Happy Birthday, Momma!

The posting may be a day late, but lucikly the party wasn't!

This cake, by the way, is from my favorite Ace of Cakes chef, Duff Goldman. I have a HUGE crush on him.

Happy New Year!

Bloopers from the Annual Sister and Dogs Christmas Photo

We're READDDDDY!

I'm outta here!

Just can't sit still!

Stealing a kiss!
Caught!

Another kiss!

Eyes Aglow!

2007 News Quiz

2007 was a big year for news -- in America and around the world. But how much attention were you REALLY paying? Try this 50-question news quiz test -- your chance to measure your news-junkie mettle. I, a self-avoked cable news junkie, got 74 % correct. No real theme in the ones I missed, but I was surprised to miss the one about Barbaro.

I May Sound Callous, But...

...these men are old enough to know better than to mess with this tiger, especially if one of them tried to climb into or hang over the fence. And I'm sure everyone will sue. I'll be anxious to find out more, though I doubt the survivors will tell the entire truth. Sorry to be cynical and uncaring, but people can just be so stupid!

Bonfire of the Avenues

Last Friday, our friend, Brian, and his daughter, Sims, hosted a fabulous bonfire party in the Avenues in Cayce! It was one of the most relaxing nights I've had in quite a while. Easy conversation, warm fire and a meteor shower! Here are some pictures from the party, compliments of Brian! (We were late because of Sister's office party; for clarity of the blog, I'm including mostly pictures when we were there!)

Brian's Festive Garage

The Bonfire

Brian and Sims with "The Turkey," which we missed completely.

Me Looking Up at the Stars

Sister and Jerry, Perhaps Contemplating the Melt Temp of PET

While You're Waiting...

Still waiting for a quiet hour or so to REALLY update the blog, but for now, here is a gem from the other sister!

"One of my e-newsletters sent me to a blog this morning that made my day.I t features the one thing that is the pet peeve of both MP and me - most especially me!!! Check it out for a great laugh this morning . . .The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. This drives me up the wall and makes me laugh out loud at the same time. . . so glad to see others see the humor in it as well."

AAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!

I'm a victim of the crazy rush of Christmas!

I haven't blogged in a week, BUT you have some good stuff to look forward to:

1. Our Slumber Party/Craft Night with Frances Anne
2. Bonfire of the Vanities, Pictures from a Recent Bonfire We Attended
3. The Annual Dog and Sister Christmas Picture Outtakes

Friday, Doc gave me a new prescription to help prevent headaches, and it knocked me out cold. Had to stay home from work today to sleep it off. Bad stuff. I'd rather take my chances with the headaches!

Call me when it's 2008!

Getting to Know-Ho-Ho You

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here’s what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE! ! ! Just copy the following questions and paste into your post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then save it!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I buy it, and Sister wraps! Sister paid her rent one Christmas wrapping at Tapp's and can wrap ANYTHING beautifully.

2. Real tree or artificial? REAL Christmas tree, two artificial Palmetto trees.

3. When do you put up the tree? The Saturday after Thanksgiving. A Sister tradition.

4. When do you take the tree down? When we get around to it…usually way too long after it should be gone. Always in time for Grinding of the Greens Christmas tree recycling, though.

5. Do you like eggnog? In limited amounts.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Lite Brite. Spirograph.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No

8. Hardest person to buy for? My grandmother!

9. Easiest person to buy for? Sister.

10 Worst present received? I plead the Fifth.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail….although I haven’t even STARTED this year…

12 . Favorite Christmas movie ? The Christmas Story - You'll shoot your eye out. I'm proud to say I saw it when it was a movie at the theatre! On a first date, even.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Throughout the year.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm a recycling coordinator - what do YOU think?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Peppermint bark. Could eat it for every meal.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Fat colored lights

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night. That, or the Chipmunks Christmas song, which is currently my ring tone!

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home? Travel the week before, stay home with family on Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? No. Well, maybe if I tried. How many are there? Donner, Dancer, Blitzen, Rudolph. Four. I can name four.

20. Angel on the treetop or a star? Star. A beautiful star that Sister got at Harrod's in London.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Normally one present Christmas Eve, the rest Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? So many. People who wear antlers. Those Gosh-awful Christmas sweaters. (No, not yours Sister!) Shoppers who take WAAAAY to long at the checkout (you know who you are)!

23. What I love most about Christmas? Taking my dogs on rides to see the lights. Decorations. Finding the perfect gifts for people. Spending time with Mom and Dad. Sleeping all day Christmas day.

I'll End The Night on This One

I just can't resist!

