The holidays are almost over.  I had a great Christmas with my family.  My sister and brother-in-law have a 3 year old and a 1 year old.  Don't you know that Christmas was fun at their house.  The 3 year old is a foster son that they have had for 2 1/2 years.  The 1 year old is a little girl that they were able to adopt this year.  They unexpectedly got her when she was 2 days old.  She was born last December 27.  She is a gift from God. 

We enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner at my mother's house.  Our traditional menu is ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, bread for sandwiches, chips, pickles, brownies and/or cookies...on china.  After eating all of the heavy food during the season, a good ol' ham sandwich hits the spot.  My mother invited my sister's former foster son who is 21.  He brought his fiance and her son.  The fiance did not eat much and kept looking around the table with an appalled look on her face.  She looked like we had served liver and brains or something.  We still haven't figured out what her problem was.  Maybe she was expecting something fancier.  The children had a blast.  That is what it is all about.

Christmas Day was spent at my sister and brother-in-laws house.  They served cold cuts and the fixings for sandwiches.  We took our leftover potato salad, chips, pickles and cookies.  The children got more toys and had fun with children that came to visit.

Saturday, my sister took my niece to get her first haircut.  My appointment was at the same time, so I went and took pictures.  Afterwards, we went to my sister's house for a birthday party.  My niece loved being the center of attention.  She had her own cake and loved playing in it.  She was covered from head to toe in hot pink and purple frosting.  After she tossed it in the floor, she was taken to the bathtub for a bath.  A few minutes later, she was sound asleep.

My Christmas goodies included an Ipad, a floor lamp, picture frame with a picture of my new niece, and gift cards.  For Christmas, I bought myself a pair of Kate Spade On the Dot earrings and several boxes of Harney's tea.

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

Merry Christmas!!!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

The best of tidings to all!

My Heart is Broken

Keeping the folks in Newtown, CT in my thoughts and prayers.

**The First Responders also need our prayers.  They showed up to a scene that was probably beyond what they could handle both professionally and psychologically.

My Favorite Holiday Shows/Movies

Below is a list of some of my favorite Holiday shows and movies:

1.  Home Alone
2.  Christmas Vacation
3.  Trading Places
4.  Holiday Inn
5.  White Christmas
6.  Scrooge
7.  Disney's A Christmas Carol
8.  Four Christmases
9.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
10. A Charlie Brown Christmas
11. The Nutcracker
12. Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas on PBS
13. Elf
14. The Christmas shows from Frasier

What are your favorite Holiday movies and shows?

Have a great Wednesday!

My Favorite Holiday Treats

I decided to make a list of my favorite holiday treats.  I'm sure that we all share a few of these.

1. Peppermint chocolate chip milkshake from Chick Fil-A (I always get a large)
2. Peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks
3. Holiday mint McFlurry from McDonald's
4. Harney & Sons Holiday Tea
5. Twining's Christmas Tea (I stock up and drink it year round)
6. Ghiradelli peppermint bark
7. Red and Green foil wrapped Reese's cups and Hershey's Kisses
8. Cella's chocolate covered cherries
9. A real Coca Cola
10. Queen's Cake (recipe from Colonial Williamsburg)
11. Shortbread
12. Homemade Fudge (made with cocoa, sugar & milk, not the stuff made from marshmallow cream)
13. Ham biscuits
14. Poinsettias (the drink, not the plant)
15. Mimosas
16. Homemade divinity

What are your favorite treats?

Have a great Wednesday.

Computer Help

A couple of weeks ago, I turned off my computer, because I was going out of town for several days.   When I turned it back on, it updated to Windows 8 and wiped out everything.  It is an extra computer that I have and it didn't matter that much, but when I went to my Itunes account, it had wiped it out. That is the main reason that I don't get rid of this old computer.

Does anyone know what I need to do to restore everything?  When I try to sync my Ipod, it does not transfer things that I imported from my CD's. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Have a great Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I have a lot to be thankful for this year. 

My mother had knee replacement surgery three weeks ago.  For the past 2 1/2 weeks she has been in a physical therapy rehab facility.  She had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics which caused her to be sick which cause her to be dehydrated.  The dehydration and the nausea meant that she had no filters in her system and the pain medicine built up in her system.  Friday night, my sister took her to the emergency room where she was given fluids.  The ER doctor changed her medication.  The next morning, she was a thousand times better.  I talked to her tonight and she is still feeling better.  She is scheduled to go home on Wednesday.  She cannot wait.  Even though she has been ill, her therapy is working. 

Someone asked me a question about Queenie.  Queenie is not her real name, but I will not disclose that.  She deserves her privacy.  She was given that nickname by a coworker.  The coworker and I, along with Queenie were executive assistants in the same area.  The coworker and I worked hard every day while Queenie sat around and did very little.  The coworker nicknamed her that because she sat around like a "Queen Bee".  Queenie also had an interesting wardrobe.  She dressed similar to Ugly Betty.  I think my grandmother would have referred to her outfits as "Get ups". 

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

Today, I had lunch with Queenie.  You remember Queenie.  We worked next to each other for years.  Now we work in the same building, but rarely see each other. 

I wore my black Pendleton Lana skirt, a red turtleneck swearer, black tights, Talbot's black suede flats (from a few years ago) and my new black Burberry quilted Westbury jacket...to the eat at the hot dog stand over by the bus station.  I enjoyed my outing.

I think I may be getting closer to being settled into my new job.  It has been hard.  I came from a job where I knew everything to a job where I only know a little bit.  I have the skill sets, I just need to learn the new company.  I don't want to brag too much about being comfortable.  I don't want to jinx myself. 

I hope everyone has a great Saturday.

It is hard for me to think about posting with so many people suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  It saddens me to see all of the devastation that Sandy left behind.  We all need to keep the victims in our thoughts and prayers.

