December Determination ~ Week 4

[sooty]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Hello everyone, happy Boxing Day I've had a good holiday weekend, spent a quiet day yesterday and visited family and friends today. Too much food though and will be glad to get back to normal tomorrow - I'm really looking forward to making a salad!

The weather continues to be frightful - I recommended yaktracks to my friend and when he enquired on the web site they were out of stock till next week so it looks like I was lucky!

It sounds like we've all had fun and kept warm and safe.

Daughter today reminded me that 2 of her uni friends are arriving tomorrow for a couple of days ....hells bells I'll have to start cleaning up again!

Have a good Sunday folks - see you all on Bank Holiday Monday :H

love Sooty

[papmom3]

December Determination ~ Week 4

"The weather outside is frightful".......

The wind has really picked up with very strong gusts. Hope my birdfeeder survives!! The snow hasn't started yet but it's only a matter of time. What's it doing by you Lav? This is going to be a huge one for Central MA. They are predicting with 100% surety at least 20 inches of snow for my part of the state. I'm all stocked up with food, water, candles and flashlights. Wish my portable heaters were battery operated!! :H :H
If you don't hear from me for the next day or so it's due to power outages so don't worry. The absolute last thing I want to be doing is drinking-hungover and shoveling 2 ft of snow definitely do not mix!! Unfortunately my snowblower won't start but I have neighbor's ready to help out. I'd ask if anyone wanted to join me in Floriday or the Southeast but it ain't much better down there :H !

Chill-glad you've decided to "chill" re: Mr McDreamyLibra and see where it takes you. You deserve someone who really respects and admires you and I think he does.

Happy boxing day to my friends across the pond and happy Wren day to Rustop as well. Hope the rain comes soon for you all.

Dill-did you get any of the storms this month? Love the avatar!!

Hey to everyone else who stops by.
I've got to get busy with an office project today while I still have power.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Hi Sooty, chill, papmom, etc

Time to think of January........here's a few adjectives to describe our group. (Please don't pick Jiggly :H:H
jumpy
jovial
jubilant
joyful
joyous
jittery
jealous
juicy
jumbled
jagged
jaded
jerky
jingly
jocund
junky
jiggly
jolly
jagged
jazzy
jaunty
jokey
judicious
judgemental
jumbo
just
jejune
jingoistic
jammy
jellied
jumping
jammed
jolly
jinxed
juvenile
jocose
juristic
jury-rigged
jiggly

It's snowing, it's cold - what else can I say???
Stay warm everyone :l

[paguy]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Greetings Everyone and Happy Boxing Day and St. Stephen's Day!

Just returned home a little while ago - we left Massachusetts to 'beat' the storm. They were predicting 2 feet of snow for Boston starting this afternoon so we decided to get the heck out of Dodge very early this morning. What is normally a 5 1/2 hour drive only took us 7 hours! But, we are safe and sound at home now in PA. The roads were trecherous for the last 100 miles due to the snow and ice. We must have seen 30+ car accidents on the roadway. I am happy to be home.

I spent most of Christmas in the kitchen but I do enjoy that and I know my partner's mother appreciated it. It was also nice to see and spend some time with the extended family. They are much more enjoyable in small doses! :H

Just getting unpacked and settled at home. Will try to check in later. This was my first AF Christmas and I am so happy with myself. I do have some drinking stories to share about the rest of the family that make me more firm in my convictions to remain AF! I'll share them later....

[dill]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Congrats on an AF Christmas, Paguy! I look forward to hearing your stories.

Papmom, we have not had any really bad storms here, but we have had a long period of below freezing temps and several snowfalls. It seems to me it's been white around here since early December, and our pond has been frozen for weeks as well. As far as the avatar: it's amazing and fun what you can find for free on the internet!

Rustop, thank you for telling about St. Stephen's Day and The Day of the Wren. I found that quite interesting.

Lav, stay warm and safe. I do hope you have plenty of firewood! Thanks for getting the ball rolling for January titles!

Chill, your relationship with McLibra seems to be unfolding at a pleasant pace. Don't get in a rush. Just enjoy! I'm having fun with my avatar for the holidays. I'm glad you enjoy it.

[Chillgirl]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Papmom - I hope your power stays on, I'm glad you're stocked up on essentials, when I hear of Page's journey it's good to be home safe.

Lav - I only want a positive title for January and I like jovial and jubilant. Sorry to say but I also really like JIGGLY :H I think you secretly do too as you freudianly listed it twice

[spedteach]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Hello all,
Love sharing Christmas menus or those for Boxers' Day. So interesting to hear what everyone is making and consuming. Xmas for me/us was a lasagna using layered butternut squash rather than pasta. Layered with sauteed swiss chard and fire roasted tomatoes. Oh and covered with Fontina and Gruyere cheese. It was unusual, admittedly. Also one of those dishes that evolves and tastes so much better the next day.
I know you all think I am nuts but I am jealous of that storm headed for some of you. It's close to 60 + degrees here. Everyone is marveling about how fabulous it is. People wearing shorts at the grocery. Ready to head back to Indiana.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Hugs to all, Shell

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Shelley,
Come enjoy the snow.........don't forget to bring your shovel :H:H
Your lasagna sounds very interesting!

