CoCo's Corner

I had to have my mammogram the other day.  Because I'm now FIFTY, my doctor said I had to now have them every year.  I was having them here and there - like every couple of years.  My last one was two years ago. They don't hurt, they are uncomfortable.  It's four pictures - usually.  You put your right one on the metal type slab and they squish this plastic bowl down on it.  Then they do the left one.  No big deal.  They get you all settled into it and go to take the picture.  They say - "Hold your breath!".  I'm old, I'm fat, I'm out of shape, that ain't easy!! It's the next two that get a little weird. They turn the machine on an angle.  They are trying to get as much tissue as they can - so you have to scrunch up really close and give the machine a hug.  You have to get your armpit right into the corner, then put your arm up and around the machine.  Then comes the squish.  They squish it all into the machine....

Upon on the roof and in the tree There are times that my idiocy makes me wonder how I make it through a day.  This fall, when the leaves were falling from the trees, I happened to realize that we have these little pear berries on our trees.  I looked at them and wondered out loud where they go, because in the spring, they will be gone.  They are never there when the trees start to bud.  They are never there when the buds turn to blooms.  My favorite thing in the seasons is to see my little trees bud and bloom then later in the year to see the leaves turn orange and red then blow away (because I don't get to them quick enough for them not to blow to the neighbors house - OOPS). Anyway, back to my naivete.  A couple of weeks ago, KayeLynn mentioned that the trees were covered in birds eating the berries.  I think I literally smacked myself in the forehead with the realization that my question from this fall had been answered. Covering...

Today is just another day to me.  Christmas is over.  And that's fine.  I had an amazing day yesterday.  I was very happy to see that my family could all make it - even though Mother Nature tried to waylay our plans a bit with a crazy blizzard.  However, that crazy blizzard turned into a lovely, beautiful Christmas day. Ted has been pretty sick the last few days and doesn't want to do much other than sit and sleep.  I hope he starts feeling better soon. I have been busy cleaning up from the celebration yesterday.  Got my table down to an accommodating size for just two or three.  Got the dishes all finished up.  Swept up the floor.  Shoveled the end of the driveway where the snowplow had left us a small hill. I did go out to visit my local grandkids and see their Santa treasures.  It's fun to see that happiness and excitement. We had a nice breakfast this morning - but on the way home from seeing the kiddos, I stop...

Stocking hung and filled The stockings are hung and filled - waiting and anticipating the arrival of most honored guests.  My kids are coming to celebrate Christmas.  It's a day I look so forward to.  A day of family, a day of giving, a day of feast, a day of celebration.  It would be complete if all of us could be here - but, those out of town can't possibly make it.  But, they are in our hearts and they feel our love hopefully from here. Before presents opened Pies are made, potatoes and beats are on to boil, ham will be ready to go in soon.  The rest will all follow. It's a time of love and excitement.  It's a time of reminiscence and memories.  It's a time of happiness and care. Christmas Eve: Before presents opened -art two My family all made it here, in spite of the nasty blizzard.  I had quite the upset thinking that my boy and his bride would not make it here.  Mostly didn't want them to get into a hazardous s...

When Ted and I got married, he asked me to get the recipe for Christmas cookies that he grew up with.  They are called Chinese Chews.  They are rather tasty, I have to agree.  So, they have become our standard Christmas cookie every year.  Raja loves them.  Ted loves them.  KayeLynn loves them.  I love them.  Not sure about the rest of them - - but, they are now tradition.  AND WE KNOW how I feel about tradition. The recipe calls for chopped dates.  I usually buy the dates chopped.  This time, somehow, I ended up with whole dates.  Have you ever looked at whole dried dates??  They look like dehydrated cockroaches.  They are nasty looking.  And when you chop them up - they are sticky as crap. Just wanted to pass that along. HMMMMMMM.

Christmas wrapping mess I apologize for being negligent the last couple of days.  I've been busy and running.  I'm so tired I could just collapse.  And I still have so much to do.  My plans were to get bathrooms and kitchen cleaned, presents wrapped and then tomorrow all I would have to do is vacuum the living room, dust and cook. That's a lot of money!!!!! Today, I wrapped and I wrapped and I wrapped and I wrapped.  I already had a few presents under the tree, but, I've finished all the wrapping and now it's all done.  Plus I helped KayeLynn work on Brandon's present - which included a run to the store - AGAIN!!!  I don't care if I see the inside of a store for months!! Empty tape I have decided that scotch tape makers have found a way to make a lot of money by making the rolls of tape  shorter.  I swear - I don't think I have ever seen this many empty scotch tape containers in my life.  Plus I think I went through one o...

ELEVEN DAYS!!!  I am off for ELEVEN DAYS!!!! I am especially happy that Christmas is early next week - because the rest of the time I am planning on relaxing, doing what I want to do, catching up on some projects and doing NOTHING. Did I tell you I am off for ELEVEN DAYS?? I am in desperate need of this - I have not been too productive this last week anticipating that I am off for ELEVEN FULL DAYS!!!!

