The port is gone....

Ok - it FINALLY snowed Sunday, we woke up and there was snow on the ground but we must SEE it snowing before we can drink the port. So around 11:00 Hubby yells rather happily - "It's snowing - can we drink the port?!!" And even thought it was 11:00 AM we had a couple of nice glasses of port ( thanks again Lizard family!) and then we went out for a walk while it was snowing. It was beautiful! And on Saturday - I met Training Buddy and we ran our 7 mile training run and I didn't die. I couldn't believe how good I felt afterwards but admit I am so sore now. I really think running up to 8 miles is more mental than fitness as long as you have a baseline of ability. So now I'm screwed....

I saw this meme on Carole's blog and really like it. It gives me a lot to write about without thinking too much and that's good - we had Reiki Buddy and her husband over for dinner last night - it was really nice, we had a great time, lots of good food, conversation and wine. They left at a reasonable hour but I was all wound up and had to watch football/Sports Center/'Fins highlights until midnight.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It depends, I use both.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real! It's not Christmas with an artificial tree - we cut ours down this weekend at Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree Farm.

3. When do you put up the tree? This year we put it up early, usually we don't get our act together until a couple of weeks before Christmas.

4. When do you take the tree down? The Saturday after New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog? Love it! Love the Starbucks Egg Nog Latte ( Venti with an extra shot, please) Love it with dark rum.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? No special gift really stands out - I always got good stuff from Santa.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My brother.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Our friend Nose Dive - I usually shop all year and I see things all the time she'd like.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but it's glass so I didn't put it up this year - Nelson would have it in pieces.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail - I didn't send any out last year as we had company for the entire month of December. If I get my act together we mail them from the Christmas Festival in Bethlehem, CT so they have a special cancellation seal. I wasn't that organized this year but maybe we'll head over this weekend - we love to go to GW Tavern.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably a London Fog rain coat from my ex-monster-in-law. She bought all her kids expensive gifts, like paying off their car, big screen Tv, diamonds, etc. ( Her husband died and I think she spent all his life insurance money on the gifts). Anyway - my marriage was on the rocks and when I opened that gift I knew it was over. The next week the ex asked me for a divorce - on the phone while I was in Montana - and he was in Florida. I think the monster-in-law had a borderline personality disorder anyway... And the divorce was the best gift the ex ever gave me.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim, we also like Scrooged with Bill Murray - it is 80's fabulous...

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year - I try to pick up things when I am on trips or at craft fairs. I usually get about 75% of it done before the fall.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so - I did give gifts my ex- boss gave me to the Goodwill store. They were too ugly to re-gift.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything - I love pot lucks at work.

16. Lights on the tree? Yep - white & colored.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Carol the Bells although the Garmin commercials are trying to ruin it for me. I'll Be Home for Christmas always makes me cry so I like that one too.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I prefer home but when we've traveled it's always been interesting. Like when we were at my brother's and they "forgot" to shop for Christmas dinner stuff ( although his mother-in-law made the turkey - Thank God) and we had to dig in their bare cupboards (because they really don't cook much) and had Rice A Roni and Jello made with tonic water as side dishes. That was memorable..

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Sure, but I’d have to sing to do it. ( I liked your answer, Carole!)

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning!

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? My brother NEVER gets our gifts to us in time for Christmas. For some reason it bugs the hell out fo me every year. I don't even care what we get - just get them to us by Christmas!

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? No real theme, my Mom gives us homemade Santas ever year so we have those all over the house. My favorite ornament is a homemade ornament from my quilting buddy, Emily. She made it when she was in her 80's. I loved her like a Grandma and every year that is the first ornament I put on the tree and the last one I take off.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? A sewing machine I can use to machine quilt - I believe it is under the tree already.

24. Angel on the tree top or a star? Tree topper - no angel or star.

25. Favorite Christmas dinner? Prime Rib, Crown Pork Roast or Turkey. This year it's turkey since we didn't get any leftover from Thanksgiving.