Ya'll.

I don't even know where to start.

In the immortal words of Motion City Soundtrack:

"This shit storm's never ending and the atmospheric pressure's calling for rain..."

Let's do a numerical list, shall we?

1. Stella and I are watching Lazy Town which is the creepiest kids show ever, but she all of a sudden is obsessed with it. And the sunlight is coming into the front window DIRECTLY into my right eyeball. Of course.

2. I think I am almost done Christmas Shopping as I have just been buying things for a few months and throwing them into a big pile. Maybe it's time I take inventory?

3. I am just not in the holiday mood.

4. I really really really want to go into detail about my work life because I really have no hesitation at hurting someone's feelings as he has hurt mine about a gazillion times (a day!)...but I won't disclose any info to the internet world and I will be the bigger person. But it's hard.

5. The GOOD news about my work life is that I will not have to endure it for much longer. As with every other company on the planet, mine is experiencing downsizing. Before the involuntary cuts, they offered an "opt out" program for those who just wanted to just go. And I took it! It's a nice severance package that will cover me for quite a few months and I'll have time to find a new job that doesn't make me cry every.single.day.

6. Toby's job is non-existent. Almost. He worked one day this week so that's going to be a really nice paycheck next friday. That might pay his nextel bill. His company called him yesterday and said "You can be laid off if you want." He decided NOT to take them up on that offer. So he is still employed and we applied for partial unemployment benefits...and he is filling in the holes with side-work. If the work picks up, he'll be the first one that his company calls, and he'll get his 2 weeks vacation that he deserves next year. He has been hitting the pavement looking for a new full-time job and NO ONE is hiring. I bet he went to 30 electrical companies last week when he was off. Most were closing their doors and going bankrupt.

7. This economy is scaring the hell out of me.

8. But I have never been so sure of something in my life that we are going to be ok. I KNOW it. It's almost scary how CALM I am with all of this. If we have to declare bankruptcy, then we do. We aren't alone. It's through no fault of our own that we can 't pay bills. It's not like we ran around buying cars and jewelry and went into huge debt. We are in huge debt...but it's certainly not because we went on shopping sprees. That would have been a hell of a lot more fun.

9. And because we are so rich at the moment, the freezer decided to stop working and all of my frozen foods are mush. I quickly cooked all of the 1/2 frozen chicken and the steam and mash potatoes (for dinner tonight) the rest went into the garbage because they were really mushy.

10. Don't EVER buy a frigidaire appliance. EVER. Our last fridge at the old house was that brand as well and it did the same thing several times. We had to keep getting it fixed. The first time it did this was on our wedding day when Toby got up and walked into the kitchen and splashed into 2 inches of water.

**** The time between #10 and #11 has been about 6 hours. The reason for the lapse is that my Dad came over to look at the freezer and realized the WHOLE fridge is dead so we had to bring the dorm fridge in from the garage and fill it with what could fit (which is basically a hot dog) and then take the rest of the stuff next door to Mom and Dad's fridge in the apartment.... and then I just left the house and went to BJ's with Mom to get out of here. Hey, I THINK I finished my christmas shopping.

11. Toby and I are going to Home Depot in a minute to get a new.... go ahead! Guess!

12. The Jerk is on TV right now and is at my favorite part where Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters sing that duet (complete with harmony) at the campfire and she breaks out the trumpet...

13. It was a good thing (?) that Toby did not have to work this week because Mom had the stomach flu until Thursday! I worked from home on Monday (making my boss really really happy - NOT) and then Toby had her until Friday when he started a side job.

14. This side job is for my Mom's friend's son who flips houses... And just in the past 2 days, Toby has gotten several more jobs from him AND met and befriended his General Contractor who has another LOAD of jobs for Toby...and they both told him they he needs to go get his contractor's license and a business license and they would employ him only on their jobs.... lots more to this but I won't bore you...BUT, isn't it AMAZING how everything happens for a reason? I just KNOW this is all going to work out for the best. (See #8.)

15. I figured out a way to make my own Chai Tea Apple Cider so I don't have to spend $10 for a grande at Starbucks. Now I just need the caramel syrup and sauce.

16. Stella got her hair cut today at a really cute place called Pigtails and Crew Cuts and she sat in a police car while they cut her hair. Hope that's the ONLY time she sits in a police car.

17. "I'm picking out a thermos for you!" (The Jerk is still on....)

18. Tomorrow is a FULL day with the Santa Tea at noon. This Santa Tea is a replica of the old "Miller and Rhodes Christmas." M&R was a huge department store in downtown Richmond that has long since closed it's doors. This is where my parents used to take me and Matt to see the REAL Santa when we were little. A small boutique shop around the corner from our house, called Feathernesters, has revived the old M&R Christmas with this Santa Tea and the REAL Santa is there. He is about 165 years old now...but he's the same one that I used to see. And the original Snow Queen...and they have Rudolph Cake...and Santa does the same speech and drinks his milk the same... It's one of those "Richmond" things..... Anyway, we're looking very forward to this. (Oh, click the link to Feathernester's and tell me if you think my family deserves royalities? LOL We (mostly Stella) are on the opening page and the scrapbook page!)

19. Tomorrow night we are having dinner with Toby's mom, her boyfriend, Toby's sister Kim, her daughter Kendall. After dinner we are going to the Lewis Ginter Festival of Lights. I think Stella and Toby (the electrician) will get a kick out of all the lights.

20. I think 20 is a good number to stop on although I could bend you ear about all kinds of stuff for 20 more... I'll update again soon. Sooner than I did last time.