Glad you got home safely John

Chill - I copied & pasted that list & didn't notice 'jiggly' was there twice. Is that an omen? :H

OK, time to light the fireplace, ah

[Chillgirl]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Lavande;1028952 wrote:
Chill - I copied & pasted that list & didn't notice 'jiggly' was there twice. Is that an omen? :H

Absolutely!

My vote is for Jiggly January :H

[papmom3]

December Determination ~ Week 4

HOUSE SWAP WITH SHELLY!!

I vote for Jubilent or Joyous January. There are enough jiggles in my life as far as I'm concerned and my goal for January is to get rid of them!! :H

[rustop61]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Good morning everyone

Raining at last. It was so strange to wake up this morning and look outside and see green. The snow was beautiful to look at but a nightmare to travel in so not sorry it is gone. Glad you got home safe John. Those of you in the middle of a storm, stay safe. Chill, you sound to be having fun and remember what will be will be.

Sped - enjoyed reading about your recipe. It reminded me to put lasagne on the menu this week, we are all turkeyed and hammed out.

I like the positive names, joyful, jubilant etc. but am afraid jiggly applies to my belly region at this time so maybe more appropriate!!!

Lots of wind here so hope my interntet connection holds.

Rustop

[Stargazerlily]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Good morning to all!!

I like Joyful or Jubilant January. I need something positive to start out the new year.

I do not know if anyone wants to hear this, but I did not stay AF on Christmas Day. I brought my AF drink, and my family brought alcohol. I was pressured after a time to drink and I did. I regret it, and I am thinking about what I need to do with my life. I am questioning my marriage, I want my son out of the house, and I am thinking maybe I need to separate for a time....move out and get myself together. I didn't get drunk, nor hungover, but that is not the point. To live with people who are so not with you, but against you.....it is just not working for me.

So, back to work and to taking care of everyone and everything. I am tired of it, and want changes in the new year. It is up to me.

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Good Morning Everyone,

I like the idea of Jublilant or Joyeux January. Joyeux is "merry" in French. I agree with everyone here...something positive since a new year is beginning and it will give us all hope and strength to make changes.

(((((Star)))))):l....I don't know what to say....I am so sorry you're going through this. You have so much to deal with, and especially since you felt pressured to drink on the holiday. Why do people do that? Probably out of guilt because they don't want to feel like they're out of control, or since it was the holiday, they were probably thinking "how can you have fun on the holiday when you're not drinking and celebrating? Arrrghhh...frustrating! Good for you for knowing that what happens in 2011 is up to you. I have made the same resolution, and I am NOT going to break it this year (like I did for 4 years straight(.

Shelley-your recipe sounds fascinating! You should post it in the Recipe Corner. Sorry we can't hook up until March. Don't worry....we'll still have plenty of snow.

Rustop and Dill-thank you so much for the reminder of St. Stephen's Day and Boxing Day.
Rustop-my mom is a devout Catholic and when I asked her about St. Stephen's Day, she gave me the history. Dill-I have a younger English client who didn't even know what Boxing Day was?

Chill-I loved downhill skiing for many years and I'm jealous that you got to ski in the Alps. I was supposed to go to Switzerland (yo-de-lay-ee-hooh!) years ago with my mother, and then she got sick. She was going to tour castles and I was going to ski. I love your new avatar by the way

Paguy-sounds like your Christmas was Norman Rockwellian.

Yup, jiggly fits me to a T. As long as Jiggly January doesn't turn into Floppy February, I guess we're ok.:H

Papmom-I just saw on the news that SE Massachusetts got pounded by a blizzard. I hope the weather doesn't derail your plans.

A cheery hello to Lav, Rebirth, Sooty, LBH, Dew, Cyn, Mr. G, and everyone I may have missed.

Mr. G, I hope you feel better soon. Not only am I Determined this December, but I'm Dastardly. I have no one with whom I can cast out my Devilish Demons except you. My incorrigible self is back with a vengeance for some reason and you're not in the mood! Bah Humbug!

I'm off to the gym! Have a wonderful AF Monday everyone!

xoxox

Rusty

[spedteach]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Star,
So sorry about Christmas Day. Do you really feel like someone pressured you to drink? If that's the case you need to get away from that person. Reading what you wrote just reminds me of why I'm spending most of the winter in Indiana. I won't say my marriage makes me drink (Antabuse took care of that), but that relationship is just very uncomfortable right now. In fact I am ready to head back today. Have to substitute teach and have a doctor's appt. first though.

Rustop, think it was you who proclaimed yourself chained to the kitchen. Cooked for five 20 something young men last night. They demolished the red and green chili, tortillas, posole, guacamole, etc. Helped some cleaning up and then took off to go roller skating.
I'm about cooked out. New neighbors coming over tonight and then I am done!

Good Monday everyone. Rust, loved that wren story!

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ Week 4

Hi Shelley,

Sorry....cross post! You cooked for 20 something young men last night! Wow.....they were the luckiest men in NM since you were the cook.

Star-I echo what Shelley said. Maybe you can set some boundaries like..."I want to be AF and I do not appreciate you pressuring me to drink because that is not being supportive of my efforts to live a healthy lifestyle."

Shelley, let me know if you bolt out of NM early and are going to be anywhere near here the first week of January. I'll break my jiggly back to try and hook up.