Gingerbread houses; Shopping update; The Countdown; Stormy Weather

At Dean's work, they wanted him to make a gingerbread house. He suggested a "village". Here are some shots of his creation.....


Front view of houses


Back view


Close up front view of one house


Close up of back

He tried to use gelatin sheets for windows, but his boss wouldn't let him use glue, just icing, so, the sheets curled up when they got wet and wouldn't work. I don't know why he wasn't allowed to use the glue gun. It's not like anyone is eating these houses. They are for display purposes only. And it would have looked so much better.... More candy and snow too!!!
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Well, Dave's gift came in and so did Diane's. The first one I ordered for Dave is still out there floating around somewhere. That leaves Tea's gift and getting Kenny's. Our office party is on the 21st-Friday-which is also my last day of work until next year! I don't go back until the 3rd of January, which is the day my sister goes home. I couldn't get the Mater chair for Jordan, so maybe it will come in in time for his birthday on Jan 5. Lesson learned this year? Buy the damn things you want when you see them! Don't wait cause they're gone when you try to get them. Like the original idea I had on what to get Dave. Waited and they were GONE! Not one to be found anywhere! So, I ha to go with plan B for him. Sorry Dave. Then we have cash we will give Dean's nephews in their cards. They are "22" and 13. The oldest, Ricky, is at Penn State Main. He went their his freshman year, which only a handful of kids get to do apparently. You have to be a pretty smart cookie to be accepted at "Main" your freshman year. And he is. His birthday is the day after Christmas. That's why the quotes around the 22. Then all I have to do is get ready for my sister to get here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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So, it's 8 days till Christmas and more importantly, it's 10 days till my sister gets here! God, I can't wait!! I am going to take lots of pictures while she's here. I'll be sure to share. We will be going to see my Uncle Jim while she's here too. All my cousins will be there. Jimmy will be in from California and Larry and Scott will be in from Stoneboro. Larry owns a bar up there, and when Scott lost is job at Federated Investors a few years back, He went up there to find work. He's been up there ever since. Jimmy and my sister are close in age, and my brother and Larry are pretty close in age, and Scott and I are about 18 mos. apart. (He's older than me) So, we all grew up "together" but we all havent been together at one time in a very long time so that will be great! My Uncle has a cottage in Sandy Lake, which isn't far from Stoneboro. Daddy used to take me up there when I was a kid. We had some fun. Nothing around but farms and cornfields. We would go to the lake and swim and fish (not at the same time)and My cousins' one friend, Flea, they called him, had a boat and we water skied too. I could go on and on about those memories....But... It's the Great Countdown, Charlie Brown!!!



I am too psyched!!!
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Don't why there's no sun up in the sky..Stormy Weather.....That's an old hit originally by Billie Holiday then by Lena Horn. That's what we have in Pittsburgh this weekend. Snow, sleet, rain, more rain then snow and thunder. Yep. Thunder while it's snowing. Very interesting. Oh, and lots of wind. I don't want to live in a snow globe any more..........Yes, I'm whining.