Chellbian’s Neighborhood

• 09:25 So tired. I keep hoping L will be ready for a nap since he woke up early. So far, no such luck. #
• 11:33 Got a nap. Feel slightly revived. #
• 17:34 Snow is in the forcast for tonight. SNOW. I'm sure it won't stick til the morning. But that's some cold weather. #
• 17:49 My toe feels like it's sprained or something. But I haven't hit it on anything in a while. #
• 18:05 @CareaBearaSara so I'm going to be like those old men that predict the weather based on their bones? Haha I think we're to young to do that! #
• 18:09 @CareaBearaSara me too. But we sound 80 haha. We should be out on a porch in a rocking chair saying "snows coming. Feel it in my bones" haha #
• 21:39 @jnjackson well that's part of the charm of winter in NY :) Though I'd like to let Liam see snow without the drive. So convenient. #
• 21:42 @CareaBearaSara that about completes the picture! Haha #
• 21:44 @fuggirls who in their right mind thought that was a good idea? #
• 22:45 Kind of anno yed I can't find my library card. Am nerd. #
• 23:29 Found my card. Materials requested. #

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gifts for getting the 3rd degree!

Daughter1 hosted a tea party in my honor yesterday to celebrate my gaining an education degree. We toasted to "getting the 3rd degree" as it is in fact my third university degree, but it also felt at times like I was getting the 3rd degree as I went though the 15 weeks of practicum and continuous assessment by lecturers and supervisors!

Niece was laughing that she had been telling a friend that she was going to her aunt's graduation tea party and that they oooohhhed and aaahhheed that at 51 her aunt could still learn new things. She also laughed when they asked about my degrees and she answered "oh she has so many now that she is tired of graduation celebrations and just wants a cup of tea now!". As she was telling me her story I was holding her daughter, my grandniece who is 14 months and I asked her "when am I going to your graduation, little one?" She is booked into kindergaten for the year 2013. Poor little one!

My Mum gave me the teapot photographed above - she knows my passion for botanical themed tea pots and couldn't resist this one when she was out this week. I suspect the hand of my brother-in-law in it, as he was with Mother Flamingo Dancer when she was shopping as she can't go solo anymore and he is the one who takes her shopping usually. BIL in vey good to her, as she has been to him, over the years. The flowers are from my sister and niece.

I bought a bottle of champagne - well as it can't be called champagne anymore due to copyright etc, it was actually.  a bottle of Jacob's Creek Chardonanny Pinot Noir Brut Curvee, but champagne is so much less of a mouthful! It was very refeshing on a hot day, though I just read a review where it was described as a "refreshing dry white with delicate hay/straw and toast flavours. Simple and perhaps lacking character and flavour. Pretty good value for the price "($9.99 AUS). I couldn't taste any hay or toast, but it didn't taste like aspirin like a lot of champagnes seem to taste to me either. I have enough character and flavour to make up for any wine, so was not disturbed by such comments. It was a hot afternoon and the Jacob's Creek Chardonanny Pinot Noir Brut Curvee was chilled to perfection, the food was delectable and the company familiar, so it was all very nice thank you very much. 

Yes, we did drink tea. Two cups I think.

The scene: Shopping with Jenna while braving the mall crowds over at Pentagon City Mall.

M: Hi, I was looking for my size, but I wasn't quite sure how to convert the standard size to the ones you have here.
Clerk: Looks me up and down...slightly disapproving. Sure, what's your size?
M: I'm usually a 10
Clerk: Um...
M: Waits patiently
Clerk: Well, you might try a 30 or a 31
M: Oh okay, perfect, thanks.
Clerk: Or you could look over in that section.
M: Looks up and reads "Plus size"

What's your favorite thing about the holidays? Least favorite?

Seeing my Kidlet wake up to gifts from Santa and making Christmas breakfast together is the best!

I hate that is so gosh darn expensive to actually be Santa.

I do apologize for not updating but I have been quite busy for the last month and a half.  I promise to post my latest adventures this week but listen to my new favorite song while you wait:

Hello, Vox neighbors! I'm back from a class trip to D.C., which was a wonderful week all around. It was very, very busy, but we did a lot of sightseeing and a lot of volunteering.  Now I'm back with about 10 hours of sleep debt and a lingering cold, so I'll just post a few pictures and be done for the evening.

Archives

Washington Memorial at night

Two penniless brothers who are so poor they live in a cave could be set to inherit a share of a £4 billion fortune.

Zsolt and Geza Peladi live in the cave outside Budapest, Hungary, and sell scrap they find on the street for pennies.

Now they and a sister who lives in America are said to be on the verge of inheriting their grandmother's massive fortune after a life of poverty.

They learned of their good fortune after homelessness charity workers in Hungary were contacted by lawyers handling the estate of the brothers' maternal grandmother who died recently in Baden-Wurttenberg, Germany.

"We knew our mother came from a wealthy family but she was a difficult person and severed ties with them, and then later abandoned us and we lost touch with her and our father until she eventually died," said Geza, 43.

Under German law however direct descendents are automatically entitled to a share of any estate.

Geza added: "If this all works out it will certainly make up for the life we have had until now - all we really had was each other - no women would look at us living in a cave.

"But with money maybe we can find a partner - and finally have a normal life. We don't know yet if she even told our grandmother about us - I understand it was only while they were carrying out genealogical research that lawyers found we existed."

Volunteer Gyula Balazs Csaszar - who works for Budapest's Maltans charity - told ATV television: "We were contacted by a lawyer asking us to find the brothers. He claimed he could help their lives with a large sum of money."

The grandmother's name was not revealed to prevent fraudsters trying to cash in on the inheritance but a spokesman for the legal firm said: "We know who we need to speak to and that is the two brothers who we are pretty sure are the grandchildren - there is no need for anyone else to be informed."

Now the brothers are obtaining copies of their mother's death certificate and proof of their family connection before travelling to Germany to claim their inheritance.

My iphone is used for 80 percent fun and waisting time and 20 percent which is divided up between productivity and information gathering. I have recently downloaded a 99 cent game that I have become addicted to.

WARNING: Do not under any circumstanced purchase this app because it is digital crack.

SkeeIcon

Skee Ball by FreeVerse Games

This game is highly addictive. I have become a skee ball junkie. but let me tell you I have scored 8,221 tickets and my highest score for a single game so far is 2,130. I have collected some rare and epic prices including a pastrami sandwich, a robot henchman, a pink toed tarantula, a glow in the dark lollypop, and a us senate seat. Among other prices.

Be aware that playing this game is public could result in some odd looks due to the outburst you will have. Think about what people on the subway maything when you scream out "Damn one of my balls is stuck!" "Oh man, it wouldn't go in the hole. "Thats right baby, slide real nice into that hole and don't fall out." "Oh man I rimmed it!".

People will have to cover their little kids ears, no one will want to sit next to you and you won't even notice the whispering and pointing because you will be so engrossed in your game.

So avoid this at all cost unless you want to at like a another foaming at the mouth junkie but if you decided to, and you can't say I didn't warn you, if you decide to get addicted feel free to brag to me about your loot you win.

I am not a fishing fan, but these are good.

Specially the way the links look like the Predator...