I am about to get ready to go to church.  My 10 month old niece will be christened this morning.  A happy ending to a sad weekend.  My cousin passed away on Thursday and the funeral was yesterday.  He was a lot older than my sister and me, but my sister worked with him and was extremely close to him.  He has a son that is bad news but he promised my sister and I that he was going to straighten up and lead a life that his father will be proud of.  A day late and a dollar short, if you ask me, but at least he has a goal to be a normal person.  He's extremely smart and talented.

I think I may order a black Burberry Westbury jacket.  I've been wanting one for a long time and I think I may order it today.  I love the Burberry nova plaid and hate that it became too popular a few years ago.  I think the popularity has died down and I will be safe to sport my Burberry again.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday.  If you live on the east coast, please be weather aware and take precautions.  I don't think that this is a storm to ignore.

FYI - If you received a Belk's 20% Friends and Family coupon in the mail, you need to take advantage of it.  There are no exclusions.  Today, I was able to use it on Chanel cosmetics.  I used the coupon along with $40 in rewards.  I bought $135 worth of Chanel cosmetics for $68. One of the items was a box of Chanel No. 5 dusting powder which was $65.  It was almost like I got it free. I also was able to use it on Clinique.

Our family's hearts are breaking today.  My sister's best friend, Stephanie lost her battle with ovarian cancer.  Stephanie's daughter was a homecoming attendant last night.  A couple of hours later, Stephanie passed away.  She lived to see her daughter being presented at homecoming.  Her story is here.  Stephanie brought together a community.  People were praying for her who had never prayed before.  We will miss her sweet smile and her big blue eyes. 

I know, it has been a couple of weeks since I posted.  I've been busy getting ready to go out of town and then I was out of town for a few days.

BFF MAB and I went to Williamsburg for a few days.  I had a great time.  I didn't want to come home.   We stayed busy seeing the sights and going to programs.  We both were able to exercise some control over our eating while we were there.  We ate until we were satisfied and then stopped.  We planned our meals so that we could enjoy a dessert at only one meal  We also managed to work in some shopping.

I had some good luck in shopping.  We spent a couple of hours at the outlets.  At Kate Spade, I bought a pair of gold bow earrings and a pair of red/gold bow earrings.  I couldn't walk out of there without buying three bow bangles.  I bought gold, black/gold and kelly green/gold.  They were outlet priced plus 40% off.  At Talbot's, I bought five long sleeved tees.  The colors I bought are burgundy, rust, camel, olive green and gray.  At Pendleton, I bought a navy suit blazer, a navy jumper and two OCBD's - yellow and light blue.  At Brooks Brothers, I bought two blouses.

Most of the things that I bought I got in the historic area and in Merchant's Square.  I bought cardigans at Binn's, a Longchamp Le Pliage at Closet Envy, horn shaped candle holders at Williamsburg at Home.  Some pieces of tavern dishes at Greenhow's store.  I bought my niece a Hotch Potch doll at Tarpley's.  I can't wait to give it to her.  I almost forgot that I bought a black wool duffel coat and a Dress Stewart scarf at Scotland, Ltd.  I just love that store.

I know that I bought a lot of stuff, but I use my fall vacation to do my yearly shopping.

I hope everyone has a great Monday.  Happy Columbus Day!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Yesterday, my mother and I went to Huntsville to do some shopping.  We had to get my sister a birthday present.  We went to Sam's to pick up a few things.  I like to buy certain magazines at Sam's.  I was excited to get Victoria's Holiday Bliss. I have been reading Victoria magazine since it came out back in the late 80's.  I have every issue.  We then went to Belk's where we got my sister a pair of Lauren by Ralph Lauren jeans, a RL tee plus a few other things.  My mother tried on the jeans for the fit and they looked great on her.  My mother is more the elastic waist blue jean kind of person.  While there I bought some Chanel translucent powder and gray eyeshadow.  We then went to Dillard's so that I could buy some Kiehl's shampoo.  While I was searching, I saw that they had a few bottles of my favorite face soap that was discontinued a few months ago.  I bought two big bottles. I was extra excited about that.  Then it was a late lunch, Petsmart for dog food and back home.  It was a great shopping day.  I haven't had that much fun shopping in about a year.  My changing job situation put a damper on my shopping and when I did shop, I couldn't enjoy myself.  I feel like yesterday was a step back to normal.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday!

This has been a busy week, but I feel good about what I got done at work.  Tomorrow should be better.  This week, we have a employee appreciation week.  Tuesday, our floor provided lunch from Carrabas and today I was treated to a barbecue lunch at the operations center.  Not too good for my diet.

My skirts are fitting a bit looser.  I was able to wear them with cardigans rather than jackets buttoned over them.  Today I wore my navy Pendleton skirt, white Brooks Brothers blouse and my Lands' End gold cardigan.  I got a ton of compliments on my cardigan.  I think it needs some Kate Spade jewelry. That is on my list for when I go to Williamsburg.  I'm going to hit the Kate Spade outlet and see what cute stuff I can find.

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

The weekend is finally almost here.  I am so glad for Friday.  It has been a busy week at work which makes the time go by faster.

I'm still doing my "clean living diet".  I'm scared to weigh but I have lost some inches.  My clothes are fitting better, I feel better, my face is clearer, etc.  I hope that I can stay on it for a few more weeks. 

My boss has approved for me to take 3 vacations days next month.  BFF MAB and I are going to Williamsburg for a few days.  Our main goal: SHOPPING!  I love to shop at the stores in the historic area plus the stores in Merchant's Square.  I can't wait to walk into the Scottish store and Binn's.  We have also planned to set aside some time to go to the outlets.  I definitely want to go to Kate Spade and Brooks Brothers Women.  We also plan to do a lot of historic stuff for a couple of days.  I can't wait.  I haven't had any vacation time in over a year.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  We all need to take some time to pray for our country and our countrymen that are overseas. I pray that the violence ends soon.

Never Forget

I keep saying that I am going to get better about posting, but for some reason it is just not happening.  I can only blame it on laziness.

Last weekend started out great.  I met an old high school friend and her coworkers for dinner on Friday night.  We stayed for awhile and listened to a band that was playing.  They played all of our favorite songs. 

