Those of you who know me, understand I am utterly and truly fascinated with vampires...however the vampires I speak of tonight are the one's I call the workers at the blood lab I go to. I went to same named lab, but different location, just to make things easier for myself since some roads are still not cleared of snow. Nope, not ever again!!

I hate needles, seriously, I have such a needle phobia from a childhood experience gone horribly wrong, I will never, ever get over it. Yes, I know, I have tattoos, wtf, right? WRONG!! There is a big difference for me with a tat gun versus a single, straight pointy huge gauge needle going into my arm folks! Complicate the phobia with the fact that my veins just don't like to cooperate, you can already picture how well this went.

I sat in the chair, nervous, pulse pounding in my head, with no one there to hold my hand and offer support. The giant of a phlebotomist is like 6 feet 9 inches tall and didn't want to hear a thing I had to say...just assumed I was another wimp in the chair. I asked him nicely if he could use a saf-t-wing and take the blood from a vein in the top of my hand...they hate doing it that way cuz the flow is slower and it takes longer to fill the 6 vials they take from me....because I knew the veins in my arm just hide once they get the needle placed and then I have to be stuck again.

Mind yah, I need to have this done but multiple sticks is not my cup of tea, at all! Anyway, he didn't listen and said the vein on the side of my arm, not in the middle where most go, was gonna work fine. I said yeah, you can see it, wait til you stick it! Sure enough, he is moving the damn needle around trying to get the vein to bleed and boom, no drip, no nothing. Gawd I wanted to scream every time he pushed the needle in deeper and then really let him have it with a huge, I-told-yah-so but he apologized and said he guessed I was right. No shit! BUT wait, instead of switching to the hand, the sob stabs me again. To no avail but more pain and me really wanting to pass out by now.

I think I got rather loud b/c another tech came in and told him to just take it from my hand. Geez, where was this guy ten minutes ago?! So the hand worked, slowly, but it worked! I don't bruise from blood draws, usually, but let me tell yah, my arm is black and blue and tender to touch and when I bend it, I wince. My poor hand, the whole top is bruised and still swollen and of course, ask me how many times I have bumped it into something!

Note to self and moral to story; when something ain't broke, don't try to fix it...back to old lab I go, snow or no snow!!
 

My last post, too long ago, was actually done while awaiting the huge blizzard of February...well it didn't let me down! We got 32 inches of the great white stuff from February 5th-6th. Down here, that means total chaos and panic! For once I think every Marylander in this part of the state truly believed the weathermen from every news station and hit the stores early, of course cleaning out every nook and cranny. Being from a state where snow is a weekly occurrence, I headed out days before and stocked up on the essentials, so I was all ready to just wait and watch it hit.

Now, people can't drive here, even when there is no rain or snow, add either one to the mix and you can bet you will be in traffic for hours due to an accident somewhere. This time, all I had to do was look out our front window! See, we live on a hill, with all three houses on our block and we are the middle house. After about 6 hrs of snowing, we still had people trying to get their cars up the hill to get home, unfortunately, that wasn't going too well. Stuck in the snow, were a few vehicles and that is where they stayed. No plows could get down our street til mid morning on Monday and then they only did a pass down the center of the street, leaving any vehicle needing to get down it to dig yourself out or stay til the thaw. Fortunately our three houses on this block all park in the yards when it snows so we can at least dig out. Then we as a team all dig each other out.

So, here we are, all dug out, ready to go back to work (some of us) and since I have a Jeep and could get out of the the block, I went to work on Monday...to a ghost town! What takes me an hour or more to go 16 miles due to traffic congestion, I made it in 20 minutes. We had patients canceling left and right because they were all snowed in so it made for a busy, yet uneventful day. I at least can say I was there!

You ask why I am going off about this pretty boring talk? Well that's because on Monday night the granddaddy storm of the first one was being predicted and it didn't let me down! Another 20 plus inches fell on top of what we had, and this time, everything shut down. The stores that already had restocked from the weekend storm, were now empty again, gas stations were closed nearby because they couldn't get fuel delivery and pretty much everything else just rolled up the carpet and called it a day!

