I never quite understood "Black Friday"

Black Friday is almost here. Such a negative name for the day after Thanksgiving. I've never done the up-at-4am and at the stores by 5am thing. Oh wait, one time Jeff and I did go to one store to get a good deal on something one of the kids wanted for Christmas. The store was one of those open 24 hours a day anyway, so we arrived at 3am -- and the toy wasn't there! We asked if it would be available at 4am if we waited for the sale to start, and were told they'd already sold out. That was my last venture into Black Friday. I have better things to do -- like, sleep! I didn't realize Black Friday includes shopping on the Internet. And I was even more pleased to find out that Amazon's "Black Friday" actually starts TODAY! And look what I found -- something that's on my Christmas list for about $50 less than what I'd planned on paying for it. In fact, I just got an electronics store flyer in snail-mail and their Black Friday price was $139! See? No getting up at 4am for me! Check Amazon's Black Friday page often. They will be changing the contents of the page throughout the sale. Quantities are limited on some items. And the good news is - it's not just a one day or four hour sale -- it goes right through midnight of December 4th! That's a whole lot of jammie time! If you want to check out Amazon's Black Friday, you could click on this web page -- if you like -- I mean, I'm not supposed to ask you too, but if you want to, it would be nice because you never know, it might put a little extra jingle in my pocket for Christmas and every little bit helps -- and if you're going there anyway...

A Canned Response from Levi Strauss

In addition to the actual snail-mail letters I sent to the President and Chairman of the Board of the Levi Strauss Co., I sent an email to their "consumer relations" email address, and received the following "canned" response:

Thanks for contacting us about our "Live Unbuttoned" ad campaign. We appreciate hearing from you. We try hard to connect in meaningful ways with the enormously diverse range of people who wear our jeans. Sometimes, we miss the mark and sincerely apologize if you feel this is one of those times. Thanks again for letting us know your comments and concerns. We will definitely pass them on to our marketing colleagues who pay close attention to consumer feedback. Samantha Consumer Relations Levi Strauss & Co. sherna3396589

And this was my return response:

Thank you for your canned response. I do hope you will actually pass my email on, as this is a serious matter to many of us who actually care about the future of our children and resent Levi's promotion of "unrestrained behavior". As an employee, are you actually allowed to put this "unrestrained behavior" into action? Can you be rude to customers? Can you walk into an executive's office without being invited and use his phone or pour yourself a cup of coffee? Perhaps you can take office equipment home with you or steal credit card numbers from customers. Why not, when Levi's own web page tells us your company is all about "unrestrained behavior". Except it's only OUR kids whose behavior can be unrestrained, I'm betting. Not the children of the executives making a few million a year, not the employees at the company... just our kids that your company is trying so hard to promote casual sex and such "unrestrained behavior" as breaking and entering into a family's home. Yes, please do pass my email on -- and this one too.

I will continue to fight this fight and I do hope you will help me by writing to the Levi Strauss Company and telling them that these commercials are NOT acceptable to those of us who actually have to live with the consequences of their "unrestrained behavior" philosophy.

A Simple Woman's DayBook 11/24/08

For today, Monday, November 24th: Outside my window... It's dark, dreary, rainy, cold - a good night for a fire in the fireplace. I am thinking... that I need to make a "final" grocery shopping list. I am thankful for... my husband having so much vacation time left! He'll be working 3 day weeks for the rest of the year. From the kitchen... A little voice saying, "Get off the computer! Come start dinner"! (the voice is mine) I am wearing... gray sweatshirt jacket, jeans, rust brown t-shirt I am creating... Christmas presents - socks, mittens, scarves and more. I am going... to get my haircut SHORT one of these days. I swear I am. I am reading... "Someone Knows My Name" by Lawrence Hill. I am hoping... to have my Christmas shopping done by the end of this month. I am hearing... the washing machine spinning, the dryer rumbling Around the house... turkey defrosting, napkins and linens need to be ironed while watching tv tonight, a bag of fabric beside my door to Freecycle (I spent some time decluttering my quilting room today), a bag of things to send to Niki ready to mail tomorrow, a package to mail to Lisa. One of my favorite things... My entire family sitting around the holiday table -- I do wish my son and DIL could be with us. A few plans for the rest of the week: See below for Monday thru Thursday. From Friday noon to Saturday noon, we'll be babysitting Brayden and I plan on working on a Christmas craft with him (for him to give to others). Saturday afternoon, I hope, will be relax, watch a good movie and do some knitting time, and Sunday? I have no idea. A picture I want to share with you is... This is the smile that lights up our lives. Blog your own daybook by going to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Menu Planning Monday - Thanksgiving Week To Do List