The Ultimate Funeral…

DEAD in his favorite chair (reclined), remote (in hand) AND the football game is ON! Oh yeah, don't miss the new silky pjs, slippers and beer! And are those a pack of Newports in his ashtray??? Just when you thought you've seen everything .... and yes, this is a regular commercial funeral home. This is just wrong!

Top 10 Peeves dogs Have about Their Owners

10. Blaming your farts on me..... not funny... not funny at all !!!

9. Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG

8. Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

7. Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose. Stop it!

6. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.

5. The fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo what a proud moment for the top of the food chain. -

4. Taking me to the vet for 'the big snip', then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

3. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

2. Dog sweaters. Hello ??? Haven't you noticed the fur?

1. How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous.

Now lay off me on some of these things. We both know who's boss here! You don't see me picking up your poop do you?

Bookshelf Christmas Tree

Number of Ornaments You Need for Your Tree

I found this link today, just hours after we decorated our trees. If I'd seen it before, I may've actually counted to see how many we were using as we put them on the trees, but it's too late now. Maybe I can count as we're taking them off in January...

A Better Picture of MP as a Redhead

Actually, I look OLD in this picture, but it's a better look at my new red hair color. I don't want any of you to be shocked when you see me over the holidays!

Meowy Christmas

This is Pikachu, our absolutely fabulous Russian Blue. He LOVES Christmas. I took these pictures while he was up under the tree tonight and couldn't resist sharing them. (Dutchess wasn't under the tree as the dogs were upstairs, so she was downstairs.)

He can't wait until we get the ornaments up. Our friend, Kayren, gave us some really cute fabric ornaments that we put on the bottom branches so he can swat them off and not break anything! Thanks, KT!

This is my favorite picture of Pikachu, ever. So beautiful under the tree.

Pika checking out the presents! This one is actually a very clever watering device that Sister found at Home Depot. It makes keeping the tree watered A LOT easier.

Perhaps I should title this one "Freak-achu." That is totally untouched. His eyes look like ornaments!

Thanksgiving Adventure

At Thanksgiving, Sister and Dad took me on an adventure. Apparently, EVERYONE in the family has hiked to this old car graveyard at my Grandmother's house except me.

We had to hike through a field to get to it. Along the way, we picked up "lucky rocks."

And trespassed.

It was a very cool afternoon.

Elvis Has Left the Building...

...and is in Columbia, South Carolina!

Y'all Better Sign Up

You'll be sad when I start telling Oprah stories!

Love It

Check out this site. You can order all kinds of personalized stuff, including this precious ornament.

I'm a Redhead Now

The blond highlights made me look like every 40-something year old running around town, usually with three kids in tow at a soccer game. I told my stylist I needed a change, and he gave me one! It's actually a little more vibrant than this picture, but you get the picture! LOVE it!

More Excitement at the Landfill

Earlier this week, a trash truck lost its brakes and went careening by my office and slammed into our glass recycling bunker. It did over $10,000 in damage. Check it out. Never a dull day at the landfill!

I Think I'll Apply for This Job

One of the e-recycling publications I receive featured a job posting for Recycling Manager of the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. I think I should apply - ha ha! How much fun would it be to live in Las Vegas? Okay, so maybe not...

Should I Move to Animal Control?

That's probably what my co-workers are asking as I rescued another kitten today!

I'm really not looking for them, they just keep finding me. John brought it in this morning, and I couldn't just turn it loose! He said it actually came out of a can (solid waste management speak for a dumpster.)

Luckily, one of the recyclers had brought me a cat carrier, so I was able to keep it until I found a home for it.

SWEET SWEET kitty. I hope it likes it's new home with either Amy or her father. I'm betting Amy won't be able to turn it loose!

I named it (couldn't figure out whether it was a boy or girl) Pet because I was reading about polyethylene terephthalate (aka PET or #1 plastic) when they brought it to me.

Pet looked like he or she could be related to Oscar, who I rescued last month. Oscar, BTW, is doing great in his new home and will soon be moving to Maine or Massachusetts with his peeps.

Oprah to stump for Obama in Columbia

I just signed up to attend a free public rally with Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey in Columbia on Sunday, December 9. Wanna come? Click here to RSVP.

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey will be in Columbia Sunday, Dec. 9 to campaign for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a Democratic presidential hopeful.

No details yet on where Winfrey will appear with Obama. The event is part of a two-day swing of early voting states.

Winfrey's appearance, according to the Obama campaign, will be free and open to the public.

Paige Davis Returning to Trading Spaces

It's about time! I don't know about you, but I don't think it's been the same since the format change. Used to LOVE Trading Spaces, now, not so much. Hooray for Paige's return!

