Random 5 for November 25 – Birthdays, electronics, brother, people, holidays

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Beloved husband and Hazel

Happy birthday! – We celebrated the beloved husband’s official birthday this week. Technically we celebrate birthdays for the entire month. Family is spread far and wide so calls and gifts aren’t always on the day. He gets another week to celebrate before we are done for this year.

Device prices – I need to upgrade my Kindle. I love my old one but it’s getting wonky. I have to “reboot” it often and sometimes it shuts down. It’s over four years old but it’s had heavy use. In looking at the new models I was surprised to find that a bigger, better model is considerably less than what I have. If only food and healthcare prices would go down, that would be awesome!

Bro follow-up — If you read my tirade on Wednesday (a trip to a medical center with my brother) you’ll be happy to know he is better. He finally went to his regular doc on Friday and is on the way to healthy (or so he says!).

What I learned – When it comes to medical issues people are either minimizers or maximizers. The former downplays everything. My brother is firmly entrenched in that group. He’s either lost his mind (a good possibility) or his memory is a little off as he thinks he was fine when he walked into the medical center. I was there and saw the labored breathing. Then there are the maximizers. They believe that every lost eyelash will bring instant death. I align with that group.

Source: HGTV

The holidays are upon us – Thanksgiving is in the rear view. It’s time to decorate; meet with friends for holiday cheer; and spread happiness. That last one is really hard for us curmudgeons. The holiday cheer better be high-octane!

So how was your week?

73 thoughts on “Random 5 for November 25 – Birthdays, electronics, brother, people, holidays”

    • There was no recipe, just a picture. The attraction is the decoration which I’m sure are cranberries tossed with what looks like a basil leaf. There must be cranberry juice in it with something else. It’s the cookie that’s baffling as they don’t come with a slit in them. You have to make them. Very festive but way too much work!

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  4. I’m firmly in the curmudgeon camp. I walked into my office today and my office mate had it strew with boxes and bags full of Xmas decorations she didn’t have time to put up – because it’s Monday.

    I felt somewhat bad because fully intended to have all of her work done so she could indulge this ridiculous love of Xmas. But it got to be more than I could do and so she had her work to do on arrival and all she could do was drag the boxes out, not unpack them.

    I, on arriving, had the nerve to bitch about it. After not making it possible for her to do the thing that she loves and also making it so the office wasn’t littered in boxes and bags.

    I am not a fan of the holiday. I used to be. But now it’s just a feeling of obligations not met, deadlines looming, disappointments in my efforts. The magic has been ditched for grinchiness.

    I don’t begrudge, except in jest, the full blown joy people take in the holidays. But I can barely eeek out a holiday tee at the office party.

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    • Argh! The office holiday! A few tasteful things are OK but some people flow over into tackiness even at work. I was fortunate to have my own office which was clear of holiday stuff except for that poinsettia someone would always give me. Then there was the office gift giving. Hated that. Everyone exchanged gifts they didn’t want or need. Over the years I got some real lulus that didn’t make it into the house. I enjoyed the small lunches with people you like and good cheer part though.

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  6. Glad to hear your brother is on the mend.

    “Then there are the maximizers. They believe that every lost eyelash will bring instant death.”
    That’s what MY brother is like. Fortunately, he knows it and can laugh at himself.
    As for me – I tend to jump between the two categories (how easy IS it to catch leprosy?)

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  7. Happy birthday to your DH! So glad your brother is OK and may be acting on the problem. Yay for lower prices on new Kindles! I need a new Nook – likewise, mine is getting too wonky to use. I’ve been dragging my feet on a new one. You have given me incentive to check it out!

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  9. Good to hear your brother is on the mend. I am a minimizer big time. I broke my arm and tore the rotator cuff and didn’t go to the doctor for a month even though it hurt horribly. I was sure it would get better. Broke my foot and didn’t go to the doctor for three days. Not smart. I’m a slow learner. As for decorating…planning on doing it this week but maybe not.

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    • Oh my! You are beyond minimizer! I fell off a ladder. My legs got tangled in the ladder on the way down and it fell on top of me. My leg (which took the brunt of the ladder) hurt like hell but I waited almost a week to check it out. Fortunately I just injured the sheath covering the bone. I did fracture my kneecap once. There was no question about it. I couldn’t walk at all so I had to go to the doc right away.

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  10. Great news about your brother, Kate. Thank you for keeping us updated.
    Richard has been promising to paint a few interior walls in our house. I’ve now thrown down the gauntlet that I will not be putting any Christmas decorations up until the painting is finished. You just may need to add me to your curmudgeon group!

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  12. I’m not sure I’m ready to handle the holidays, but I will need to get in gear quickly. We have December birthdays, so that will be an “all month” celebration, too. I need a new Kindle, too. I’ve been looking at them, and just can’t quite make a decision yet. I still read e-books on my iPad, but that’s an expensive “toy” to carry around with me. Maybe I may look tomorrow at what I can find as a cyber-Monday bargain. 🙂

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    • I ordered the 10″ Kindle. Now I’m wondering it that’s going to be too big. That’s the problem with on-line ordering. You’re never quite sure! December is a bad month for birthdays but much better than January when everyone is broke and the weather is lousy! Enjoy!

