All the flash mob clips really did the rounds this time last year. That one was definitely one of the best, don't know how many times I watched it and I love this one too One of my favourite musical pieces.

Got a lovely big hole where my bathroom used to be. Had to laugh though, everything has gone from the toilet too ................ except the toilet paper holder!! Goodnight, early start tomorrow.

What lovely collections olldbob. I also like your framed floral photos. Are those your orange blossoms....and your Revere Pewter?

Oh, yes, that's the infamous Revere Pewter :)) Those are the flowers in the backyard, I don't know what kind they are though! The white flowers above Santa and his sleigh are the flowers from the jade tree out back. Thanks michigammemom !

Hi cara! Was it Aja? I saw something said about a comment from her but couldn't find one.

olldroo is sleeping, she's in Australia, just to let you know.

And you have a great day too!

bob, I am so glad you got your curtains! :) YAY!

I cannot wait to get mine for the bedroom. I have made an executive decision on what I'm getting now. Just have to make a trip to NC in the near future.
I found a coverlet that I love for the bed....FINALLY! Brought it home thinking I may have to take it back, but I likey! Unfortunetly I'll have to get a new rug at some point! One thing leads to another. It's like a domino effect! YIKES! I CAN go without a rug for awhile though because my carpeting matches just fine.

Think my man will be headed north maybe tonight ot tomorrow??? That will be weird. Just me, Fooey and Nala hangin in the crib until christmas.

You guys would have laughed outloud yesterday. We brought the concrete slab for the hearth in the other night and J immediately started putting christmas creatures all over it! I was giving him a hard time...it looked like a puppet stage....santa on his bed snoring (Yes judy, the drunkard santa! HA!), with the dancing/singing gingerbread couple on either side of him and then 2 carousels on far ends, with the bendable elves...one on santa's chest moving up and down, and the other piggybacked onto the ginger man! It was crazy up in there!

Okay ladies... A Christmas tree decorating question. I put up our 'main' tree. It's a slim tree, green, with artificial snow, red berries and pine cones. I decorate it all in red ornaments, mostly redbirds. I have another tree, that I used to put in the foyer at our old house. It's a 5' tree (main tree is 7') .. not slim, all white. I decorate it in peppermint colors. Most of the ornaments look like candy in different shapes, but all peppermint stripes. Now my dilemma. Since we moved and downsized, I don't know where to put my white tree. We moved a chair from beside the fireplace for the slim tree and there is a ton of room beside it and I could put the white tree there along with the green tree. Would it look weird to have the two side by side? Especially being different? I could see if they were both green trees, but not sure with one green flocked and the other white. What do you think OLLD ladies?

....and then comes my 2 silver trees, my antique gold tree, my lime green tree, my 2 red trees, my bright gold tree, my Whoville tree, my Charlie Brown tree and my wrought iron tree. But that's for later..*L*

creeser, will the slim tree fit in the dining room? Or your foyer? And the all white tree where the slim tree used to be?

It will olldbob. I'm thinking that might be the solution. Ohhhh...ok... I can put the slim tree by the front door! Thank you dear. This old tired brain needed some direction. I didn't go to bed last night until 1am and up at 5:30.Thank you!

Poor baby! Why were you up til 1 am?

Where's judyg? Somebody needs to go wake her already! I miss it when nobody snipes at me !!!

feeny, feeny, feeny, I just had to tell you, yesterday I bought new curtains to go with the Revere Pewter because the beige ones were just not doing it. These are dark gray, they kind of look like a men's wear tweed except they're a bit nubby. I love them, what a difference ! Now I can love the Revere Pewter, too !

Creeser, both of your holiday trees sound lovely. Would it be possible for you to donate one of the trees to a local charity or family?

eztia, I could, but would rather buy new to give to someone in need. Something fresh out of the box all their own. The white trees aren't but about $40 at Wal-Mart which isn't much for you and me probably, but for someone in need, it could be the difference between eating and not eating. Thank you for the inspiration! I have been wanting to do something special this year.

olldbob, the next door neighbor came over last night and said their daughter was up in a deer stand hunting and had seen 2 men walking through their property heading towards our house. There is nothing behind us or on the other side except a few hundred acres of woods, creek and swamp. In other words, they had no reason to be over this way except to steal. Hubby and son did a drive through of the property and didn't see anything, but it really made me uneasy. I'm fine with deer, turkeys, coyotes, bobcats and even the occasional bear. It's the 2-legged critters that bother me. *L*

Would you like me to take a few snarky remarks at you so you won't miss judyg so much? *L*

Yes! creeser, that would bother me A LOT !! I probably wouldn't have slept at all. Did you call the police, or sherriff, or whatever? I surely would have done that, they could have gotten a helicopter up there looking.