Iconic Toys from the ’80s and Earlier Get 21st-Century Makeovers

LOVE this article! What about Lite Brites and Spirographs? And those bald men with magnetic hair? There was also something I loved - it was a strap of black tubing with a lemon on the end. You put it around one ankle and swirled it around and jumped over it. Anyone remember that one? Oh, look - I found it. It was a Lemon Twist! Ooooh, Dawn dolls! I had so many of these!

Check out this site for a blast from the past!

By ALISON LAPP - The Associated Press

The desire to share favorite playthings with a new generation might be driving a trend of classic toys resurging on the market.

The Cabbage Patch Kids are skate punks. Strawberry Shortcake is wearing fitted jeans. And your Monopoly game piece might be a Starbucks cup.

Some favorite toys from the 1980s have gotten 21st-century updates, as children who grew up playing with the iconic toys are having babies of their own. Boomer-era grandparents also can get nostalgic, with LEGOs designed for imaginary trips to Mars and an Etch A Sketch for the mobile phone.

The desire to share favorite playthings with a new generation might be driving a trend of classic toys resurging on the market, but “nostalgia will only get you so far,” said toy analyst Chris Byrne. “The brands have to keep revitalizing and revamping to be relevant to today’s kids.”

Here’s a look at some oldies-but-goodies that have been updated for the children of 2007:

BARBIE
1959: Named after inventor Ruth Handler’s daughter, Barbara, Barbie was introduced to the nation as a teenage fashion model sporting a ponytail, black-and-white bathing suit and full line of fashion accessories.

2007: Barbie has exhausted more than 100 careers, from princess to astronaut, and now is available in the Barbie Girls line as more than just a doll. The Barbie Girl also is an MP3 player and a “key” to unlock exclusive online play features.

CABBAGE PATCH KIDS
1983: The ideal tag-along buddy, each doll was unique and came with its own birth certificate and back story.

2007: The one-of-a kind dolls are hipper and have moved ahead in their interests. “A doll today might carry a skateboard as opposed to skates,” said Al Khan, CEO of 4Kids Entertainment. Also available are Lil’ Sprouts, 4-inch dolls that come with play sets allowing them to attend parties or ride ponies, for example.

CARE BEARS
1981: A lovable troupe of rainbow-colored bears had decorative bellies that radiated the power of sharing and caring.

2007: The core values remain the same, but the group has a few new members. The bears received a makeover after their re-launch in 2002, and their differentiation is moving beyond the belly badge. Increased distinctive features include bears of varying heights and accessories: Sunshine Bear has a cap, and Share Bear has a purse, for example.

ETCH A SKETCH
1960: The simple screen with two knobs allowed budding artists to take a gray line in the direction of their choosing. Invented by a French factory worker, it’s going strong 150 million pieces later.

2007: Color versions, a “plug-and-play” screen with a hand-held controller and screens in heart-shaped containers are a few of the newer incarnations of Etch A Sketch, which also will be coming out in a mobile version for cell phones.

HOT WHEELS
1968: The die-cast race cars impressed a generation of boys needing speed and went on to become coveted collectibles quickly.

2007: In anticipation of the brand’s 40th anniversary next year, the model cars are going back to their heritage with sleeker versions of classic cars, trucks and play sets. The gravity-defying track sets and skateboards that have been added over the years remain on the market.

LEGO
1949: Rectangle and square interlocking blocks let young architects build their dream structures — and smashing them afterward always was part of the fun.

2007: Most every cultural and historical phenomenon has made its way into LEGO form, including this year’s re-launch of the Space line, now as Mars Mission. This season, the classic line of homes, vehicles and animals is back, albeit with motors and sensors.

MONOPOLY
1935: The monocled capitalist who represents this game of real estate mastery long has been a household figure.

2007: No longer fighting over the boot or the iron, players of “Monopoly Here and Now” can move Toyota Prius, Starbucks mug or cell-phone playing pieces to acquire new properties, like famous ballparks. And, old Monopoly money is out; in the “Electronic Banking Edition,” players make transactions with a debit card.

MY LITTLE PONY
1983: The original six pastel ponies frolicked their way into the little girls’ hearts.

2007: The herd has grown to dozens of named ponies in an updated color palate and modern themed play sets.

POUND PUPPY
1985: Creator Mike Bowling came up with the concept for the palm-sized puppies when watching his own daughter interact with a baby doll. “I was amazed at how she treated an inanimate object with such love,” he said. “I thought, there are two things people love: babies and pets.”

2007: Those plush pets are back, in a softer material that ups the hugability factor. The puppies also come packaged with a 36-minute DVD of the pilot episode of the ’80s cartoon.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
1980: The fresh-faced girl with a wardrobe that spans the spectrum from rose to fuchsia lived with her confectionarily christened friends in the fanciful Strawberryland.

