A full day for the end of the year

This early a.m., Joanne and I watched a bit of a national news program, not Fox and Friends, and saw 2009 being rung in down in Australia so we know it's a go!!!!

*

She had a busy day in front of her so she got herself ready for work. Joanne and her co-worker were heading to the beaches area to look at a home for another client. She's spending wwaayy too much time at the beach these days!! When I talked to her a couple hours ago, she was walking around in this fabulous home with an extraordinary view. Joanne always wishes I could see these homes, so after the work with the financials is through, I'll go for a "ride in the country" with her. That's what my former spouse and I used to do, threaten each other with a ride in the country-----you had to be there, I guess.

*

This afternoon, Justin popped in for a little while to take a quick shower, change his clothes, wrap the gifts he purchased on the way to my house, and grab his luggage. Whew! He is going, after all, to celebrate CHRISTmas with his father, his father's lady friend and her family. He needed a box or basket or something to put the new purchases into, and I came up with a basket that held flowers from Timmy's funeral. Why not? It's just packed away in a cupboard so I figured it would make a nice way to hold his purchases. He hustled around looking for wrapping paper and tissue and tape and scissors and tags.....Justin was really happy to get his luggage back so he can have his "date night" shirt I bought him for CHRISTmas; otherwise, he was trying to persuade me to take him to Penney's today to find another one. Wow, he really liked his shirt!

*

After Justin left for his father's house, which is going to be the site of a New Year's bash later on tonight, I got myself ready to go to Green Cove Springs to pay my taxes. I had to tear my suitcase apart to find my box of earrings because I simply could not go to the Court House annex to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, without earrings! While I was at it, I also renewed my license plates, a regular one stop shopping event! Just in case the 'girls' were working up in the building dept., I took a ride in the elevator to say "hello" and "happy New Year". It was busy in the office but Robbin invited me in to her office for a quick chat. She is not cropping as much as she used to, deciding to play with little Hannah rather than crop pictures of her! Krista, her supervisor and dear friend, scrapbooks religiously yet and we are going to get together for a crop soon. Justin had to take something to the Building Dept. recently and he was saddened to report that the pictures of Timmy were taken down. But, he was mistaken---they are still there on the wall, where Robbin's desk used to be. Not obvious from the lobby area but still well-posted for their purposes.

*

On the way back from GCS, I decided to stop at the new Publix on Fleming Island to pick up the pasta and some garlic bread for our dinner tonight. Joanne made a large kettle of spaghetti sauce which we are going to enjoy once I get back from church this evening. We are on an Italian roll, as compared to a French roll, since we ate at Carrabba's last night and having spaghetti tonight. I also picked up a small cheesecake and some cherries to dress it up with for our dessert. When we talked about our dinner and evening plans, we both figured there'd be no ringing in of the New Year in this household tonight----after all, we did that once already this morning!!!!

*

I had fun earlier opening my greeting cards, many of which were birthday ones. I opened one which littered my lap and floor with tiny schnibbles including hearts, flowers, dots, and even some Charlie Brown silhouettes! That was from the Kelly's, my dear friends from church and the Building Committee. What fun! When I was looking for my earrings, I discovered the box containing the lovely angel figure that Linda gave me. It bears a poem that discusses the feelings of grief, how the Lord helps us through it. Beautiful! Thanks, Linda!