Today was the work Christmas party.  Ham and pot luck food.  I ate so much food I am sick.  Tasty treats, delicious salads, scrumptious rolls. I am burping potato salad.  Not complaining though - - tastes almost as good the second time.  Not quite - just almost. All I know is this - if the holidays don't get over soon, I am not going to fit into my uniform pants come January 2.

Tonight is the Monday night sitcoms:  How I Met Your Mother, Two Broke Girls, Mike and Molly.  They are all Christmas themed.  They made me giggle.  How I Met Your Mother made my cute hubby misty-eyed (ok, me too).  Hawaii 5-O is Christmas themed, too. Yeah - I watch a lot of television.  It's what we do around here.  DAMN IT!!!  We need a life. Anyway, the point is: I grew up in a time of Christmas specials.  Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Dean Martin.  I loved the Christmas specials.  Lots of songs, lots of skits, lots of fun.  It was the age of variety.  It was fun.  Carol Burnett, Donny and Marie.  I can't even bring myself to watch the ones now - they aren't fun. It was time of the classic cartoons.  You looked forward to them every year.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown (the message of the tree), How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman. ...

Every year, with my Christmas cards, I send a Christmas letter.  Last year, I just didn't have any ideas, so I let Ted write it and I added my "edits". This year - I will share it here.  Just so you can see how twisted we really are: December 2012 As you are aware, there are claims out there that the world is going to end in a couple of weeks because the Mayan calendar goes kaput – so in honor of our last days on earth – here is our final update.  Some of you may be very pleased to hear that!! Theodore – whose Mayan name, Papa Ted, translates to Geeky Gadget King (a very high honor to be a king in the Mayan world).  Working until the last minute in the telecommunications field and is still active in the Civil Air Patrol.  He stepped down as Utah Director of Communications – though still active in that field (as nobody has the knowledge he does and can do what he does as the smartest man in the world).  He has been very busy going back and fo...

Two little squatters are here with me today.  We have had a busy few hours.  We went to the cemetery to see the luminaries - they weren't very impressed.  Then we saw a few lights.  Then on to Old McDonalds for dinner. When we got home, we made the most hideous gingerbread house ever.  Chelsea is very sure that we will be eating it soon, because she just knows it's going to be collapsed before she goes to sleep.  I'm pretty sure she might be correct.  It stayed together long enough to get a picture.  It just isn't jelling together very well. Now, we are watching shows and playing. Love spending time with my kiddos.

How do we deal with one more tragedy?  You hear of this and think about those families.  You think about those babies.  You think about life in general.  You start to compare and frighten at the possible parallels.  What if they were yours?   What if they were mine?  You can't imagine it, you can't even fathom it. What causes a young man, troubled by mental illness, troubled by life, to walk into a school and look into the eyes of innocence and take away the life behind those eyes?  What makes the evil take over?  We will never know.  We will never understand.  Sadly, it will happen again.  Sadly, we will have to wonder another day.  Sadly, we will never know the reasons. Sadness in my heart for those that will wake up tomorrow morning, Christmas morning, every morning and have to live with the senseless and evil act that stole the children.

Sorry.  Just too tired.  Been a horrible day.  Exhausted.  See you tomorrow.

My amazing son and my beautiful daughter-in-law came all the way down from Logan today to put my lights back up.  The roof was coated with snow and ice, so I told them they were not allowed on the roof.  So, instead they did my front trees and set up a beautiful scene for Christmas. Thank you so much!!  Sure love you both!!!

Taking a break from Christmas to give a bit of a ramble and rant. The other day, my daughter made a post on Facebook about how my granddaughter was coloring and cutting.  Along with that, she was complaining that she was making everything fat.  The snowman was fat, Santa was fat, why was everything fat?  Then my daughter made a disparaging remark about herself after that.  "How do I tell her that she made me fat?".   She was joking, but, she wasn't.  This is how she sees herself and with that, she feels that she is a little less than perfect.   My granddaughter, only five, is already knowing that to be "fat" is to be a little less than perfect.  My daughter and society has given her this image.  I am sure I have had something to do with it, too.  I and society gave my daughter this vision.  We aren't perfect unless we are a size two and built like a super model - the ones whose pictures we see are air brushed and p...

Today I went out again.  Alone.  Without my big helper, Ted. I got a lot accomplished.  I'm down to the last couple of gifts to get.  I'm exhausted.  My feet and back hurt. But, I feel as though I got a lot done. Now, all I can think about is that I have so much crap to wrap!!!

Yes, this is part one. Less than one minute ago, I submitted my very last answer to my very last final exam of my very last lesson of my very last class. I have finished. I am done. With semester one. I am proud. To say. That (without knowing the outcome of said last class), That I have passed each and every class. With grades between 95% and 100%. Meaning - that - (with exception of the last class and not knowing for sure) I HAVE STRAIGHT A's!!!!

