A matter of degrees

18 - the high temperature yesterday. Fahrenheit. (Just in case you were wondering)

10 - the temperature last night at 11pm. Brrrrrr!

6 - what PMG faced this morning. Hello, Mr. Popsicle! 

38 - the temperature when the alarm clock went off at 7am.

59 - the purported high for today.

Huh? Wait. Say that again. 10 to 59 in roughly 12 hours??? How is that possible??? A 49 degree jump in a mere 12 hours??? Is Mother Nature just having bad PMS??? Again??? 

Momma Nature's cycles aside, 10 to 59 degrees is indeed possible with a little help from a commercial airline and some ingenuity to make a business trip to Florida a necessity in late January.

Welcome to the sunny Gulf Coast! This is the sunrise that greeted me this morning. It was chilly at 38 degrees (although, by the standards at home, that's a veritable heat wave!) so I stayed on the balcony and snapped a few pictures as the sun gradually illuminated the beach.

 

My current vantage point is in Pensacola Beach. I landed about 10:30 last night, picked up a rental car, and checked in to the hotel. In another couple hours I will be mobile again, the beach views being replaced by miles of asphalt and interstate road signs.

This is a unique trip in that I am ping-ponging across the state of Florida for the next few days. Pensacola, Destin, through Tallahassee, with a final destination of Jacksonville is just today's journey. This trip is all about visiting with people and making connections.

And a little scenery here and there. ;-)

It doesn't hurt that it's warmer here than at home, either.

*thud!*
*wack!*
*thud!*
*thud!*

That was the computer being hit with snowballs.  Guess those peeps back home are a little jealous. Sigh. I hear it's a balmy 12 degrees on campus this morning. Wish I were there.  (Liar, liar, pants on fire!)

Best wishes for a warm day, where ever you are! 

On the ninth day of Christmas...

Dear Santa:  

Since I am still a really really really really good girl, and you're on vacation right now and very relaxed, I have one more little teensy tiny request.

You, dear Santa, are full of magic and can do anything, so steer those reindeer to my house in March with the 2011 HGTV Dream Home in the sleigh. For me. Please. Pretty please? With whipped cream on top. Chocolate sauce, nuts and a cherry too, if you're into that kind of stuff. I will even throw in a week for you and Mrs. Claus at the lodge. Every year. Just not Christmas week because I know you're super busy then. Any other week. Take your pick. Heck, pick TWO weeks! All it takes is a Dream House. THIS dream house. In March. I know this is a big request and I really hope that three months is long enough to make it happen. 

Please? Did I say I've been a good girl? Because I have been good. REALLY good. Three whole people can attest to that. (Maybe four if you bribe him.)

During your two weeks at the lodge I am certain Mrs. Claus will enjoy the hot tub, the stunning master suite, the relative privacy of the house, and the amenities in the surrounding area. There is even sleigh parking at the lodge, and room for eight in the ski dorm. Don't you have eight reindeer? Uh huh. That's what I thought.

Thanks, Santa. Say hi to Mrs. Claus and the kiddos for me. Hope to welcome you to the lodge later this year.

Love you bunches and bunches, 

J

On the fourth day of Christmas...

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... well, he's technically not my true love. Hopefully "lovey" will do as we are talking about The Turkey here. So let's try this again, shall we? 

On the fourth day of Christmas my lovey gave to me ... can you guess? 

Four calling birds? Nope.

Four calling cards? Nope.

Four decks of cards? Nope.

Try this:  four weeks times two (aka eight weeks) at summer camp as paid staff! Yippee!

Today was The Turkey's first ever job interview and he did well. On the spot, they confirmed him for a paid position at summer camp this year. He doesn't officially begin until June 18, but the time between now and then will be peppered with a weekend work day here and there. Volunteer work days, of course.

Needless to say, if this was his first ever job interview, the summer will bring his first ever paychecks. The cash he will come home with is measly, but the camp provides room and board AND his mom has a few weekends of kid-free living.

Let's hear it for a summer job! Hip, hip, HOORAY! 

Congratulations to The Turkey on a stellar job interview.

Three french hens

Happy third day of Christmas!

 

 

O Tannenbaum

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the house. Finally! The list of errands and other ephemera from yesterday resulted in a fully decorated Christmas tree by late last night. Today's projects will include the little touches of holiday cheer around the rest of the house, in addition to some time on campus for graduation.

Back to the tree, though. We have been trying to come up with an appropriate name for said tree now that she is a part of the family. The Turkey is fond of either Tink or Roxie. She's got sparkle and sass, a festive attitude, she's quiet and still, stoic even, but she really lights up a room. Alice? Esther? Eve?

The Island of Misfit Images

Today, December 18th, I finally have a few "free" hours to focus on the holly and the jolly. I am still at the very beginning stages of decking the halls -- retrieving boxes from the basement, putting a wreath on the front door, assessing the state of the shopping, arranging the Christmas cards, tweaking the 2010 Christmas playlist, and decorating the tree.

Looking back at that list I am not so sure this is a "free" day after all!

In the midst of list management, I am taking a hot tea break while listening to the tweaked 2010 playlist (it's getting there, ya'll!) and wanted to share some miscellaneous shots from the week. These are all from the Island of Misfit Images so don't expect any continuity or theme. ;-)

The New York skyline from the corner of Bryant Park. Don't let the blue sky fool you -- it was bitterly cold. I kept ducking in to shops, stores, coffee shops, offices, whatever, just to get warm for a few minutes.

A very unique snowball in Bryant Park. Wait! That's not a snowball, it's a Kate Spade store! Heaven! The heat was working well, the penguin at the front door was friendly, and the colors and goodies inside were a welcome treat. Expensive, mind you, but very welcome. After about 15 minutes of warm browsing I left the store without any Kates, but with all my Georges in tow. :-)

My bathroom at the hotel in New York. Two separate vanities, a bench by the makeup mirror, a flat screen TV, marble, generous sizes of complimentary toiletries, and pure bathroom bliss. Really, why NOT get a picture of this?

I hearted San Francisco. Just sayin'...

 

Thursday was our office holiday luncheon at an Italian restaurant in DC. The Pope even joined us! *snicker*  We were seated at the Pope's Table at Buca Di Beppo, a round table for 20 with the walls bedecked with images of and from the Vatican. Was this the boss' way of saying we need all the divine inspiration we can get?!?  

This was on the opposite wall from the Pope. I think it was there to remind us of what we would look like after dessert. More bread, anyone? 

Let me know what you think of this one. Like? Dislike? Need some more make up? Ditch the glasses? Call the stylist? You tell me.

Hope your holiday weekend is fully of merry jingles and jollies!

Heading home