I now have over 52 inches of snow to enjoy and since it is remaining cold, it is not going anywhere, anytime soon. It's better this way, even for those people who hate the white stuff, because if it all thawed quickly, flooding and devastation! Schools went back today and they still have not plowed some city streets. Those that are plowed, have so much snow sitting on the corners, it is impossible to see what lies ahead. They have literally ran out of places to put the snow in some areas and all everyone is asking is, 'are we done yet?' Since Mr. groundhog saw his shadow and is giving us 6 weeks of additional winter, we still have 4 weeks to go. For a lot of people, it will be a long 4 weeks.

As for me, it can't last long enough.
 

I know this is not many people's favorite topic, but for anyone who has come to know me on here, you know I love snow. I sway two ways; cold and snow or gloomy and rainy..I hate the sun and heat. I would be the type when I retire to reside in the coldest area in the summer and travel to somewhere even colder in the winter! Sick and twisted ain't I? Alas, it wouldn't be me any other way!

If you live on the East coast near Maryland, you already know what's coming our way...predictions of up to two feet of snow in a little over a 24 hr period. I say bring it on! I was so depressed in early December, it was moderately warm and looked nothing like the Christmases of my youth...then boom, December 19th brought me two feet of the pretty white stuff and I was ecstatic! After 3 yrs of living here with no snow, I was thoroughly in heaven and feeling like a kid again.

I am hoping this weekend is a repeat to my youth...if it happens, my son (the other snow lover) and I will be out building snowmen and making snow angels while the husband, the true southerner, will just be shaking his head from the other side of the patio doors, looking out at the two fools he calls family!

Shall keep you all posted.....if it misses us, I am asking for a snow making machine for Valentine's day instead of the usual trinkets, chocolates and the likes!

Until the next howl, be safe!

I hate the immediate time after the Christmas and New Year holidays! The holidays came and went just like that this year. All the prep work you do and it's over in a matter of minutes! We took the tree down last week, now the living room looks so bare! I was enjoying spending my quiet nights after everyone else went to bed, curled up on the sofa, laptop positioned just so, a cat or two curled up by me as I watched the lights twinkle. It's moments like that where I get so much more accomplished when I write. My thoughts are more tuned into what I need to focus on and not all over the place at once.

Alas, now my quiet moments are the ones I steal, still after everyone turns in which means I am up way later than I need to be. And I wonder why I threw the alarm clock across the room a few days ago. That irritating buzzing just came too soon at 4am, though my fault entirely; went to bed at 1:30...But I need my focus time and those crazy hours are when I do my best.

So I will close for now, I am heading over to my second blog to post for the new Frontliner blog challenge "FL 7-Day BLOGGING Challenge-CLOSED"  In case you are interested! It should be a lot of fun!

Take care, til the next howl
 

I took a small hiatus from blogging, due to the holidays and to focus on my other blog "Howliday Howls and New Year Yaps"  which starts with the 12 days of Christmas of blogging for the Frontliners group and will continue into this year as my second blog. I am trying to dedicate myself into actually blogging all year this year. This post will be my catchup.

Well Christmas was just the ten of us...meaning mother-in-law (mom!), hubby, son, me and the kitty patrol! John was happy with his Colts jersey (see previous posts), Jay is enjoying his new book, The Lost Symbol, mom scratched lottery scratch off's til she could scratch no more and my arm hurts from bowling on my new Wii. The cats immensely enjoyed getting into all the wrapping paper. Last year the Cap'n Jack & Calypso were too small to really get into it so they played in empty boxes. This year I wrapped little toys loosely and took them all, shook them up in a bag of catnap and put them all around the tree base. They played and chewed til they got them all open and left them behind for the wrapping paper! The older cats do what they do; check it all out, play for a couple minutes and crashed under the tree!