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  13. Bring on the holiday cheer – and the higher the octane, the better! I’m a bit of a cranky pants during the holidays too. I do love all the parties etc, but not if I’m doing all the work, and shopping, and decorating, etc.

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  14. So glad your brother is doing well/better. I thought the big tree on my front lawn was done dropping leaves. Had my grandson come over and clean up the leaves. Now will go out and try to gather some more. Arrgh! Just came back from a funeral of a very special lady. A lady who touched so many lives in a positive way.

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  15. Happy hubby birthday. Glad your brother is better. I am in the downplay group and hate going in for anything. Have to be really in terrible shape–for quite a while. 😉

    Christmas is going to be here so quickly! Can hardly believe that 2019 is upon us. 🙂

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  16. Happy Birthday to your hubby! I say stretching out the celebration is a great idea! Hazel looks thrilled! 🙂

    When it comes to medical things. I have one child who is always on the brink of having a major disease and another one who can have a bone sticking out of their arm and questioning whether they really should bother with going to a Dr.!

    Bring on the holiday cheer! And with that I mean the real inner happiness that no money can buy. Not the “let’s max out our credit cards!” cheer that affects way too many crazy people!

    And your last picture made me thirsty!

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  17. I guess I am a “maybe-izer” when it comes to pain: as in, “Maybe it will get better in a few days.” So I’ll make a doctor’s appointment and by the time I get into see her, the pain might be gone.

    Or, you know, it might be pneumonia.

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  18. Dear Sisterhood of the Traveling Cranky Pants:

    Better a Cranky Pants than a Crazy Pants! Yesterday we watched “What Would Jesus Buy?” ~ it is scary how overboard people go to buy STUFF for Christmas.

    They iz nuts! 🙄

    I used to decorate the day after Thanksgiving and spend the rest of the long weekend engaged in Holiday Baking, Wrapping Presents, Addressing Cards . . . with Christmas Carols playing in the background and a flickering log on the fire.

    Not no more.

    Now I ease into the Holly Daze slowly.

    Signed,
    The Grinch! 😆

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    • We put the candles in the window. That’s enough for now. If it wasn’t for my husband I would forego the tree and put a big poinsettia but he wants a tree. We have the tile guy coming this week so I prefer to wait until he’s done. This year we are working on gluing and stapling our mantel decorations on a board so it’s all one piece and easy peasy. We may work on that this week or next. I used to be like you but we don’t entertain at the holidays other than family. I may not bake any cookies. We certainly don’t need them in the house. We have a few good bakeries where I can get a half dozen and be happy. We’ll put you on the traveling crankypants list!

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  20. I think birthdays should be National Holidays. Banks and schools should be closed. And the Stock Exchange. Of course, then no one would get a loan or an education, but I like that you celebrated all month. Hope this included party hats and those candles that never blow out.

    Medical issues. Bah Humbug. Get so tired of upkeep and getting my tires kicked. Gratitude I find is a great elixir for many things. Of course the pharmaceutical companies would disagree. HO HO

    Look for the happy…look for the good…pet a dog, play with a cat…get to know a baby.

    Pie, eat lots of pie. Then call me in the morning…:)

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  21. A lost eyelash is a medical emergency, huh? Thanks for the laugh. I’m more on your brother’s perspective of things. if I have an ache, I figure, “it will go away.” And usually, it does. I’m glad he’s doing well now. And happy birthday to your husband! My guy’s birthday is December 9, and when we were raising our kids, NO CHRISTMAS decorations could go up until after his birthday. This necessity must have accrued from his childhood when he had 6 siblings, and I imagine his birthday came and went unnoticed. But now, my guy would prefer we ‘forget’ his birthday – maybe if we don’t celebrate it, he won’t be a year older is his perspective.

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  22. I took my fall decorations down the first week in November and the Christmas cheer took over. I know it’s early, but the glowing red and green lights help me adjust to it getting dark so early…plus, it’s so cozy! Happy birthday to your husband!

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    • Holy moly the first week in November! Wow! And you are not a retail establishment! We will start this week although our tile guy is coming to finish the bathroom (hopefully) so I don’t want to put too much out just in case there is dust.

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    • Not much for T-day. I still have pumpkins around for Halloween and some fall stuff but I’m not much of a seasonal decorator except for a thing or two on the mantel. For Christmas we will have a tree and a very festive mantel. The first of many cuddles I hope!

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  25. I agree with you assessment of how people handle medical issues. You can put me in the minimizer column. With a gold star, even. As a fellow curmudgeon I’m also with you about the need for high-octane cheer this time of year! Bring on the libations.

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