Saturday, I went to a facebook page reunion.  My mother went along for the ride, but I think she enjoyed it more than anyone else.  After we all met up on the courthouse square, we went to the old high school to see the new renovations.  I didn't go to high school there, so it didn't mean that much to me.  My mother and a couple of the others went to school there.  Others went to school there when it was a junior high.  After lunch, we went to a museum at the old freight depot.  It was very interesting to see all the pictures, newspaper articles, clothing, etc. that families had donated.  We are considering donated a framed print of the old courthouse and an antique adding machine.

Sunday, I was supposed to work at the Arts in the Park from noon to 2:00.  About 11:45, it starting raining extremely hard.  It rained for about 45 minutes.  When I got to my post, I was sent home.  I was lazy the remainder of the day.  About 4:30, bad weather came through.  We went over to my sister's house until all of the tornado warnings had expired.

Now that Labor Day has passed, it is time to get ready for fall.  Last week I ordered two cardigans from Lands End.  I think the Chesterfield, which is sort of a gold color, will be great with a navy skirt and gold tone jewelry and the Merlot will be great with a gray skirt.

Has anyone out there tried the lip stains from Laura Mercier?  I like color on my lips, but do not like lipstick or lip gloss.  I think I might get try the lip stain in Merlot and Scarlet.

I hope everyone has a great Saturday.

I am so glad that this is a 3 day weekend.  I am so ready for a holiday weekend. 

Friday night, I am going to have dinner with some old friends from high school.  Until a couple of months ago, we had not seen each other in years.  It was great to reconnect.

Saturday morning, I am going to a one year reunion for a facebook page, You know you are from the _____, if you remember....  Don't laugh.  Friends have reconnected, new friends have been made and some have even found distant cousins that they didn't realize were related.  We are going to meet on the courthouse square and get our picture made.  After that we are going to tour the museum at the railroad depot.  After the tour, we are going to meet up for lunch.  I think it will be fun. I'm looking forward to seeing folks that I haven't seen in a long time. 

Sunday, I'm going to work at the annual Arts in the Park, which is held the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.  After my shift at the park, I'm going home and relaxing. 

I have almost made it three weeks on my "clean living" diet.  I've already checked out the menu at the restaurant and know that I can make good choices.  I'm going to pack a cooler of salad fixings and fruit to take to my mother's house.  I am determined to keep it up and lose some weight.  I cannot get over how much better I feel.  My skin even looks better.

I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.

Prayers for the people on the Gulf Coast.  I hope Isaac is not as bad as the media wants it to be.  Maybe the dry parched Midwest will be able to get some rain from the storm. 

My week has been going well.  I really enjoyed going to see Gone With the Wind on Saturday night.  The theatre was packed.  The movie was about 20 minutes late starting because people kept showing up.  The remainder of the weekend was spent cooking, shopping and catching up on chores.  I had a $20 gift card to Vera Bradley so I used it to get a note cube and a Ipod case. 

I'm still being good on my eating.  I feel like I may have lost some weight, plus I feel so much better.  I think my feeling better is reflecting well on my work.  I feel like I have done a considerable better job these past two weeks.  Maybe is the motivation.

Monday night when I got home from work, my watch had died and so had my microwave.  I have a new watch on order.  I really liked my old watch.  It is a Citizen's presidential style, similar to a Rolex.  I have had this watch for over 10 years.  I went to Target last night to get a new microwave, but they were sold out of the one that I wanted.  I was told to check back in a day or so, because they are expecting a shipment.  I'll check with them tomorrow.  Right now, I'm warming up food in the oven and I have to find a clock to see what time it is.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

I have made it five whole days on my "clean living" eating plan that I copied from Miss Janice.  I don't know if I have lost any weight, but I really feel a lot better.  BFF MAB has adapted her own plan and she lost 7 pounds last month.  A few years ago, she lost her job due to a major merger and acquisition.  She ate her way through the misery and gained 50 pounds on top of the 20 pounds that she was at that time trying to lose.  She finally got motivated to lose it.  Losing the 7 pounds has really motivated her.  It has also motivated me.  I can't have her beat me. LOL!  I have to win also.

Tomorrow night, I'm going to go see Gone With the Wind at the Alabama Theatre.  I just love going there.  Movies are so much better and movie going is so much more fun. 

I hope everyone has a great Saturday.

I did not realize that it had been so long since I last posted.  I'm going to try to do better.

My job is still going well.  I'm still learning.  I'm happy to say that I work with a great group of people. Everyone has been so nice and helpful.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that my clothes are starting to get a little bit snug.  It couldn't have anything to do with the big bowl of chocolate candy in the kitchen at work...could it?  Anyway, I started a healthy eating program today.  I was inspired by Miss Janice and am sort of copying her diet.  Fruit, vegetables, grilled chicken, whole grains and plenty of water.  I hope that I can lose 10 pounds in three months like she did.  I can stand to lose a few more than 10 pounds, but for now, that is my goal.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

I've been a member of a women's civic club for many, many years.  I've held just about every office and some I have held more than once.  I have made many friends along the years.   The past year, attendance has dropped off.  Some nights we are lucky to have a quorum.  Tonight, we voted to dissolve.  It was sad in a way, but I think it was also a relief.  Hopefully, we will try to keep in touch.  I need to find another organization to be involved in.  I'll have to research that over the remainder of the summer.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday. 

I'm trying to decide between two bags.  What do you think?

OR

I can't decide which I like the best.  I'm also thinking about getting another Longchamp LePliage.  Maybe the larger one in black.

Please keep the victims and their families of the horrible tragedy in Aurora, Colorado in your thoughts and prayers.

I really like this dress from Ben Silver.

But...I don't like the $535 price tag.

This dress would be great for work.  Has anyone seen dress styles similar to this?  Maybe in a lower price range.

Have a great Monday.

I hope everyone had a great 4th.  I did.  I got a lot of neglected chores taken care of and did some serious TV watching.  I watched part of the Matlock marathon on WGN.  They were showing the episodes that included Don Knotts.  Andy Griffith and Don Knotts go together.