Last night we rang in another new year. For the now last ten years, the eve of the new year has brought more meaning for me. My husband and I were married on New Year's Eve of 1999. It has now become out tradition to go to dinner at Red Lobster every eve then come home and bring in the new year with our family. Okay, you are asking yourself or perhaps not, why Red Lobster? Especially for our tenth anniversary? You see, we were married when I lived in the midwest and we lacked for 'fancy' restaurants without driving hours to get to one and on a night when I prefer to stay off the roads (celebratory drinkers and always bad weather) it was the nicest place we had close by the night of our wedding. We were married by a JP, no big fancy wedding/reception. Jay has kept that tradition every year, the only time we go to that restaurant.

Last night was no exception and surprisingly enough, unlike last year, we only waited 5 minutes for a table..last year, 2 hours! I kinda like the wait; sitting in a truck with your spouse waiting for the restaurant's pager to signal your turn can be kinda romantic, in a hillbilly sorta way! I think you get my drift here So we enjoyed a nice dinner last night and came home. I made up some munchies for later and watched the ball drop with Dick Clark, from outside the bay window! See mom is old-style city folk...she goes outside battled to ring in the new year with her old pot lids, clanging them together shouting "Happy New Year" as she goes up and down the block! It is to the point the neighbors all pose ready in their windows, waving her on! Last night it was raining, so geared in her blue rain poncho and lids, she still rang in the year her own way.

With that visual in your mind, I wish you all a very Happy New Year! May this one be better than last, bringing us much happiness, success and a little wealth wouldn't hurt either.

I do hope everyone is having a very enjoyable holiday with family and friends. It is the perfect time for reflections, family catch-up and overall cheer.

When I was growing up, many moons ago, Christmas was more a reason for family to get together, go to midnite mass and have a huge dinner on Christmas day. You spent the day over food galore, not to mention tasty treats and family actually all sat together and conversed over dinner. I remember the 'kiddie' table where all the nieces, nephews and cousins had to sit, but still, the whole family were at tables, not scattered all over a house, watching TV.

I miss those days. Current time for us is just the four of us so getting lost in television and people in all different parts of the house aren't a problem. However, each Christmas I get lost in the thought as I watch the fire dance in the pellet stove and watch the twinkling lights on the tree. I miss those days of ole and yes, life changes constantly. Times like this I truly miss those who have passed on, the real nuts and bolts of the families who always but together a successful day, no matter what crisis there was...

This is where I am now, watching the fire, looking at the lights on the tree....the excitement of the morning is over and this is my time to sit and get lost in thought.

I'll be back to talk about the unwrapping and the kitties at play later...

Again, Merry Christmas my friends!

Just dropping in here to pre-wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I am typing this as I try to get my baking done, I am almost there! Then it is off to wrap presents. I hope y'all have a wonderful holiday, surrounded by family and friends.
 

My fingers ache, all this clicking from website to website has even my nails hurtin'! But worth it, because I got it, well I found it and the size he needed. It was to be shipped today overnight so all I can do is cross my paws and hope the mail delivers this time. If not, I'll wrap the invoice for him, lol!!

Sooo why is this gift of a Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts jersey causing my husbands veins to pop out of his forehead? Anyone out there from Baltimore or even Maryland for that fact, would know why. For those of you who don't, here goes the reason for my husband's grizzy attitude; The Baltimore Colts were the NFL team for Baltimore, MD until March of 1984 when, in the middle of the night, they were packed up and moved to Indianapolis, IN. The hatred for this has been going on for years and to this day, in my neck of the woods, you don't say the word Indianapolis and Colts in the same sentence!

What makes this whole situation difficult, is my son and I are born and raised Hoosiers, those that hale from the state of Indiana, home of the Indianapolis Colts. Can you now imagine what it's like in this house to watch the Colts and Ravens, Maryland's present team, go at it head to head? Yes, they play one another and silently my son sits there and roots on the Colts. Now, with this Christmas gift, he will be adorned in the colors and name of a team this state despises, at least this household does.