Yes, please a few snarky remarks would make my day !!

Hey, guess what ! Remember I was saying they're going to build a new Amazon distribution center around me somehwhere? It turns out they're building it in my little cow-town !!! Wow !!! Now we have a Restoration Hardware dist center and Safeway, too !!! And I heard that this new Amazon will offer same day delivery, and creat 1,000 new jobs !!! Does something like this help or hurt real estate prices? We are located no where near where it will be built, it's a big town (land wise) and we're far removed.

That should help real estate as far as your concerned. If it was in your backyard, it would hurt, but having businesses move into the area always kicks up property values. Good for you! How exciting to see things picking up in different areas!
No, we didn't call the police. They wouldn't have done anything more than we did which was ride around and see if they saw them. Since we didn't, they wouldn't. It would've been a waste of their time.

olldbob--I'm so thrilled that your new curtains (which sound beautiful!) have made you love the Revere Pewter! That is excellent news.

BTW: All of you are so GOOD about Christmas decorating! It makes me feel like Scrooge. We usually go away for a week to out of state in-laws for Christmas through New Year's Day, at least every second year, and when we aren't going to be in town we don't put up a tree at our house, only a wreath and candles. I always love the years when we are home for Christmas because then I get to pick out and decorate a nice big tree (I love the really FAT, FLUFFY scotch pines!) in the perfect corner of our living room. We do put up a tree at our in-laws, but it's not quite the same as doing it at your own house with your own ornaments. Mind you, about five years ago my husband and son banned trips to the tree farm (an hour away, and with a beautiful hundred year old stone barn with fireplace and hot cider) to chop down our own tree. I became so unbearably OCD about picking out the perfect one, spending sometimes as much as two hours making them trudge around in the snow, shivering, while I made sure to find one with the absolute ideal shape and no flaws to hide, that eventually they staged a family intervention. Now, in our home years, I am only allowed to choose from the paltry few pre-cut trees in the local church parking lot. But I still fuss for awhile over finding the best one.

Tree intervention? *LMBO* I like that and am ALMOST like that myself feeny. It took me 2 hours to decorate our tree last night because I kept having to move and rearrange the ornaments to get a consistent coverage of redbirds and danglers with the round ones mixed in.

Exactly, creeser! Being obsessive is one of the pleasures of decorating! But usually hubby and son only experience the end product of my endless fussing, rather than standing holding axes in the snow while I weigh all the pros and cons of my various arboreal options.

I think the only reason I got away with it for so long is because we don't have snow. *L*

Yes, I think it was the snow and wind chill that finally pushed them over the edge. And, if I'm really being honest, it might have taken three hours that last time....

Nothing like a little hypothermia to make a man cranky. Cry babies...

olldbob, got the slim tree moved to the hall by the front door. It looks like it was made for there. Thank you for the idea! Now to spend the next 3 hours perfecting the decorations on the white tree.

feeny, if they can't handle the heat (or snow).....Next time you do it, in place of the ax, bring a shovel. They'll never complain about chopping a tree down again. Hypothermia !!! Cry babies !!! hehehehe

creeser, I'm so happy for you !! No problem, often it takes outside eyes, right?

You all are going about decorating the tree backwards !!! First you put all the stuff on the tree. Then you sit down and stare at it for at least 10 minutes, and redecorate it in your mind. Then you get up, move stuff around where you put it in your mind, and voila! Done !! If only.....

take a pic creeser!!! dyin to see it!
i still can't believe that the fake tree I got is so beautiful! takes my breath away and calms my soul all at the same time!
feeny, you should do a tree at home this year! who cares if you won't be there for christmas week! I'm not going to be either!

Good morning all, Roo awake with a real bang this morning. Builders arrived at 6.50am - fortunately I had jumped into the shower and was half dressed, as the first thing they did was turn the water off!!! Then we discovered the shower mixer we bought isn't suitable for our water pressure and will cost a bomb to put a pressure monitor in or we have to reduce the pressure to the whole house. That isn't going to happen, especially when we live in a high bushfire area, so now have to go buy all new taps so everything matches. Got a really good buy from a direct importer - like 1/4 of the normal price but unfortunately a 40 min drive each way. That is on the agenda for tomorrow.

Goodness you have all been busy - you are really inspiring me to put some effort into Christmas this year but I can't do anything until these builders are finished and the carpet is laid so it will all be quite last minute. I FaceTimed my daughter yesterday and the grandkids took me on a tour of the house with their Christmas decorations all done. Hate coming in late like this and having to catch up.

Bob your decorations are gorgeous, I particularly love your Santa collection and I love R's photos. Didn't realise you were doing a red mat - looks great, as does the pewter. Your curtains sound lovely too, photo please!!!

