Friday Five!

5. There are three high school basketball teams staying at the hotel this weekend. Tomorrow is going to suck. I hate when teams stay because there is never enough adult supervision. At least I am off Sunday.

Ugh!  We were staying at a hotel here once where there was a sports team staying (might have been professional -- not high school) and at breakfast one of them was sitting with his feet up on the table!

Aw hellz, I missed the Friday Five.
So I'll need to do a Saturday Six as 'punishment'! 

1.  We are both crocked - him with a touch of gout in his foot, and me with a sore knee...no idea what I've done to it. Lots of limping and wincing for both of us.
2.  We move to our new place 3 weeks today.
3.  The painter decorators should be finishing up this weekend
4.  The carpets are being fitted on Tuesday
5.  The new sofa arrives on Monday
6.  We are going to see The Who tomorrow night!!!
 

Good idea Albatross. Saturday Six!

1.  Once again, had a couple really rough days with crying, etc.  But also had some fantastic days, too.  Maybe 2 really bad days in 7 isn't too bad really. 

2.  Really really starting to feel a part of the community here above and beyond where I'm working / living.  Making friends (male and female!) and connections left and right! 

3.  Doing a piece in the Christmas concert on the 6th.  The concert is in a 1000 year old little cathedral! 

4.  Some people are surprised that I would like to meet a special guy and have a new love relationship.  Hope springs eternal.....got my eye on a cute on at the moment as well. 

5.  I am taking a quick break right now in the middle of a very busy weekend.  80 people in for a workshop and that means 80 for lunch today and tomorrow, about 30 for dinner and 30 for breakfast. 

Two out of seven isn't bad at all. And the crying is part of the healing process. Those day are needed, even if they are no fun. I've had a couple crying spells the last few days, with it being the first big holiday without my sister. But the tears get rid of the ick and make us stronger.

There is nothing at all wrong with wanting to meet someone else and fall in love again. I love the fact your heart is open to loving again, even as you heal. It shows how loving you are as a person, and how much love you have to give.

I love the idea of your concert in a 1000 year old cathedral! Christmas music and old Cathedrals are two of my favorite things.

Hugs TamaMoo xxx

4.  Some people are surprised that I would like to meet a special guy and have a new love relationship.  Hope springs eternal.....got my eye on a cute on at the moment as well. 

Some people might be surprised, but there is certainly nothing wrong with this!  You know the old saying about getting back on the horse (so to speak!). 

Some people might be surprised, but there is certainly nothing wrong with this!  You know the old saying about getting back on the horse (so to speak!). 

Absolutely!  I love having a special person in my life, I am an idealist and a romantic and I am not ashamed of that!

Absolutely!  I love having a special person in my life, I am an idealist and a romantic and I am not ashamed of that!

You go girl!!!! 

You go girl!!!! 

Yeah! 

1.  I played my first gig in Ireland last night!  It was a bit last minute as I didn't know about until three days before.  It was an awards ceremony for businesses in the Burren area of North Clare.  The place where I am working and living won three awards.  I gave out 3 or 4 business cards to hotel owners and the DJ all of whom said, 'I do a lot of weddings'!   

2.  Had coffee this afternoon with two friends at a lovely cafe after wandering around Ennistymon the closest village with an ATM (20 minutes drive away).  We checked out a funky art gallery and a lovely art space in what used to be the town hall.  Also a cool second hand shop. 

3.  Pretty much having a day off today I think.   

4.  Christmas concert (I'm doing one piece) is tomorrow in the cathedral.   

5.  I am doing well and feeling optimistic, but I do still miss my husband sometimes (when I'm not feeling angry).  So it was really hard for me to open up and read and email from my mother in law about Christmas.  Her heart is in the right place, and she wants to pretend everything is OK but it isn't.  I do think another topic of conversation would be better as it really killed my buzz about last night's gig. 

Sounds like a lot of positives, Andee! I hate when people want to pretend all is peachy, but don't let her kill your buzz. Easier said than done, I know.

1. We were supposed to go to Indy to see Slayer last night, stopping for dinner halfway there, and stay the night in Indy. Then come back today, stopping for a late breakfast halfway back then do Joey's Christmas shopping, Between my sinus infection and hubby being exhausted from work, we decided during dinner to just do Joey's Christmas shop and head home. We hated missing Slayer, but just didn't feel up to it.

2. It has been decided we are having a Christmas party at work. If we go, it will be to eat then head home. It will just be an eating and hanging out to talk affair anyway.

3. Today has been rather rainy, and parts of our street are flooded, and some of the lawns on our street are under water. May have to swim to work tomorrow.  I would rather have snow.