I've been meaning to get the premium subscription to Acorn TV online and I finally did it.  I spent yesterday afternoon watching Poirot.  You know how I am about Poirot.  He is one of my favorite TV detectives.  In a few weeks, they will feature Midsomer Murders.  I remember watching that show on A&E back when A&E had quality programming.

I'm feeling a little bit more comfortable at work.  I will be glad when I am settled.  I know it will take a couple of more months.  Until then, when I am at home, I am going to watch TV, read magazines, and just keep up with mindless stuff.  I think the past few months really took a toll on me.  I didn't realize it until a couple of weeks ago.  The stress of being displace, looking for a job, and starting a new job has really been a strain.  I want to get back to my old self.  I think that is something that I really need to work on in the next couple of months.  2012 was supposed to be the year that I concentrated on me.  Being displaced sort of put a damper on it.  It's time to start trying to get back to "Me".

I hope everyone has a great Friday.

RIP Andy Griffith

Loved you as Sheriff Andy Taylor and as Ben Matlock.  What a legend!

I have been having some weird issues with my blog.  Whenever I go to the page that has my posts, it has several empty drafts hanging out.  I'm not sure how they got there.  Is anyone else having the same problem?

It is suppose to be so hot here this weekend.  I think the high tomorrow and Saturday is supposed to be 106.  OUCH!  That's hot!  If it is hot in your area, please be careful.  Stay in as much as possible and drink plenty of fluids.

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

My mother is finally home from the physical therapy rehab place.  She is so glad to be home.  I'm going up there tomorrow to spend the weekend and be there in case she needs something. 

Today, as I was leaving work, I got on the elevator with one of the "Queens", if you know what I mean.  She was very friendly.  She asked how things were going. Then she told me that she had heard great things about me.  I was so flattered, I could barely speak. I thanked her of course.  I walked to the parking deck like I owned the place.  It made me feel good to have someone in her position be complimentary.

I hope everyone has a great Friday.

I did not realize that I haven't posted in a week.  I guess I have been so busy with work.  I am really enjoying my job.  I had a little bit of a set back on Friday, but it worked out.  I prepared a presentation for my boss and emailed it to the person in charge of getting it put on the projector.  When she went to give her presentation, what was on the screen was different from her hard copy.  She thought that maybe she and I had a communication problem, but then found out that it was reformatted after I sent it.  She has the personality that she can laugh it off.  She said it was no big deal, but it was a big deal to me.  I worried that I had really messed up, but was relieved to find out that it was not my fault.  It sort of made me mad that I got upset for nothing.  One positive about the situation is that it has motivated me to push myself to do a great job...not a good job, but a great job.

My mother continues to improve.  She will be able to go home on Thursday.  She is ready. 

I spent this morning cleaning my mother's house.  It was tidy, but has been closed up for three weeks.  It needed dusting, vacuuming and mopping.  My mother always mops her hardwood floors with Murphy's oil soap.  She doesn't know this, but I mopped the floors with Mrs. Meyer's All Purpose Cleaner in the lemon verbena scent.  They look fantastic, plus the house smells so fresh.  I wonder if the Mrs. Meyer's stripped off the Murphy's and that is why they look so good. 

I hope everyone has a great Sunday!

Thanks to everyone for all of the words of congratulations.  

I have one week behind me.  I think this job is going to work out to be a good fit.  It will take me a few months to learn things.  My new boss has been very complimentary of my work and told me that she has had several compliments about me.

My mother is still in a physical therapy rehab facility due to her recent knee replacement surgery.  She thought she would like to go home on June 15, but has decided to stay as long as her insurance will allow.   She is doing great. 

I'm so disappointed about I'll Have Another being scratched from Belmont.  I was so hoping for a triple crown this year.  I may or may not watch the race this afternoon.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Finally, the day you have been waiting for.

I started my new job today.  Yes, I did get a new job.  I got a job as an Executive Assistant at another bank.  I started the day by going to orientation.  It lasted until 10:45.  I did not have to report to my new department until 1:00.  I got a salad at McDonald's and took it home and stayed until noon.  Then I headed to my new job.  Oh, and it poured rain until about noon.  I hated that I had to start a new job on a rainy Monday.  Even though it rained, it turned out to be a great day.  I think I am going to be happy.  I like my new boss and she seems to like me.  All the people that work in my new area seem so nice.

On my first day of work, I wore my new Pendleton black suit, a Brooks Brothers black and blue on white striped blouse, Ferragamo black mock croc Vera looking pumps, pearls and pearl earrings.  Tomorrow, I plan to wear a Pendleton black/white plaid skirt, Pendleton red blazer, Brooks Brothers white blouse, black shoes and gold jewelry.  I'll decide on the shoes and jewelry when I get ready.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

Friday was my last day at work.  I would have been there 20 years in August.  I told myself that I was not going to get too emotional and I didn't.  I choked up a couple of times, but other than that, I did fine.  I treated Queenie, another co-worker and a former co-worker to lunch.  Now on to new adventures.

I left work at 1:00 and met my sister so that we could pick up my mother from the hospital.  We then took her to a rehab facility where she gets physical therapy twice a day every day.  My sister was unhappy with her going to this facility, but she is where she needs to be in order to get back to her old self  rather quickly.

When I got to my mother's house, I noticed that I had a facebook message from my cousin.  They were leaving town late Saturday morning and wanted me to come over and look at some pictures.  When she said "pictures", I thought she meant "pictures".  When I got there, I was led into an empty living room that had dining chairs lined up against the walls.  On the chairs were original full size oil portraits of my great great grandmother, her father, my great great grandfather's brother, my great grandfather's brother and a woman that was not related to us.  I'm not sure why they had the portrait of the unrelated woman, but they did.  I was overwhelmed.  I was so excited to see them.  They were in the possession of one of my father's cousin.  After she passed away, no one knew what had become of them.  Her granddaughter had them.  We knew that the portraits existed, but didn't know who they were exactly. My cousins examined them down to the details and determined the possible identities of a couple of them. 

