to the new LED lights. I think the light they emit is cold compared to incandescent light.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

The last of my busy weekends is coming to an end!  Just some laundry today, and then spending the evening relaxing before returning to work tomorrow.

Christmas falls on Wednesday, so I suspect that Monday and Tuesday may be busy, but Thursday and Friday very dead.  The following week should be the same, for New Year's Day.

Having this week off allowed me to get everything done, so all the presents were wrapped ahead of time, and the cards mailed.

[CellarDweller]

We used to do that a lot when I was a kid, sometimes on Christmas night. We called it going for a ride "to see the lights." Then came the Energy Crisis of the 1970s (when Jimmy Carter urged us to wear cardigans like Mr. Rogers  ) and people largely stopped decorating outdoors. Obviously there's been a resurgence, and I'm glad to see it. It took me a while to get used to the mini-lights (on indoor trees as well) because they weren't the Christmas lights of my early childhood, but I've grown to like them, especially when people use all white lights. I haven't yet gotten used to the new LED lights. I think the light they emit is cold compared to incandescent light.

My brother and sister-in-law have decorated outside their townhouse with new versions of the "classic" lights.  They look like the old twist-in bulbs, but they're made of a different material, they looked almost plastic.  Apparently they don't burn at a high temperature, and are safer to use on trees and other foliage.

[serious crayons]

all the presents were wrapped ahead of time.

I'm about to start my shopping. 

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

Christmas Eve has arrived!

I'm not doing anything tonight, I will be seeing family tomorrow for dinner, and then back to work on Thursday.

Exchanged gifts with my brother, sis-in-law, niece, her boyfriend and Trent on Saturday, so it will be a rather quiet Christmas, which is fine.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

I hope that everyone who is celebrating has a great Christmas!


I had a nice sleep-in today, and then plugged in my wax-melting device, so the apartment smells like baking brownies.     Spent some time doing some straightening up around the apartment, washed some dishes, and got my gifts ready to go over to Mom & Dad's place.  I'm not heading over there for another four hours, so I will go out and clean out the car and clean the windows.

[CellarDweller]

Hiya BetterMost friends.

I hope that everyone is having a great weekend.

For Thursday and Friday, I went on a shopping spree with some of the gift cards I got for Christmas.   I spent $120.00 on 5 different bottles of cologne, all by David Beckham.  It was very timely that I got the cards, as I was down to my last little bit of cologne in my last bottle.  I got two new scents that I've never heard of before (Intimately, and Classic Blue), and then three scents I've ordered before (Signature, Homme, and Instinct).  Intimately already arrived, and the rest are on the way.

I then got myself some groceries, and ingredients to  make 4 stromboli for the New Year's Eve party I'm going to.  This should be the last time I need to make Stromboli for a while!  LOL


Last night I went to Party City and Burlington, and I found a bunch of accessories for the "gay gangster" (gayngster) costume.

I found an inexpensive white button down shirt at Burlington.  I already had gay pride suspenders and necktie.   I found the following items at Party City:  fake cigar, sleeve garters, spats, a shoulder holster, and to top the look off, a gay pride striped fedora that matches my tie.



Here is everything.