Christmas was fun, Duke loved it

Back when I put up the christmas tree and decorated the house, I set out some christmas stuffed animals on a chair. One is a knitted Santa Clause from my childhood and the other a small, Garfield in a Santa outfit. The Garfield came with a box of chocolates, Andrew gave me on our first Christmas together. I kept the Garfield ever since and put it out with the rest of my Christmas Decorations.

This year was our first year having our dog, Duke. He found my Santa Garfield and thought it was for a toy for him. The morning that I saw Duke with MY Garfield, I had to make the big desicion to give it up and let Duke enjoy it as his own toy. BUT HE CAN'T HAVE MY KNITTED SANTA CLAUSE! I quickley put the knitted Santa up higher where Duke would not get it. He carried the Garfield all around the house, cuddled with it and even played tug a war with Andrew.

A few weeks passed and Garfield lost his Santa hat, leaving him bald. Duke pulled on the hat durring tug a war. Then the stuffing started to come out where there was a rip in the seem of Garfields head. I did some surgery on him with a needle and thread. Duke was so cute while I was stiching up Garfield, he would wag his tail, in axiousness and worry...hoping that I could save his Garfield. He was whimpering and wondering why I took it away from him and why I was poking Garfield with a needle! I could only imagine what was going on in Dukes mind watching me fix it up. Duke took the Garfield back and carried it in his mouth....trotted down stairs to his corner to cuddle with HIS Garfield.

Merry Christmas Duke, my adorable doggy.

Merry Christmas Eve!

I am working tonight and on Christmas night. Not bad though, this way I will get new years off. Have to give a little to take a little. Andrew and I are driving down to Branson, Missouri for new years later on this week. I do not really know too much about Branson, just that it is a place for fun activities and shows to catch. I heard about a place for bumper car racing. We will definatly do that! Then there is also Sulivans on the Landing for live Jazz music. A good Itallian restaraunt is called Tony Z's we will also try out.

If you know of any hot spots in Branson, MO let us know! Merry Christmas everyone and have a happy, healthy new year!

Pictures of the snow fall

St. Louis had 5 inches of snow over the weekend. Here are some pictures I took around our house with snow everywhere. There is Duke laying in the snow on our deck, licking the snow! Funny dog.


My foot print and Duke's paw prints.
I shoveled a driveway for the first time. Took me 15 minutes, not bad...then it snowed more and left some snow behind on my freshly, cleared driveway!

Time to put the lawn tools away in the garage...

5 inches of snow here in St Louis

There was snow fall over the weekend. On Saturday the snow was continuous through out the day and never let up. I was at work that evening, and my car was covered in 5 inches of snow! It was 11:30 at night I started to clear off my car but gave up because my solks were getting wet and cold feet, the snow was ankle deep.

Luckily I work at a hotel and any coworkers, such as myself, who were stranded from the snow could stay in a room for free. I decided to stay and my supervisor upgraded me to the nice rooms, King size even! SHHH! Other coworkers got the standard rooms and in double beds. When the hotel gives up rooms to employees, they are usually given the standard rooms in the back hall way or corner, to keep the "good" rooms available for the guests. By the time I decided to get a room for the night it was already 11:50 almost midnight and we were had more of the upgraded rooms than the standard rooms available. My supervisor put a few of us over there to reserve the standard rooms for any walk-in guests buying a room for the night.

SCORE! King size room for little ol' me! Woo Hoo. It was very nice, but boring at the same time. There was not much on tv to watch and I didn't want to go to sleep quite yet. Andrew called me on my cell phone to wish me good night, I told him to say good night to Duke for me. I missed them both. Being that I was at work earlier, all I had on me was my work uniform and winter coat. I didn't have a change of solks, toothbrush, etc with me. I took a complimentary toothbrush and toothpaste, from the front desk. I also grabbed a travel size box of detergant to hand wash my clothes in the bathroom sink.

Everything worked out and I slept in till 10 am the next morning. I ended up staying at the hotel instead of going home because I had to go to work agian at 3 pm that Sunday. After work Sunday it is 11:30 pm agian and this time I was able to clear off all of the snow from my car and the roads cleared up by then also. I was so happy to drive back home.

When I walked in the door, Duke was all smiles and I gave Andrew a big hug and petted Duke. Back home in my comfortable surroundings! Although it was fun hanging out in the hotel room for free, but it does not compare to the comforts of home.

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa Clause,

I have been a very good girl this year and Andrew has been on his good behavior to. I would like to have for Christmas an:

1) mp3 player with 8 GB like the Phillips brand (found at Walmart for $89).

2) GPS navigator portable from car to car. (found at walmart or BestBuy)

3) Sewing machine ($65 at Kmart)

4) Conair Hairdryer (my current one only works on the warm-medium setting) the high setting doesn't work any more.

5) Peridot ring from Overstock.com ($89.00 SIZE 7)

I will finish my Wish-list later, talk to you later Santa. I hope it is not too cold up at the north pole!

Our 1st Snow Fall of the Season!

On December 6th, 2007 it started snowing, for the first time this winter. The snow came later than usual. There is a difference between snow and rain, where with rain I can hear the rain drops hitting the roof and pitter patter on the deck; with snow it falls quietly and with out a notice. I was sitting in my living room, not aware of the snow, all curled up on the sofa watching tv. I got up to let Duke back in from being out in the back yard. Poor dog was damp from the snow. I walked over to the sliding, glass door and looked out to my deck to see the snow, and by then the snow was falling like little beebee size ice like from a beebee gun. Duke came up to the deck and tried to lick the snow/ice up. He was so funny! Duke was biting at the deck and trying to break away the ice and eating the bits of cold snow! Then I saw my hammock had some snow on it, so I walk over to the hammock to brush the snow off, and it was all frozen to the hammock. The snow was a thin sheet of ice everywhere.

The next morning the sun comes out and the snow/ice is melting away. I let Duke go outside and when he came back in he was all wet from the melting snow. Grabbing a towel to dry him off he sat patiently while he was rubbed dry. Then he followed me to my bathroom where I finished blowdrying my hair. I decided to use the blowdryer on Duke and he loved the warm air blowing on him. He was so cute. I thought he would be afraid of the sound the blowdryer made, scince he is afraid of the vacume, when ever it is turned on.

I believe this is Dukes first snow experience, and he did very well, and seemed to enjoy the snow.