I hope everyone has a great Sunday.

We'll Miss You, Hopsy

Hopsy, over at Monograms and Manicures is closing up shop.  I hope it is just temporary.  She will be greatly missed in the blogging world.

I hope everyone had a good long Memorial Day weekend.  I took a personal day on Friday and an occasional absence day today. 

Friday, my mother and I drove to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area to do some shopping.  I could not believe our luck.  First of all, NO TRAFFIC!  For those of you familiar with the area, you know that is a rarity.  If you are not familiar with the area, you would not believe the traffic.  It is a bumper to bumper crawl for about 15 miles.  It is unreal.  First stop was the Pendleton outlet.  I got a parking place right in the front door. I hit the jackpot.  I got a charcoal gray suit, a camel skirt, a black and white glen plaid skirt and a red blazer.  On my way out of the store, I noticed a cute 3/4 sleeve light green cardigan.  I went back and bought it.  Then I went to the Brooks Brothers outlet.  I bought a white and blue on white striped blouse and a black dress.  At Cosmetic Company, I got some Clinique eyeshadow.  I got the Ivory Bisque/Bronze Satin shadow duos.  I went to J. Crew to see what I could find.  Again, front door parking place.  I ended up with a white tee, a turquoise Jackie cardigan and turquoise earrings.  Then we cruised over to the Jockey outlet for my mother to buy some pajamas.  Again, front door parking place.  Our last stop was the Apple Barn to get a slice of apple pie for lunch, some fried pies for Saturday and some apple butter for the pantry.  Usually we have to park forever away, but we scored a parking place right up front.  Lucky for my mother we had good parking.  Her knees were giving her fits.

If you haven't guessed already, there is a reason for my pursuit of new work clothes, but I don't feel comfortable disclosing it at the moment. 

Today, my mother had knee replacement surgery.  She and her very close friend both scheduled their surgery for today.  Both did great.  Their rooms are two doors down from each other.  They will go to a rehab facility on Friday for three weeks.  They are going to be roommates.  I think it works out great.  My mother's friend has a tendency to brag and make things a little worse than what they are, but my mother is used to it and just tunes her out.  I'm sure that my mother has little quirts that her friend overlooks.  Both have been good friends to each other ever since they were both widowed six years ago. 

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

MEMORIAL DAY

Today we need to take time to remember those who made the sacrifice so that we can have freedom.  I am proud to be the daughter and granddaughter of veterans.  I am also proud of my cousin, Gene, who gave his life on Thanksgiving day of 1966.  He was fighting for our freedom.

Happy Sunday!  I hope that y'all are having a great weekend.

Yesterday, BFF MAB and I went to Atlanta to find me some new work clothes.  I had great luck at Pendleton.  I bought a black skirt and black blazer.  While there, I also ordered a gray skirt and a navy skirt.  I think I am going to order a red cardigan and a yellow cardigan from Lands' End school uniform section.  I'm also going to order a white blouse with a peter pan collar.  I love blouses with peter pan collars.

After Pendleton, we drove to Lenox Square where I stocked up on my usual Kiehl's products.  We strolled around the mall and popped into some of our favorite stores: David Yurman, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Sephora and Neimann Marcus.  BFF MAB gave me orders that we were not to go into Prada.  She is itching for a new Prada handbag, but is needing to resist for a few months.  After I get settled into a new job, I'm going back to purchase a new pocketbook and a couple of the small David Yurman bracelets.  I think I may get the Tory Burch Robinson messenger bag. What do you think?  I may change my mind ten times before I get back to Atlanta. 

I think our trip was very beneficial.  I can't wait to go back when I'm able to buy my rewards.

Today, I need to make soup for meals this week.  I'm not sure what days and evenings we will be eating dinner and/or lunch with others as a way to say good-bye.  In case you don't remember, our last day is June 1.  Everyone in our department will be going their separate ways.  If things work out, it looks like Queenie and I will be working in the same place, but different floors and departments.  More about that in a couple of weeks.

I hope everyone enjoys their day.

Hotmail problems

I'm having problems with hotmail. Has anybody else had problems? I'm not able to sign in.  I get an error message that says:The Windows Live Network is unavailable from this site for one of the following reasons:


This site may be experiencing a problem


The site may not be a member of the Windows Live Network


You can:


You can sign in or sign up at other sites on the Windows Live Network, or try again later at this site.

There is no support contact number for hotmail and no answer to the problem on their help page.  Has anyone else had this problem?  Is so, how did you correct it?

I use my hotmail a lot, especially with my job hunt.

Thanks for any advice.

FYI - I'm not going to mention my job search for a few weeks.  Queenie and I are having some luck landing interviews and I don't want to jinx us by talking about it.  I'll let everyone know when we have the end results.

WHEN I do get a new job, I'm going to have to buy some work clothes.  I think I may go to Atlanta and spend some time at the Pendleton store.  I also want to get a couple of cardigans from Lands End school uniform department.  Better colors.  There is also a couple of blouses that I want to get from Lands End. But, I need to have a job first before I think about it.  I may at least buy a new suit so that I can have it for interviews.  I'm getting tired of wearing my navy Austin Reed suit. 

Tonight, I need to go shopping to get my mother a Mother's Day gift.  She's already told me what she wants, I just need to go get it.  I also need to buy a gift for my new niece.  I think I am going to a shower for her on Saturday.  If I'm not invited, she at least will have a new gift.  I want to buy her a necklace, but I think I may wait and get it for a christening present.

I hope that everyone has a great Tuesday.

First of all, I posted last week that I was going to see Fiddler on the Roof on Sunday.  I did and it was super fantastic.  This was a production by the local community college along with people who live in the vicinity.  The man who play Tevye was fabulous.  The choreography, vocals and acting was all first rate.  They had bottle dancers (my favorite part) and a flying spirit during the dream part.  It took many people to work the wires, but it was perfect.

