Nana, sad I don't have a mantel to set the deer on. I'd send them to you but it's not nice to give aways gifts.LOL Jeanne, I really like these deer and if we spent more time at the cabin would probably take them up there for decor. The Macy's dinnerware is more woodsy (your type) and will be fun using pinecones and acorns to accent with. Candy, it will be fun to have the accessory pieces to set a ts with. I had never seen the RD figures. I did a search on line but didn't come up with much. Karen, can't imagine 107. When it gets over 85 here I feel like I'm melting with all the sweat. I think it's your fault I shop all year around for Everything.LOL Marlene, do you still have any of your doorstops you made or pictures of them? Funny how some craft projects come back years later. Glad these brought back memories for you. Thanks for looking and all the comments. I had a cousin from Missouri call me Thurs. night at work around 8:30 and ask if they could come see us. Last time I seen her I was in the 5th grade. They came up and just left. We had so much fun. She loves to ys so we hit a few and found some neat things. Punk

" I've always gone in spurts with my reading." Me, too, although there is always an undercurrent of at least one book going on. My Biggest Reading Year was 2009. I read 147 books In the last seven months of that year. Part of that mania was getting my first kindle and being able to get books at any moment. I downloaded books in the middle of the night, just because I could. I was like a drug addict in a full police evidence room. Part of it also is that I was taking classes at Oxford that summer and had to read like a maniac just to keep up. For every sentence spoken in a class, you could tell there had been at least five books read on the subject....that's why I quit my book club for awhile afterwards, I could not bear to hear anyone say pettishly, "Well, I just didn't like it, that's all, no reason I can put my finger on really." That frenetic pace slowed down in 2010 when I went back to work full time (and more). This year I am reading even less as we can finally connect our movie screen directly to Netflix and I am catching up on 20 years of BBC and ITV episodes and shows---Foyle's War, Inspector Lewis (which they filmed at the Randolph when I was in Oxford), Spooks, even Pie in the Sky (hanging head here). We havent had tv since 1998 and never had cable so this is all new to me :-)

This month my Book Club read: 1,000 White Women-The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus I thought it was wonderful! I'm usually not a big fan of historical fiction, but this was great! Based on a true event, and then the author writes about what could have happened. Back in the 1850's the Cheyanne Indians wanted to increase their tribe numbers, so they asked the US govt to "trade" 1,000 white women for 1,000 horses. The US govt said no, but in the book, they agree. Very interesting idea. Characters were outstanding!! Written in journal form and quick read. Some language & violence esp at the end, but it's not too bad. Next month we read: Whistling in the Dark We read Water for Elephants at the beginning of the year and I thought it was okay. Normally would have never read about the circus. Others seemed to like it more then me. Read Life of Pi, but it took me about 3-4 times to get through it! Has anyone read Middlesex? I want to know if it's worth reading. Ii don't mind the topic, but it seemed really hard to get into? I've got my list made of all the books you guys have recommended. Teresa-who once had a dream about being locked in a library all night. (Wouldn't be so bad!)

OK - here is the original one at last! My apologies for the delay. It's been edited so it reads a bit better, but I've made no attempt to correct scansion or spelling! The Night Before Christmas - RP - 2004 'Twas the week after Christmas And all through the house Are half-eaten goodies.... I feel like a louse! The black bags of rubbish are put out with care In hopes that the dustbinman soon will be there. (PS: for US readers substitute "garbageman" for "dustbinman"; for PC US readers substitute "environmental recycling operative") But long before then the cats and the foxes Have scattered the bottles, tins, paper and boxes And all the street knows of your horrible vices The beer, and the wine, the chocs and mince piecis. And still under the tree from both Santa and me are mounds of toys for my girl and my boy. While I in my kerchief and he in his cap Would love to settle down for a long winter's nap, But the neighbors have put their decorations away And I don't think Santa will be back with his sleigh. So up to the housetop my dear one has gone While I'm in the living room having a moan As I undo the tree, the mantel, the tables; Must *not* stop to read all the Santa Claus fables. Then from the teen's bedroom there came such a noice Of a thumping of bass and a wailing of voice; I ran to the foot of the stairs with a frown And shouted in rage, "Turn that bl**dy thing down!" "No," screamed my teen, and my face turned red. I stormed up the stairs to knock sense in his head. But before I reached the top of the flight, I heard a crashing sound in the night. Old St. Nick on the roof top, I wondered, No, 'twas a burglar. We were getting plundered. As I drew in my head at the sound of the crash My head hit the window In a bone-splitting "SMASH!" It wasn't a burglar As I had suspected Just our least favorite son Who was feeling rejected. Where's your spirit of Christmas?! I heard myself bellow... We've been waiting for a week You ungrateful fellow!!! Behold! At the sight of him, I stared and I shook! He was clean, shaved and pressed! A right spiffy look! I couldn't believe how well he was dressed! Hi Mom! He greeted me, And grinned ear to ear. His look had defeated me Then he told me with cheer... MY drug test was clear and my parole officer loves me, My grades are all stunning and and Dad doesn't bug me. I knew in a moment this must be a trick. this kid's been a problem since late '96. More rapid than relatives Returning my gifts, He insisted he'd changed And would heal family rifts! But I had decided to paint the town pink And dressed in my diamonds, my thong, and my mink... The town's hottest night-spot refused me admission So I sat at the roadside and wrote a petition . . Be careful with asking, my inner voice said; (Believe me, I'm wishing they all would drop dead!) When what to my wondering eyes did appear? But a...