2007: “The attributes that make her Strawberry Shortcake, innocence and empowerment to little girls, are timeless,” said Tamra Knepfer of American Greetings. It’s just that now, Strawberry Shortcake is more likely to be wearing a pair of fitted jeans with a sweatshirt around her waist than a knee-length dress of patterned fabric.

TRANSFORMERS
1984: One of the first two-in-one toys, the car-turned-robot action figures were “more than meets the eye.”

2007: The recent Paramount movie pushed the shape-shifting robots back into the public imagination, although the toys have had an ardent fan base for the last 25 years, said Hasbro spokeswoman Audrey Desimone. The new robots have a modern design flair and transform into cars that could be seen racing down the highway today.

Help Me Find a Song!

The SC Soundtrack got me in the mood for some beach music. One of my FAVORITE songs is "Closely Guarded Secret." I couldn't find it on iTunes, nor could I locate it in any Google search. It MAY be by the Fantastic Shakers. anyone who can help me find a copy to download will be rewarded.

Who Will Get YOUR Vote?

I was talking to a politically astute friend today about the upcoming primary, and I indicated to him that I was stumped as who I would vote for in the January primaries. He gave me a fun Web site to help me narrow my choices: http://selectsmart.com/president/2008.html.

Here's their verdict for me: Barack Obama, which really surprised me. The first Republican to appear on the list was Rudy at number 10.

Take the test. Very interesting.

They also have one to help you discern your belief system. Perhaps no surprise that I was 100% Mainline - Liberal Christian Protestants. I am a good PCUSA/Methodist girl, after all. The remaining top five were odd to say the least: Bahai, Liberal Quakers, Unitarian Universalism (EEEK), and Reform Judaism.

Share as comfortable.

A Holiday Do or Don't? You Be the Judge!

You be the judge. I saw this Christmas tree in someone's front yard TODAY at 5:30 p.m. This wasn't the first time I saw it; it first made its appearance LAST week.

Before anyone asks, it's not in Lexington County, but in the City of Columbia in a very tony neighborhood. (But there are two properties aglow landfill way.)

The funniest thing is less than a mile away, I passed a house with a lighted Halloween wreath on the door. What gives??

You be the judge! Too early or whenever the spirit hits? My vote: wait 'til the day after T-giving!

Introducing the South Carolina Soundtrack!

The Twist – Chubby Checker
I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown Carolina In My Mind – James Taylor
Would You Go With Me – Josh Turner
Carolina Girls – General Johnson and Chairmen of the Board
Heard It In a Love Song – The Marshall Tucker Band
Stay – Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) – Swingin‘ Medallions
Hold My Hand – Hootie and the Blowfish
Outskirts of Town – Josh White
Groovin’ High – Dizzy Gillespie
Ridin’ That Midnight Train – Yeehaw Junction Bluegrass Band
Big Front Porch – Danielle Howle and the Tantrums
Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters
I’ll Fly Away – Reverend Gary Davis

What Musical Instrument R U Most Like?

Take the quiz to find out.

I scored as a "unique," aka a double reed player.

New Gamecock Fight Song

Sister and I were talking about last night's game this morning and came up with a great new song for the Gamecocks. Remember this one?

Gloom, despair and agony on me!
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery!
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.
Gloom, depair and agony on me.

Eeeeeeewwwwwww!

Does anyone else find this a little creepy? It's only a 15 year age difference, but she seems so young and he seems older - and creepier - than just 36.

ODD couple alert: Ashley Olsen has a new, older man. The 21-year-old twin showed up to the Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel Monday night with Tory Burch's ex, Lance Armstrong, 36. Our bar spy said, "They came together with a group of friends. Ashley drank red wine, sat on his lap and they were making out all night. They left together around 2 a.m." Armstrong has been spending more time in town since he bought a home here. Another source said, "He tried to make Tory happy when they were dating by buying a place here, but she couldn't deal with him not actually living in the same city, so they broke up." Olsen's rep didn't return calls.

This is an ACTUAL Wedding Cake

Made to match the bride!

You cannot make up this stuff, folks!

Recycling at Work

Yes, this picture was taken in a bathroom at the County Admin Building.

Watch It Shred

Okay, this is cool. I don't think you have to be in the waste management business to appreciate this movie gallery of things being shredded!

Mishap at the Landfill

These are from the landfill last week. I LOVE having a camera phone so I can capture all of the excitement for you! A boom truck was trying to deposit a can on the scales to be weighed, but somehow missed. Our HEOs saved the day by moving the can with one of their big machines, and somehow the scales were intact after all of the excitement. It did cause quite a back up, though. (I know that y'all are jealous of me being at the landfill!)

Shopping Sisters

Two fun pictures from our shopping adventures!

This was an actual car we saw at the Columbia Mall.

Sister at Michael's.