I had another job interview this week.  It went pretty good.  The interviewer told me if this job didn't work out for me, she had another one that she wanted me to talk to me about at a later time.  My former boss called and put in a good word for me.

For the past year, I have been treasurer of a ladies' civic organization.  Tonight, I turned it over to the new treasurer.  I plan to lay low this next year.  I hope everyone understands.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday.

Go Bo Go!!!

Bo is biking Bama.  Read about it here.  Bo knows.....

I'm still here.  Nothing much has happened.

I had a job interview yesterday.  When they called to set up the interview, I had a hard time getting excited.  I was not told very much about the job, so I had no idea what to expect.  The job ended up being something that I am very interested in doing.  We'll see how it works out. 

This weekend is going to be busy.  Saturday, I have to go to a 3 year old's birthday party and on Sunday, it is church and then to see Fiddler on the Roof at a local community college.  I can't wait. Fiddler is one of my favorite movies.

Is anyone else having problems with the new blogger or am I the only one?  I guess I just need to get used to it.

I hope everyone has a great Thursday.

Something happened to me today that sort of stung and I need an opinion.

There is a company where Queenie has been actively posting for jobs.  She really wants to work there.  I have been staying away because I didn't want to appear to be stabbing her in the back by posting for the same jobs and also because I really haven't seen any jobs there that I want to post for.  Believe you me, I look every day.

Last month, I posted for a job at a very reputable company.  According to the description on the website, it is a great fit for me.  Well, I've never heard from them.  The job is still on their job site.  Last night, I saw a new posting for a similar position.  I did not have a copy of my resume on my home computer, so I had to wait until I got to work.  I rushed in and posted for the job.  A couple of minutes later, I was talking to a coworker and mentioned how excited I was to be able to post for another job at that company.  Queenie overheard me, and couldn't wait to post for the job.  It wasn't that she did it behind my back, but she kept discussing it and complaining about how difficult it was to build a profile.

Is is just me, or was that sort of backstabbing?  I realize that she has the right to post for any job that she wants, but she wasn't interested in it until she heard me discuss it.  Me and my big mouth!  I think it is more like "Queenie and her big ears".  She can hear anything.

What do you think?  BFF MAB told me to remember my college degree, my polish and my experience.

RIP DICK CLARK

I was so saddened to hear about Dick Clark's passing.  I grew up watching American Bandstand every Saturday.  And, if you are an old fogey like me, you'll remember him doing the Dr. Pepper commercials where they displayed a recipe of heating Dr. Pepper and then pouring it into a punch cup containing a thin slice of lemon. Also in the commercial are a bunch of cool teenagers listening to "records" and dancing.  How cool!  I never tried the Dr. Pepper punch.

He will always be an icon from my generation.

Hey Y'all.  This has been a busy week. 

I had two interviews.  Both were with job placement agencies.  The first one, I was a little apprehensive about going, but I went anyway.  I got there and the recruiter went over my resume and my former duties and responsibilities and reworked my resume.  I made all of her corrections.  BFF MAB proofed it and now my resume is even better than before.  The second one, I was excited about going, but left hoping that I never have to go back.  The recruiter was extremely nice.  I think my problem was that I had to take an online Excel test.  I am really good in Excel, but I made a 50% on the test.  I was so mad at myself.  Yesterday, I spent all day taking online Excel courses.  I feel so much better about my abilities. The Excel went so well, I decided to take Word and PowerPoint courses.  I am proficient in both, but figure that it doesn't hurt to refresh and improve my skills.

I noticed the telephone number on my Caller ID of a place where I posted my resume, but they never left a message.  Monday, I'm going to forward my home telephone to my office telephone.  There is one job that I posted for that I am very, very interested in...but they have yet to call me.  It seems almost too perfect.  It is an Executive Assistant position at a privately owned company.  It does not require any special skills.  It is less than 10 minutes from my house and it is located in the same block as the bank where I want to start banking.  Queenie also posted for the job where they won't leave a message.  She had a telephone interview.  She is really interested in this job. It is a line of business that she really wants to learn.  If I could get the job that I want and she could get this one, it would be great.  We would both be close to an former coworker that we often meet for lunch.  We'll see what works out.  We'll land where we are supposed to land.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

I witnessed the sweetest thing yesterday.  My sister has foster children.  A, who is 4, has unsupervised visitation with his father on Saturday and Sunday.  B, who is 2 1/2 randomly stays with his mother.  Yesterday, B's mother had my sister come get him.  My mother and I watched him while my brother-in-law went to pick up A.  When A got there, he came running into the house and just went past us.  He ran up to B and they stood there and hugged, squealed and giggled.  They dropped their arms and then hugged again.  The entire time they were squealing and giggling. Then they ran off to play. They were so excited to see each other.  They refer to each other as "Brudder".  They have been together since June, 2010, with the exception of a 6 months when A lived with his biological parents.  They love each other like real brothers. I hope they can remain friends forever.  They are both so sweet and so cute!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and are now having a good week.

My mother and one of her friends came down to spend Saturday and Sunday with me.  We had a great time.  We had lunch at The Bright Star.  My mother's friend couldn't stop admiring the classic wood paneled walls.

After lunch, we headed to the outlets.  None of us bought that much, but it was fun to get some sunshine and see what is out there.  The only thing that I bought was a pair of goldtone hoops at Polo/RL and a pair of Chic denim capri pants at the VF outlet.  Yes, they have a stretchy waist, but I don't plan on wearing my tops tucked in. I never thought I'd buy stretchy waist pants, but they were a great price and I liked the weight of the denim.  I hope I'm not turning into Betty White. LOL!

I bought chicken salad, bread, chips, watermelon, cookies and muffins to enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

Happy Birthday to Johann Sebastian Bach!

Today is Bach's birthday.  Sirius Symphony Hall is playing all Bach today in honor of his birthday.  I've really enjoyed it.  Great classical music is so relaxing.

Have a great day!

Happy First Day of Spring!!!