I can't help that my husband chose a woman who lived in the opponent's state, cheered on her football team loyally and ended up marrying him and moving to Maryland! That move in states for the team occurred when I was just graduating high school and it's not like it was my fault they moved in the first place. I just happened to be in the wrong state, per him.

So there you are....the last minute Christmas gift was bought, my son will love it and my husband will sit on the other side of the room on game day!! Gawd to think what he would do if I bought myself one?? Evil aren't I?!




 

Time flies, even when you are not having fun! I do a little Christmas shopping throughout the year, the little things or stocking stuffers usually. Amazon or ebay is my favorite place to shop, especially with all the no-shipping deals. Then the weekend before Christmas is when I get everything else. It's my time, alone, to get the gifts for hubby and son. This of course is the only time I get away from them long enough to do it, they know better than to ask to tag along!

However, as you know by yesterday's blog...the storm that stopped everything in the East hit and there went shopping. Mind yah, I am from the midwest and Northern part of the country and fear not driving in it. Unfortunately the mall's and store's employees chose that day not to test their snow-driving abilities and the town pretty much shut down.

Alas, here I sit, checking off my list of what I already bought versus what I need to get. Guess which list is bigger? I work late everyday this week 'cept for Christmas Eve. Now I like that end-of-the-holiday shopping night, for little items, more stocking stuffers and such, but for the bigger items? Hell no...all that pushing and shoving to get the 'last' one of something; I might hurt somebody, lol.

The reason for the title of this blog is one person, my son. I love him dearly and for months I have asked him what he wanted for Christmas and all he kept telling me was stuff for his truck...until 2 days ago! He sits on the couch here next to me, first clue he wanted something, and asks if I got him everything he wanted. I got smartyass with him and said, "you'll have to wait to see what Santa brings you." (he's nineteen so he found no humor in this) He said he had another suggestion if Santa didn't come through...A Peyton Manning jersey.

Okay, anyone who follows the NFL knows what a player this guy is, how the team is un-defeated and how I am NOT gonna find this in-stock anywhere. So, here I go, searching and searching for the prized possession with my husband havin' a fit the entire time. Why is he havin' a fit you ask? That is tomorrow's blog so stay tuned......


 

Hello everyone, long time no blog. I hope this finds any readers who come across this howl, healthy and happy and ready for this joyous season. By now, anyone of you who know me, knows I hate the heat and love the cold and snow. Perhaps you have heard me whine and complain that since moving to below the Mason Dixon line I don't see snow. I never trust the weatherman when he says there is snow in the forecast because it usually passes us by or the western side of the state gets hammered.

Friday night folks, I took new faith in what that weatherman says...for Atlantic storms anyway. It started to snow about 11:30 Friday night, nothing major, just that slight 'dusting' I am used to around here...well let me tell yah, by 1am (yes, I was up and on here) we had 3 inches. I went and sat outside, listening to the quiet which always befalls with a snow storm and for once, in a very long time, I wanted to just raise my head and howl my joy! So not to wake the neighbors, instead I just raised my head and felt the snow, real snow, falling on my cheeks, arms outstretched, basking in my own private paradise.

Go ahead, call me nuts like the rest of my family (except our son, he loves it as much as I do)..here it is, 28 degrees and snowing so hard you can't see a few feet in front of you and there I am, my mind wandering to days of falling into foot high snow and making snow angels, a child's grin upon my face. I'm sure if any of the neighbors were still up and caught sight of me they would think me drunk. I was as a giddy as a child in a candy store. I think I was out there an hour, enjoying the serenity

So to all you snow lovers out there, here's to us! If you aren't a snow person, just be happy for those of us who are...If you click the photo below, that is our final look after the storm came through. Those candy canes you see are 3.5 ft tall and only stuck in the ground 2 inches...y'all do the math.

Happy howlidays!!