A Very Busy January

I hit the ground running in January. I was hopeful that with the holidays over my schedule would ease up some but so far that hasn't happened.

The first book display of the year was, natch, New Year's Resolutions. I initially hesitated at doing this (afterall, it's such an obvious topic) but I so enjoyed browsing through the standard display at Barnes & Noble that I decided what the heck I'd do one at Bennett Martin.

Then my immediate family gathered for snacks and a game of Tripoley at Mom's. This used to be our New Year's Eve tradition but Cassie isn't old enough yet to stay up until midnight, and the rest of us were too tired to attempt such a late night, so we settled on Saturday, January 3. The advantage was we could make this an all-day affair instead of just a few hours in the evening. We had dips, chips, Christmas cookies, and a buffet set up with sandwich fixin's as well as the standard cokes and iced tea. This always turns out to be the Last Hurrah before anyone begins New Year diets.

Then I tossed up a book display about computers. January is National Clean Up Your Computer Month so I put up books about Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Access, Outlook, My Space, using your Blackberry, email in general, various Google options, teach yourself Windows XP, a couple of Macs books, and keeping your kids safe on the computer.

January 11 quilt group met for our Christmas party. We meet in January for a more relaxed get-together - the rush of the holidays is over and we don't have to dash home to more wrapping, baking, decorating, or attending Christmas programs. At this annual event we learn who our Secret Sister was, and draw names for next year.

January 17 we celebrated Mark's birthday. I made him a pillowcase with hot babes on it. I have fabric to make myself several pillowcases of shirtless cowboys, shirtless construction workers, firemen, policemen, and Deb H. made me one with UPS and USPS guys. Cassie and I decided it wasn't fair that I have all my "boyfriends" as she calls them so I hunted for fabric appropriate for Mark.

I'd heard there was some hot babes fabric, but if you do an internet search for "hot babes+fabric" you get some REALLY interesting results. So I knew I'd just have to stumble across the fabric at some local store instead of an internet quilt shop. I found some at the Gretna shop during last year's fall quilt retreat. I don't like that shop but I knew it wasn't available anywhere else so I held my nose and bought a couple yards. I got coordinating fabric from The Quilted Kitty in Lincoln. (I also gave Mark Season One of Star Trek: The Next Generation on dvd.)

I had lots of plans for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. It began at 5am with Cassie and me taking Mom to St. E's for her colonoscopy. We breakfasted at McDonald's then headed back to take Mom home, then I was going to do some computer work at Mom's while she slept off the anesthetic. Then Tuesday, my day off since I had worked the weekend, I was going to take down the Christmas tree and put away the decorations. NOT.

Mom ended up in the cardiac unit and St. E's kept her for several days. They frown on a pulse rate of 200 bps. They did lots of tests and worked on various medications. I really like her doc from the Nebraska Heart Institute, and her hospitalist had a good sense of humor too. In between all her medical procedures we were able to watch the Obama Inauguration together.

Cassie thought this all was great fun. Mark would bring her to the hospital after school, and she and I would hit the hospital cafeteria for supper. We'd take our trays up to Mom's room and eat with her. Cassie would snuggle in the bed with Grma and their trays would sit together on the rolling tray table over the hospital bed. I was good for running their errands.

After several days Mom was released, but she's still weak, tires easily, and has difficulty walking. They are still sorting out her meds. (BTW, her colonoscopy test was good.)

January 25 was a sad day for us. We lost our cat, Eli. Here he is in his standard place beneath the Christmas tree. He liked to pretend he was spying on us all while hidden in the midst of the gifts.

We'd been treating his thyroid for the past year but the meds were no longer working. He began to convulse so I gathered him up and ran him to the after-hours emergency vet clinic. Cassie was in bed asleep by then. There was nothing we could do. They let me hold him while they put him to sleep, then left me alone with him for as long as I wanted. They were very nice. We even received a sympathy card from them, as well as from our vet.

I told Cassie about him Monday night. She cried and cried, and we had some interesting conversations about death and heaven. I haven't had the heart yet to move his bowl or litter box. We still think we see him out of the corner of our eyes, and it's kinda lonely without a kitty in the house. I'm hoping to adopt another cat from the Humane Society this summer.

Finally for January, at the end of the month when the people doing free tax preparations began arriving at Bennett Martin, I put up a book display on taxes. Your standard books on how to pay less in taxes, plus some neat books on behind-the-scenes at the IRS by former employees, and a history of our taxation system. Very fascinating.

2008 Wrap Up

Yes, it's been months since we've gathered here to chat. I've been booked solid and running behind on everything.

I'd originally considered doing a marathon session and tossing up in quick succession abbreviated versions of My Life Since September. Ultimately I decided you wouldn't be interested now in more detailed accounts of events from the past (plus, I don't have the time for a marathon session).

Instead, I'm just gonna unceremoniously end 2008.

So you won't hear about my book display on Back to School.

You won't hear about the fun, 12-hour day

Cassie and I spent at the Nebraska State Fair.

No sage advice from me on How to Survive a Colonoscopy Prep.

You'll miss my book display on Decorating

(along with some cool, shabby chic stuff).

And forget hearing about

the fun book display I did about Cats.

A co-worker did one on Dogs

and we decided to have Dueling Book Displays.

She was pleased that she was refilling her display

more often than I had to.

But then most of her books were on dog training

and we all know that cats can't be trained;

they give orders they don't take orders.

As the saying goes,

dogs have masters, cats have staff.

So there'll be no blog about this.

Sorry.

I will, however, happily inflict upon you

Cassie's First Grade school photo.

October was National Chili, Soup, and Chowder Month,

hence a book display was done on

Chili, Soups, and Chowders.

(Duh.)

But there will be no blog about it.

Cassie had a busy October between the Pumpkin Run,

the day we spent at the Roca Scary Farm,

the evening spent carving pumpkins,

her two trips to Boo at the Zoo

and of course her evening Trick 'r Treating.

But I won't go into all of that.

I also won't mention the book display on Bread,

nor the one on Trains.

Forget any mention of my Fall Quilt Retreat.

(So you won't hear about the

12-Hour-Pillowcase-From-Hell.)

And it goes without saying you won't hear about the book displays on Cookies,

Puzzles,

or the JFK Assassination.

You'll miss out on Paige's 18th birthday (my niece),

and Thanksgiving with both sides of the family.

And let's not forget the book display on Dead People.

Or rather, a display commemorating those who

passed away in 2008.

And the display on Board Games.

We held Scott's birthday party (my brother)

There was one final book display; this one on Financial Issues (irresponsible regulators, CEOs with golden parachutes, a public that spent, spent, spent, and how to manage your money).

Then we ended the year with Christmas.

No, no. Sorry, I just don't have the time to discuss it all with you at this late date. Perhaps I'll do better this year on staying current with events.

Onward to 2009!