It's hard to believe it is spring.  It has already been in the mid to upper 80's here for the past week.  I hope this is not a sign that we are going to have an extremely hot summer.

Get out in the sunshine and enjoy your day.

This morning, Queen Bee Swain's post sort of spoke to me.  You can read it here.  I guess I needed it this morning.

I thought I would update you on my interview.  This is not the news that I want to report, but I did not get the job, nor did the other two candidates that interviewed.  They are going outside to find the skill sets that they are looking for.  I asked what skill sets that I was lacking.  The recruiter said that I looked fine, except that I did not have experience with large event planning.  That was the one thing about the position that I found intimidating. 

When I got home, I had a message from another recruiter.  I imagine that this is my call to let me know that I did not make the cut.  As I'm writing this, I'm waiting for someone at another company to call me about a job.  She wanted to do the call after hours. 

What is so weird about everything is I have this unusual good feeling about everything.  It is almost scary.

Someone asked if my company was going out of business.  No, it did not go out of business.  It was bought.  The former company was a U.S. bank owned by a huge global bank.  They sold us to a large U.S. bank.  The department where I work is being eliminated.  Everyone was displaced.  Luckily, Queenie has been there 24 years and I have been there 20.  We will get a good severance if we stay until our work through date.  I'm not much of a risk taker.  If a great job surfaces before then, I'm going to jump on it.

Thanks to everyone that wished me well.  Maybe I will have some good news soon.

I hope everyone has a great Friday. 

I think my job interview went very well.  There are three candidates and of the three, I am the most qualified. (I'm not bragging, it's just the facts) The interviewer was wowed by my experience.  BUT, I don't think I will get it.  I think it will go to the least qualified candidate.  At the moment, she is the assistant for one of the people that the position supports.  Today, she asked me to get her some keys to certain things that only a few people need access to.  I figure either she has been told she got it, or she just assumes that she got it.   Queenie was interviewed also, but she just participated for the experience. Queenie is more qualified also.  She knows that Queenie interviewed, but not that I did.  I was told that there should be a decision by the end of the week.  Only one day left.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Have a great Friday.

I have another job interview today.  It is for a different job.  It is an Executive Assistant position.  I think they have already decided who will get the job and it is not me.  Keep your fingers crossed that I change their minds.  I was excited about the duties of the other job, but this one is a higher pay grade.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Have a great day!

Thank you for all the well wishes on my job search. I need all the encouragement that I can get.  I still haven't heard anything yet.  I'll keep you posted.  Queenie announced today that she didn't think that either of us were qualified for the position.  I wanted to say, "Speak for yourself".  Hopefully, there will be some news soon.

BFF MAB overheard a great job opportunity that she would like to pursue, but the problem is that she was not supposed to overhear it.  I hope it will work out in her favor.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I had a telephone job interview today.  The position is a Senior Administrative Assistant.  I assumed that it would be halfway between a regular Administrative Assistant and an Executive Assistant.  That's what I prepared for.  Boy was I wrong.  This position was very involved, but it seemed to play on my background and a lot of my job skills.  As they were explaining the position, my mind was going ninety miles an hour trying to regroup.  It was going so fast that it crashed.  Whenever they would ask a question, my mind would go blank.  Then I would ramble on.  I can't even remember half of the stuff that I said.  At least at the end when they asked what qualifications that I thought that I could offer, I noted several things.  Maybe I redeemed myself some with those.  I originally wanted the Executive Assistant position, but I think this is better job for me.  I guess I'll just see how things go.  If they like me, I'll have a face to face interview next week.  Maybe with my navy suit and navy Ferragamo Veras, I'll get my confidence back.  We'll see.

I hope everyone has a great Friday.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

More drama on the Queenie front.  Last week, someone called her about a job for which she had posted.  She got really upset.  She said that she felt pressured.  It was almost like she didn't realize that if she posted for a job that they would actually call and talk to her.  She said that she was afraid that they don't want her to get her severance.  Of course they don't!  Plus, why would you post for a job if you have no plans of interviewing for it?  Go figure!  She did get a call about a position and she actually acted excited about it.  Will wonders ever cease?!?!  I got a call about the same position.  We both had a telephone interview and were escalated to the position of candidate. 

This past weekend, I relaxed, cooked and hung some pictures.  I got caught up on all of my recorded episodes of Murder, She Wrote and Perry Mason Mysteries.

I will keep you posted on all of the drama at work.  I just sit there real quiet and watch her in action.

Have a great Tuesday!

Sometimes I feel so catty talking about my coworker, Queenie, but she sits right in my face every day.  She is a piece of work.  At one time, she was the executive assistant to the "City President" of our bank, but she never did anything, but just sit there.  Occasionally, she would do a two minute chore for a customer.  Now that she is looking for a job, she is all over the executive assistant positions that are out there.  She has never taken minutes, coordinated meetings, made travel arrangements, etc.  Every time she posts for an EA job, she says, "It sounds more like you."  At least she admits that I did all of the things that I mentioned earlier.  What really irks me is that she always tells people that she was the "President's assistant".  It makes me feel like when I tell people that I was the "President's assistant", which I was, I'm lying.  What's so funny is that I think in her own little fantasy world that she has no clue that my boss was the President and CEO of the bank. 

Another strike that she has against her is her attire.  I hate to point it out to her, because I would never in a million years do anything to hurt her feelings.  She wears a lot of satin.  She'll wear a satin blouse with a pair of pants.  Most of the time, she will wear some kind of satin shell or tank top-like top.  They look like some sort of lingerie.  Queenie's not young, she's 50.  And, she is a full figured woman.  You would think that she would know better by now.  BFF MAB says that she dresses like Ugly Betty.  That is a good description.

Now that we have been displaced, she is drooling over her severance.  She says that she wants to just leave when her time is up and get her severance.  I'm not a risk taker.  I'm looking for a job internally.  What is so weird about her wanting to leave is that she keeps posting for internal jobs and complains because of the lack of them.  Go figure.  She has gotten a call about a job at another bank, but took herself out of the running because she wants to stay and get her severance.