I did more cyber than actual store shopping.  But, it was great, because I got Ted done, Aedynn done, Crystal and Brandon pretty much done, part of KayeLynn's and Lydia is done. WOOHOO. Now, Ted will sigh when he reads this.  Because we got a titch irritated with each other.  We went to get part of KayeLynn's present.  Went to one store.  I was trying to decide between one and another or another.   Ted was trying to help.  Made me walk to another store after I told him I already knew I didn't like it there.  Walked out started going back to the other store and he told me we should go to Shopko.  Didn't like what they had there.  I am going back to store number one.  Hopefully one of the ones I wanted to buy will still be on sale.   We communicate very well, just sometimes we don't. I still have a long way to go.

Christmas money.  In bank.  Christmas shopping.  Next up.

Today was Old McDonalds Day.  Once a month, my daughter and son-in-law have a meeting at the school. Usually, we go to McDonalds about a block from the school and Zach and Chelsea eat, run back and forth between the table and the playland. The last couple of times, I have gone over to their house and we sit and play games and hang out.  I take dinner and it's just a chill session - as much as you can chill with a seven and five year old.  This time Papa came with. While there, I was told about the elf on the shelf.  He apparently pops up a different place every day.  He is watching and reports back to Santa.  Apparently, you cannot touch him - if you do, he loses all his magic. The wonder of children.  To me, its what makes the holidays special.

I love Christmas cards.  I love Christmas letters.  I love getting them.  I love sending them. Ted and I spent the last couple of days getting our Christmas cards and letters ready to go.  Come Friday or Saturday, I'll mail them out.  Looking forward to getting them out. I'll pass along the Christmas letter after I know everyone has received their card.

I am married to a burly, big-shouldered man.  That and pretty bows don't always mix. In it's natural state At the bottom of my stairs is a bow.  It's part of a whole holiday ensemble.  I bought new bows this year, because the ones that I had the last few years had become rather rumpled and sad.  They are pretty - but, they are a little large. Let me preface this by saying, I like certain things to be in a certain place.  I can't stand for the cupboards to be left open.  I don't like for the drawers to be open.  Now, that doesn't mean I am spotless, because certain things can be out of place and until I really pay attention, it doesn't bother me.  I'm known to have up to three pair of shoes sitting next to where I sit on occasion - because I just haven't thought to pick them all up and take them and put them where they need to be. Does anyone really know how to spell skewompus?? Now - my bows fall under the same heading as m...

Well, as previously mentioned, I planned and did manage to get my Christmas tree up this weekend. Let me explain about my tree.  It's reaalllly, reallllly, realllly skinny.  I got it that way so that it would fit into the corner I put it in.  Whereas, I have a pretty large living room, it's not really functional to put a large Christmas tree into it.  So, I got my skinny tree. My Charlie Brown tree When the smartest, geekiest man in the world brought the tree up and set it in the living room, it sat there all dark and sad.  I just kept looking at it thinking how sad it looked - while sitting with Ted, the term Charlie Brown kept coming up. Like the Charlie Brown tree, when it got into it's assigned corner, lit up and decorated, it became a very beautiful tree.  It just becomes "our" tree.  It just blossoms into something very pretty. When Ted and I got married, we needed to start anew - he didn't have decorations and I had ALOT - we started...

The whole holiday season, from Halloween to Christmas, is my favorite time of year.   At Christmas time, I love Christmas lights.  I love to see everyone's lights up and how beautiful they all look. What a lovely thing - different colors, different kinds. My son and his bride spent a couple of hours on Thanksgiving putting up Christmas lights on my house.  I was so excited, it was our first step into Christmas.  They looked so pretty. Fast forward a week and a half.  The wind outside is horrible.  I've watched my lights kind of fall a bit.  Then fall a little more.  All the sudden we heard that whip and whir sound and we knew that they had come off more.  I went outside - half of them were dangling completely down.  I just pulled that set down.  But, the rest is now all screwed up.  When I tried to come back in the house, the wind was so freaking bad the door slammed into the side of my boob - and not tenderly. ...

When I married the smartest man in the world - the geekiest man in the world, he had been single for sixteen years.  One daughter across the country, living in Virginia and one daughter up north in Idaho.  There wasn't much of a reason to decorate at his house.  The first time I went to his house, it was December 12 (yes, there is a reason I know the exact date, but, I ain't gonna tell ya!!).  He had really no decorations, he did manage to find some lovely Christmas music to set the mood. We were pretty much a couple from that moment on - prior to that, I had been deciding if I wanted a relationship with him - and he was probably trying to decide if he wanted one with me.  We spent the next couple of weeks spending quite a bit of time together.  I went as his date to his Civil Air Patrol banquet - where everyone lauded him as a very important person in the organization - he was very appreciated and loved.  That's when I pretty much fell in love with ...