I am still kickin'

December hits, insanity ensues, and pretty soon you wake up and it's February. Crazy, Man. I haven't had the time or energy to blog too much, and I haven't even taken all that many pictures, which is SO not like me.

What's been happening? Um....

• In early December, my mother-in-law got sick. After a couple of weeks in the hospital, she passed away. She'd been in horrible pain, and had several strokes and a heart attack, so that made it much easier to say good bye. The funeral (which was not exactly a funeral and, even then, not in strict accordance with her no-funeral-wishes) was the Saturday before Christmas.


• I got her dog, Jessie, and he has spent the last 2 months leaning to cohabit with a 5-year-old and 4 cats. Luckily, he loves to play in the cat litter. *UGH* Other than that disgusting habit, and a chronic case of the smelliest flatulence you could ever imagine, he is a really great dog. He sleeps nearly as much as the cats do, always makes it known that he needs to go outside, doesn't beg at the table, and loves to sleep on my feet in bed. And he is SO excited when I come in the door. I enjoy that, after 20 years with cats who could give a crap whether or not I'm home most of the time.


• I received a promotion at work, meaning I went up a pay grade but have pretty much the same job I had before. Sweet.


• Christmas was really lovely, despite all the stress we'd had. I celebrated with some friends, then at my Mom's with a chunk of the fam, then at Scott's with the kids, then at home with K & K. My favorite pic from that week was at my mom's:
  

  
  

  

• My Murder Mystery crew was all prepared for our "performance" at the work Holiday Party, but we got snowed out in December. The party was postponed, and we continued rehearsing. The thing finally came together it at the end of January. Some highlights:
  

  
  

  

  
  

  The entire crew. I'm playing the bar wench at the far left...it wasn't too much of a stretch.

  
  

  

• Last month, I became the offical (non-interim) president of the Hillsdale Community Theater Board of Directors, which as I said on my Facebook page, is just another title for "Glutton for Punishment." Maybe "Sucker" would also work. I'm directing at least one show this season, and am even thinking about trying out for another. (Not, mind you, that I am much of an actor -- I just think it would be really fun to be in a show I don't have to manage.) The board has had a rocky time of things lately, and we're just trying to get things back on track. We have about 10 building improvement projects started, and it's going to be an interesting couple of months trying to get those done.


• Got divorced. Sad. Relieved. Sad. Moving forward.


• Did another murder mystery the same weekend as the work one -- this one was a fundraiser for the Hudson Community Library. I have a friend who I'd long ago roped into acting in two of my shows, and he requested a return of the favor last year, and again this year. This one was a 1920's Flapper/Speakeasy theme and, unfortunately, I got the most boring costume of the bunch because I was a "plain" waitress. Ah well. I got lots of nice comments as the audience left, so I guess it turned out okay. Picture won't work on the blog for some reason, but you can see it if you click HERE and view it at the website of the Hudson Post-Gazette (Scott was in this one too and is pictured at far left, I am at far right).


• I went to IKEA for the first time and am completely enthralled. K & K are planning on moving out sometime in the next few months, and I'm trying to plan for my first completely MJ-decorated house. My guess is it isn't going to make any sort of interior decorating magazine, because the loveseat I want for my "library" area is going to be this one that I found at IKEA:

  
  

  



• Still working toward that elusive 5K run. I have a co-worker who gave me the greatest list of Michigan races for the next year, and I'm thinking about trying to do one when I get back from Miami in early April. It's amazing how many of them there are!!! I totally slacked on the running for most of December and January, but am getting back on track and I think I can still meet my goal of the end of May.

I guess that pretty much makes us current with the goings-on here at the homestead. The weather's been wonky, with lots of snow, followed by warm temperatures and thunderstorms and tornado watches. Drop me a line if you get a chance, folks. My e-mail box gets kind of lonely. Well, if you don't count viagra ads and fake watch scams...