I hate to harp about it, but I have to put up with this day in and day out.  I'm hoping that a position that I will enjoy comes along and I can get away from her.  Don't get me wrong, she is a nice person, sometimes too nice, but she lives in her fantasy world and does not understand normal things that happen.  I may have more Queenie stories as the months go by.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday. 

I had a very relaxing weekend.  I think I deserved it.

It seems longer than two weeks ago that our department at work received our bad news. I have spent the past two weeks scouring the job postings, getting my resume together and thinking about what I want to do.  There are supposed to be many possibilities at work.  I just hope that they get posted soon...real soon. 

Queenie had a telephone interview for a good position at another bank.  She was so excited.  The next day, she called the other bank and told them to take her name out of consideration.  She wants to work through her work through date and then get a job a couple of weeks after that.  I hate to be so negative, but I would want to be guaranteed another job before I make the decision to be let go.  She is drooling over her severance.  She sees it as a chance to have some money in savings and not have to worry about living pay check to pay check.  Did I ever tell you that her husband has not worked in approximately 18 years.  He's too good.  She is the bread winner in their family.  In order for her to be able to pocket this extra money, she needs a job waiting for her.  She is getting advice from someone who has never worried about money and who has no clue what it is like to live pay check to pay check.  Like I said, I hate to be negative, but I'm not a risk taker.

I spent the weekend, planning what I'm going to do.  I also came up with a few nice professional outfits to wear in the event that at least one of my job postings works out.    I'm trying to lose weight and my skirts are gradually getting looser.  If I can lose 20 more pounds, I will have a lot of different outfits.

Tonight, we are expecting bad weather.  It is suppose to be out of here by about 9:00 am tomorrow, but it is supposed to be really bad as it moves through.

I hope everyone has a great Monday.  Please stay safe in the weird weather that we are experiencing.

So sad to hear about the passing of former Penn State coach, Joe Paterno.  Even though I live in Alabama, our family has always been a great fan of Coach Paterno.  My father always said that he was the greatest football coach ever.  That's a lot coming from an Alabama fan.

Last week was probably one of the worst weeks of my life.  Monday started off with finding out that our entire department had been eliminated as of June 1. 

I've been reconnecting with contacts to let them know that I am in the market for a new job. Everyone was so sympathetic.  A former coworker is going to see if her boss may have something for me.

I posted for a Executive Assistant position at work. I didn't even notice who the assistant would support.  My boss pointed out that it was the Regional President.  He already has an assistant...a good friend of mine.  YIKES!  All of a sudden, I felt like a back stabber.  I finally got up the nerve to let her know that her job was being posted.  She checked with HR and found out that it was a mistake.  Thank goodness.  I would have hated for her to be moved without her knowledge and then me get the job.  I'm patiently waiting for more jobs to be posted on the job postings site.

My mother, my cousin and I went to Nashville on Saturday.  We stopped off and visited with my cousin's brother (also my cousin).  Then we hit the malls.  I went to the Brooks Brothers "346" store in Franklin.  I bought 3 blouses: pink, blue and white.  I also bought a navy merino wool cardigan.  At Green Hills, I bought a pair of Tory Burch Revas in black at Nordstrom and some organization and cleaning supplies at The Container Store. 

Sunday was a lazy day.  After church, I took a nap and watched TV.  Can't get any lazier than that.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

Yesterday was not a good day at work.  I don't know if I have mentioned this or not, but our bank has been bought by a big bank.  Our department has been excited about being able to expand our business and be the bank where I customers want to bank.  Last week, we started getting a bad feeling.  Yesterday, one by one, we were told that we would all be gone after June 1.  I have a few people looking out for me.  There is supposed to be a massive job postings on Friday.  Maybe there will be something there for me. 

I had plans to go to Nashville shopping on Saturday.  I may have to cancel my plans since I don't need to spend any money, but I really need to get some new blouses to wear with my navy suit.

I hope everyone has a good Tuesday.

I noticed on my live traffic feed that several people have been to my blog to read the 100+ Preppy Things compiled by the readers of Preppy Cafe.  Isn't it a wonderful post?  I do wish Elizabeth was still blogging.  She did a great job at Preppy Cafe.  I believe that she was the original preppy blogger.  Look what she started.

I've made it through two days on my diet and have done very well.  I just need to keep it up so that I can get back into my old clothes.   Plus, I need to take care of myself by eating right. 

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

I hope everyone had a nice New Year's holiday weekend.  I did.  I'm sort of glad that the holidays are over so that things can get somewhat back to normal.

Friday, I was able to leave work early.  It was nice to get to my mother's house about an hour and a half earlier than usual.

Saturday, we went to Huntsville.  We went to Sam's, Belk's, Tuesday Morning, Books-a-Million, The Fresh Market, Publix and Target.  My sister gave me a Keurig machine for Christmas.  For some reason, she gave me a pack of Holiday coffees.  I don't drink coffee at all, and she knows it.  As soon as I opened it, she told me that I could take it back to Belk's and swap it for tea. That's what I did on Saturday.  While in Belk's, I bought some Lauren by Ralph Lauren towels in green.  They are so soft.  We went to Tuesday Morning looking for Peacock Alley flannel sheets.  We had to go to both Tuesday Morning's to find them. It was worth the search.

After our shopping trip, we relaxed and watched the Auburn-Virginia game.  Fortunately, Auburn won...War Eagle!

Sunday was a lazy day.  Even though we planned to relax, we still cooked turnip greens, field peas (we don't like black-eyed peas...at all), pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes.  YUM!  We had enough left over for lunch today.  My cousin and nephew also enjoyed leftovers.

I made the mistake of weighing myself this morning.  I weighed 10 pounds more than I thought.   YIKES!!!  I started my diet immediately.  I think I am going to ride my stationary bicycle while I watch recordings of Murder, She Wrote.  For all of you Murder, She Wrote fans, the show it now on TVLand at 11:00 am Central Time (Noon - Eastern Time). 

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.