4. The diet has been totally and completely derailed. We picked the wrong time of year and are postponing it until January. Seems silly, when I'd lost 14 pounds, to just give up, but I am weak when it comes to all the treats of Christmas time.

5. I've seen the ultrasound pic of great niece/nephew to be. The little peanut is quite a cute little blob. 

Trying to think of five things about my Friday. Geez I'm boring.

1. I have most of my Christmas cards and packages ready now to mail out, so that's a plus.
2. It rained and ruined my delivering leaflets plan, but it was nice to sit inside and relax.
3. Got a key to have my own locker at work. Found my purse open the other day in the office and mentioned it to another co-worker, then she mentioned the same thing has happened to others. My supervisor is a nosey nutso.
4.  Big Boss told me he appreciates my hardwork.
5. I found out I will get paid for most of the time my job is shut down over Christmas and into the new year.

1. The Christmas 'do at work is tonight. We are debating whether or not we are going. If we do we are eating and leaving. It is in the meeting room at work, with just eating and mingling. The food will be amazing, but other than that it will be everyone sitting around talking about the same old things they talk about at work.

2. Santa came early with my laptop. I let hubb..er..Santa choose it, since he is the geek in the house. He chose one for good specs, then got it in purple! Good choice! Then the very next day hubby's died, and will need parts that are going to cost about half of a new one and we decided he may as well get a new one, so..

3. Road trip tomorrow with Chris to Best Buy, PetSmart and lunch. Joey got three things from St. Nick on the 6th, has about five or six things under the tree, and we are still looking for a cage, but I need stocking stuffers from Santa.

4. We've decided to eat some of what is in the house this week instead of grocery shopping. Should be an interesting experiment. We have enough food here for a few weeks without buying anything, but always seem to think of other things we'd rather have.

5. The forecast is not cooperating with me. I want snow and lots of it, but seem to be getting frost at best. We've had two dustings of snow and that is it.

1.  I have a gig on New Year's Eve at one of the local pubs, opening up for an all female trad trio, it's going to be so much fun!  This is the third gig I've had in Ireland and all three practically fell into my lap.  I know I am in the right place, I am extremely grateful. 

2.  I was in tears after opening a long chatty email entitled 'Christmas' from my mum-in-law.

I had to email back saying that I don't want to know or hear anything about Christmas as it is still so sad for me.  The fact of the matter is I *am* still heartbroken and angry and missing my husband (though that comes and goes now), after all it's only been 4 months.  I know she wants to pretend that nothing heavy is going on and that I'm getting over it now, but that is not true.  She has not emailed me back yet and is maybe a bit offended, but I needed to let her know and I did it as gently as I could. 

3.  My cooking continues to be appreciated here.  In one week I've made Galliean hummus, carrot ginger soup, my Bubby's chocolate cake, apple cake, chocolate chip cookies, salads, and more.   Someone called me a chef today--haha! 

4.  We had several ice pellet storms (not hail as Mrs.Robinson explained to me) and I got caught out in two of them while I was walking! 

5.  My friend and I went past a guy's house today whom I had a crush on (don't think I do anymore....) and she went into the gate and started calling his name.  His brother's girlfriend was there and she said he wasn't home, but she'd let him know we stopped by.  I was so embarrassed!  He will back Mon or Tues... 

So many good things are happening, Andee! I know the email didn't help the healing process, but it sounds like you handled it with tact. Healing is a lot of two steps forward, three steps back. You seem to be taking a deep breath and moving forward again.

1a. We decided to go to the work 'do and had a pretty good time. I knew the food was going to be amazing, but it was out of this world. There was a spinach, strawberry and slivered almond salad with a strawberry vinaigrette that I would have been perfectly happy with even without the rest, tasty as it was. I couldn't decide between the turtle cheesecake or the strawberry cheesecake, so since Christmas treats have no calories, I had both. 

The hanging with others part was a bit odd though. Everyone is always nice enough, but we don't actually hang with them even during work hours, since most of them go out to smoke on breaks. Plus, hubby and I are friends with Chris (the manager) and talk to the owner (Harry) quite a bit when he is there, Chris and Harry were in the hallway when we arrived, and walked in the meeting room with us. I suppose that made a bit of an impression although we didn't plan it or even think of it at the time.

1.) Last day of work for 2014 for me! Yay!

2.) Final UK Christmas party of the year tonight, my works night out. Going to a party night at a local hotel and there is a fabulous celidh band playing after the meal. Should be great fun!

3.) Panto tomorrow night!  
 
4.) Fly to America on Sunday to spend Christmas with my family. Been years since I've been back at Christmastime, so that should be very nice!

5.) Happy Friday, Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hogmanay UKY