Sunday, Dec. 21st
HAPPY SOLSTICE! HAPPY CHANUKAH!
Today is the first day of winter, my holiday, and the first night of Chanukah, a friend's. I was there for the lighting of the first candle. It's a lovely festival of lights that I must admit is superior in its simplicity and wonder. If it weren't for the fact that the prayer includes 'Adonai' ('my Lord') I'd celebrate it myself. I guess I could say 'haShem' 'the Name' like the Orthodox do. But still, I'm not sure how the G-d of the Jews would feel about a pagan girl lighting the chanukkiyah.(It's not really a religious holiday per se...it celebrates a miracle, yes, but it's not up there with Yom Kippur. Christians assume it's an important holiday because it's around Christmas and they see that as important (ignoring the fact that Easter is a far more religiously important holiday for them), but it's rather minor. It is, however, fun, with dreidels, latkes, and family.)
When I got home from the game I put the holiday lights on and lit every candle in the place that would burn. Here's an especially lovely holder I have:
Basically I played soothing music, listened to a fountain, and enjoyed the lights. I didn't make any offerings or anything this year, but I will for the liminal point of New Year's, since my Patroness governs those.
Monday, Dec. 22nd
Today I worked the only day this week I will at the hospital. Brrr!!! It's cold. It's 6 degrees outside this evening and very, very, cold. Winter is definitely here.
Tuesday, Dec. 23rd
Today we had our Christmas party at the gas station. I took off from the hospital to go. We were raising money for the Children's Miracle Network, which helps hospitals such as UK Children's treat young patients. There was cake, music, and we even caroled. My boss wanted us to sing, but then kind of chickened out and had us singing in the office and I moved her out into the public area, which I was rather proud of seeing as I have terrible stage fright of my own. It was fun, although slow to get going.
As part of our holiday decorating, we decorated the bathrooms. Supposedly there is a contest within our district or region for the best decorated bathrooms. Two of us have gone to about five or six stores in our region and found not a single decorated one. We are beginning to think someone is pulling our boss' leg. But the bathrooms have been a real hit with customers. Women have come up and complimented us and one guy said 'Holy cow!' when entering. Here's a couple of examples--one from the women's (which was done in a green and red theme with evergreen garlands around the ceiling, stockings on the wall, garland around the mirror, and this setting on the commode:)
and the sink from the men's room (done in a blue and white theme, with lots of icicles and snowflakes)
Later in the night, we had rain that froze to the ground. Not freezing rain per se--the cars never had ice on them. The ground was just so cold from the last couple of days that roads, driveways, and walkways became a solid sheet of ice. I was the third person at work tonight and spent a lot of time salting the lot and acquiring more salt. Even so, those of us working nearly fell several times. (I almost did carrying a full propane tank, which would not have been good.) Needless to say, walking in the mulch was a good strategy. I-75 was totally shut down, so we got a lot of people asking for ways to get to I-64 or the Bluegrass Parkway from Man O'War, since we're not far from the exit where they'd routed people off the interstate. Turns out the split to I-64 was totally shut down because it was a solid sheet of ice. Even emergency vehicles were sliding. I later found out that a man was killed after stopping to see if someone who'd run off the road was okay. The first person was fine, got out of their car down in the embankment, and looked up to see a car stop up at the top. Then when the Good Samaritan up there got out of the car, he was struck by a truck and killed. Sad. New Circle Road wasn't much better. I sent one guy going down to BG parkway through town and out Versailles Road rather than try the limited access highways.
Fortunately by the time I went to get A that night, it had warmed and everything melted.
Wednesday, Dec. 24th
I got paid and went Christmas shopping, hitting three places with minimal trouble, including two in 'the world's biggest strip mall', also known as Hamburg Pavilion. You could not have dragged me to the mall, though, and although Bath and Body Works was out of something I wanted in Hamburg, I did not pursue it at the other location. I went to Barnes & Noble and picked up presents for three friends and then went to Sqecial Media for one friend and my mother and grandmother. The latter two got carved wooden boxes. My friend got an incense holder and nag champa incense. I won't tell you what I got at B&N since not everyone's opened their presents yet, but since they are all members of the game, you can probably guess if you've been reading. I'm also now a B&N member, so I get discounts. It was $25 but I saved over $7 in one transaction, so I don't think it will take too much time to recoup. And although I have much history with Joseph-Beth (our local chain), they just have gone downhill in terms of having things in stock and in their service and efficiency. I have long since concluded that they only hire idiots at Joseph-Beth (and the women all seem to have a similar 'look'), something supported by the fact that neither I, a professional librarian with good customer service skills, nor a friend, who is a reader and book collector who admittedly is not a people person but who is very efficient at finding things in the store and has walked employees through their own computer system) could ever get a job there.
Barnes & Noble, on the other hand, seems full of efficient people. Although I like the setting of Joseph-Beth better, B&N actually has books in stock, so you're not always having to special order. Which is interesting, as I'm pretty sure J-B has more space.
Anyway, having shopped till I dropped I made one final stop for wrapping paper, then came home and napped. I called my mother to let her know when I could come to Danville but got her as she started report at work and she called me back a couple of hours later. The 26th was best, so that's the plan.
Then I helped someone make green goo. It's a long story that doesn't bear repeating. Let's just say that spinach does not chop well in a Cuisinart. And I even got to take some home. :)
Thursday, Dec. 25th
Finally, a sunny day. It was quiet on the roads, of course. I worked for eight hours, from open to close on our abbreviated schedule at the gas station. We still had cake and music, and people were in the Christmas spirit and were very sympathetic to anyone working on Christmas day. I had volunteered; it's not my holiday and unlike some of the others, I don't have little kids to stay home with. Plus, it was double time, so it's as if I worked 16 hours in terms of pay, but it was a very easy shift.
Friday, Dec. 26th
I went to Danville to visit my mother and grandmother. My step-father was laying tile. (I'd brought his Chop House gift certificate as well--the one I won at the hospital Christmas party). It was a nice enough visit. I missed out on the meal they had yesterday, although my mother brought me her jam cake. Well, not quite jam cake--she forgot the jam this year! But it's a rather nice spice cake, anyway. :)
Everyone's fine. They liked their wooden boxes. My mom gave me an outfit, and it's actually purple and something I would buy for myself. It's a little dressy and would work well for a party. The pants are black velvet and a little flared. The blouse is purple velvet with a tie-back waist and the blouse has a definite shape to it, something you don't find in a 3X too often. The purple has little gold ornament on it.
Well, that's my week so far. Whew! It took awhile to write this post, as you can imagine. Hope your holiday was pleasant, and that you have a wonderful new year!
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