Photos from the CHRISTmas party

LuAnn, Renee, Janet, Jayne

The Ladies' Group CHRISTmas party was held at Fran's home in Arlington, quite the ride for many of us from OP and beyond. The room used for this party was absolutely fantastic and I envy this space! Every nook and cranny had some sort of holiday treatment---amazing!

Plenty of seating for the ladies! Janet, Jayne (who had Janet as her teacher back in MI!!!), Julaine, Terri T., Gretchen, Judy, and Carol

It looks like Fran is tooting on a whistle but she is, in fact, opening a tiny gift. The stick is actually Sue's cane extending in front of her. This is Fran, Twila, Sue, Kristin, and Ethel

I just love this photo of Jean, looking so serene. A serene Jean....

Terri, Gretchen and Judy watch as someone is opening their present. This type of gift exchange has a tendency of getting brutal...went without bloodshed this year, though, likely because I did not participate!

Carol, on the other hand, is not as nice as she appears! She loves to be the primary present snitcher and has her grubby paws on Jean's lovely electric lantern. I believe she spared Jean and went for something else in the room---whew!

A couple types of frustration today

Love love love having days where I stay in the majority of the time, and wish I could also stay in tonight. We have midweek Advent service first and then choir rehearsal afterward, so must bundle up and go out. Rachel, the music director from Victory, is coming over to our church tonight to help us rehearse for the joint Advent song service to be sung the next two Sundays, alternating between Good Shepherd and Victory. Saturday is a run-through at Victory and then we sing together at GS the 12^th. Sunday the 19^th we will sing the same service at Victory, and from there, to the airport!!!!

Our record setting temperatures continue, resulting in bringing the space heater from the back bedroom and finding a way to plug it in. There are a limited number of outlets available to me, here at Mission Control, but I did find an open spot on an extension cord. The heater is now snuggled right up to my desk chair, and, with one false move, I will have a hot seat! So very badly I want to place my hands on the radiator-looking heater but know this might not be the wisest thing to do. Even though the heater is belching out warmth, I am yet shivering, hence, my frustration!

While sitting here, I was printing off prospect newsletters and got the annoying beep beep beep from the machine, claiming my ink was exhausted. Of course, in the midst of this project, the pages are coming out blank. Well, not quite blank, but very lightly printed. Fortunately I had a replacement cartridge to put in but then the machine has me run a couple tests before resuming the printing. Hopefully I will not mail anyone my printer test sheet instead of their newsletter! That would be frustrating, too!

Earlier when I was cooking (if microwaving food is cooking) my lunch, I noticed that cobwebs were hanging out around my windows yet again. I got the fuzzy wand from the laundry room and began the process of swishing dust all over the place, catching my window corners, the sun catchers (dust catchers!!!) and the lanterns. Now, as I look at the shelf next to my desk, below the area I just dusted, see all my ‘junque’ is layered in dust, which formerly graced my hanging stuff. Ugh! So, therefore, if I get the duster and sweep around on the items on my shelf, must I then vacuum the floors? Oh this dust really makes me wild! That’s okay, I will just go and lie on my bed where I cannot see it so well….