I notice you replied to a comment from Cara but her comment isn't on here - maybe she deleted??? I knew I should have kept out of that discussion, it was getting so over the top it was driving me up the wall, especially when one particular person had so taken over. Maybe it is the Aussie in me, it was all getting too precious. However when she attacked Cara like she did and made the ridiculous statement about not living in the US that was the red rag.

Feeny thanks for your input there too, I could not get the gist of the US at all but it really sounded very snobby to me.

Funny thing too is the "certain person" has put a like on one of my comments but I can't find which one!!! Anyway I have 'unsubscribed' to the whole thing, I am over it all.

mp - how do you find putting a rug over carpet? I always find the rug rubs the carpet and spoils it, so I have given up on doing that.

Creeser - you have certainly o/d on Christmas trees, but I love the idea of putting two trees together, different sizes, shapes or colours could look good if you can get the right mix.

Sorry guys, gotta go, the water is back on, BH is straining at the leash to do things and I can finally answer the call of nature. Talk later.

Thanks for your kind words, roo, yes those are R's pics and the Revere Pewter. Can't take pics of the curtains yet, have to get the clips first. And if I thought the other curtains were short, these are floods! But the clips will make a difference.

That bookcase dilemma went on waaaaay too long, I got out early. Saw no hope.

Feeny, do you have a house sitter while you visit? I think you should put up a tree this year and have someone come over to bake their cookies, do laundry, et cetera, so there are people at the house at inconsistent times.

Olldbob, your decorations are pretty. You really did take some nice floral photos this summer to use now!

I think I might limit my holiday decorating to just the outside. I have a large art flag holder in the garden, and one on the front door. I often get the flags at a thrift store. Here is a link to show you brand new one I am thinking about:
http://www.flagfables.com/Christmas-Flora-Decorative-Standard-House-Flag-p/mc-f-92635.htm

eztia, thanks! And I love that flag you're considering, I think you should go for it!

I saw the first of the signs for luminaria sales today. Various Scout groups, the Youth Symphony, and so on, make them and sell them as a fundraiser. Gotta fold the tops of all the brown paper lunch bags down one inch. Double folds are preferred. Then get the right amount of sand in (about 1 1/2 cups) and use the special 16-20 hour votive candle. Some people also put piñon incense in many of the bags. Luminarias are spaced 18 to 24 inches apart, so a house needs 500 or more. $7.50 a dozen this year.
When a whole neighborhood has all house lights off, all cars off the street, and luminarias lining both sides of all sidewalks and driveways, walkways, tops of adobe walls, and sometimes a cross on the lawn (making sure the seam on the bag never faces the street), it can be magical.
All cars drive with no lights on at two miles per hour. The candles light things up enough to see the shadows of people strolling and other cars.
I like to go after midnight services. About 1:30 a.m. is perfect. The quietness, the beauty, and the smell of piñon coming in the open car windows with the cold air on one's face - welcome to the family of the Christ Child.

feeny, thank you for reassuring me about your safety precautions.

You are very sweet to be concerned, eztia, and I appreciate it!

Wow eztia, that sounds so amazing and so moving, I think it would quite tear me up.

I am soooooooooooo O/Dd on men today - had one in the roof, two under the house and three in the bathroom and BH wandering like a lost sheep and generally getting in everyone's way. Got to do a bit of painting, but too many interruptions to get serious about it.

Electrician is coming back next week and is available to spend extra time here so I will get him to put a ceiling fan in the lounge room and restore some lighting. I used to have two decorative lights hanging in one corner but they got very dated so got rid of them. All the wiring is still in the roof so now have to go shopping for the fan and some or one new light fitting. I only have lamps in the room now but decided to go back to a light for something different. Also have to find a new light for my dining room, the old one fell apart when we took it down to paint. I love the idea of shopping but just wish I had more time, it isn't fun when it is rushed.

eztia, that sounds so magical ! No wonder you love it. What do the luminarias look like, can you share a picutre?

olldroo, that is way too many men !

Bob, I knew you would understand.

Did you have to set me off on the flashmobs??? Just been playing them over and over. You won't hear me snoring tonight, I will be singing in my sleep.

I agree ! I love that mall Hallelujah Chorus flash mob, I play it all year. That first gal, what a voice ! I can't imagine being that brave.

If I had a voice like that you wouldn't shut me up. I often ask my cousin where our family was when voices were handed out - probably queuing up for flat feet!!!

Well, flat feet come in handy, too ! Much easier to kill spiders with !

Not in this weather, they ache too much and I can't kill living things like that.

etzia, Loved your description of the luminarias. Do the bags have paper punch designs on them? How wonderful that the general public respects the tradition.