So, it's the big Thanksgiving meal this week... I'm combining my Menu Planning Monday with Thanksgiving Preparation To Do List. Normally, my To Do List doesn't include delegating work, but (wooo hooo!) my husband is on vacation from Tuesday on this week -- so he gets to help! Isn't he lucky?? All meals except the holiday meal will be fairly easy -- I have to save my strength for all that holiday cooking! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Monday Meal Hot dogs on buns Macaroni and Cheese Monday To Do List Clean out refrigerator Remove Turkey from freezer Clean bathrooms Laundry Run China and serving pieces through dishwasher Dust dining room, general spruce up Wash tablecloth and linen napkins, put on table 15 minute Windex* Tuesday Meal Breakfast for Dinner Cheese, Crumbled Bacon and Onion Omelettes Toasted homemade rye bread Turkey sausage Tuesday To Do List Vac and dust downstairs 15 minute Windex Wash Kitchen floor (dh) Last trip to grocery store (dh) Get Thanksgiving Craft ready for Brayden (turkey's made from hand prints) Wednesday Meal Chicken Tikka Masala (pre-packaged Indian food) Rice Mixed Green salad Wednesday To Do List Bake apple pie Make dough for rolls Cut up onions and celery for stuffing List of tomorrow's menu on fridge door Match serving dishes to serving spoons, etc. Sharpen carving knife (dh) Empty all trash (dh) Give kitchen good cleaning last thing at night, including empty dishwasher (dh), clean counters, get out cutting boards Babysitting for Brayden - 7am - 6pm Thursday - Thanksgiving Very traditional dishes here! Roast turkey with traditional stuffing Mashed potatoes, turkey gravy Steamed brocolli Boiled Onions in cream sauce Green Bean Casserole Cranberry Sauce (canned!) Rolls (homemade), butter (real!) Apple Pie (homemade), Pumpkin Pie (bakery bought) Holiday Fruit Salad Thursday To Do List After dinner, make "TV Dinners" for freezer** Clean up dishes, put back in dining room hutch (dh) Wipe down counters and stove Friday Turkey Day Leftovers - probably sandwiches

Saturday Lentil Soup Cornbread Sunday Chef's choice (Meaning: Eat leftovers, I'm tired o' cooking!)

**TV Dinners - One of our favorite family Thanksgiving traditions is to work together to make "TV Dinners" after the big meal is over. I lay out disposable aluminum pie plates, and we divy up all the leftovers into one meal per plate. Two go home with my daughter for her leftovers. The rest (usually 8 to 10) get wrapped first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and stacked in the chest freezer. These are the best last-minute dinners! Just put them in the oven on 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until you can stick your finger in the middle of the mashed potatoes and they are good and warm. Yum yum and more yum. This is why I cook a 24 lb. turkey for three adults and one fussy eater two year old! *15 Minute Windex - I've posted this before, but will post it here again. This is one of the best household tips I have. Is your house looking a little tired and needs a good sprucing up? Grab a bottle of windex and two pieces of paper towel, and set a timer for 15 minutes. Then clean whatever can be windexed (but not windows unless they really need it!), and don't stop until that timer goes off. Repeat the next day. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done in 15 minutes, how much "sparkle" it adds back to your house, and how many different things you can clean with a bottle of Windex (light switches, faucets, TV screens, candle sticks, etc etc etc)! Try and repeat twice a week and you'll see a real difference!

A Magical Gift for all ages

I sometimes sneak into the "Juvenile" section of our public library to see what's new. Last week I picked up a copy of a book titled "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" and, honestly, you need to read / view this book. It is like no other book you've held in your hands before. There's no simple way to describe it. Take a wonderful work of fiction, a flip book, a picture book, a graphic novel, a movie -- shake them all together, and you have "The Invention of Hugo Carbret". Author Brian Selznick tells a story that pulls you in from the first turning of the page. It's the story of a young orphaned boy, forced to live in the underground apartment of his uncle, the clock keeper, in a Paris train station, and the tale of the boy's efforts to survive the best way he knows how. A central character in the book is an animated man, discovered by the boy's father in a museum attic, and now being restored by the boy. But the charm of this book -- and I do mean "charm" -- are the way the illustrations (by the author) blend so beautifully with the written words. The full page dark illustations actually replace words and sweep you along the boy's journey as no words could. Often there are no words at all for 10 or 15 pages. It is pure magic. Although found in the Juvenile section and I'm sure aimed at the 9 to 12 year old readers, it is called a "true masterpiece" by Publisher's Weekly and, in my opinion, can be enjoyed by every adult who wants to experience a completely new way to read a book. Better yet, buy it for your child or grandchild, and share it with them! Definitely a book you could read together, or just savor for yourself.

Catching up

Obviously, my blogging was sidetracked with the Levi Strauss commercial tyrant. I'm not over it. I've mailed my letters, I've sent some emails, I'm answering emails off-blog. I truly appreciate everyone who said they would also write a letter or email. I'm not forgetting about it, but blog-wise, I need to let it go for now. I fully intend to continue on the cause of holding corporations accountable for their socially irresponsible commercials, and I may start a new blog after the holidays along that vein. But for now... I return you to "normal" life around here. --They caught the kids that broke into the two houses in our area. Kudos to our town police. Well, except for the Police Chief who was recently given a "vote of no confidence" by the rest of the police force because he apparently advised his nephew to lie on his police department application that 1) he wasn't related to anyone on the force and 2) he had no drug abuse history. But kudos to the officers that showed up here and caught those kids. --Brayden wore his newly knit socks on Friday and by the end of the day and the thousandth time that I helped him pull them up, I realized they were too small AGAIN. That's three pair of socks I've knit that didn't fit -- well, one pair, then one sock (tried it on him BEFORE I knit the second) and now a third pair. The child has big feet. I pulled out a ruler and MEASURED his feet this time! I don't know why it didn't occur to me to do that before. DUH. --I stopped by my husband's bank to make a deposit for him today. He gave me a check to deposit. No big deal, right? There's a new touch screen at the ATM at the bank. What do you want to do today? I touch "deposit". Do I want to do it with an envelope or without? Touch - without. Put in amount. I put in the amount. Put in the check with bottom edge of the check on the left. I do that. It spits the check out. Put in the check with the bottom edge of the check on the right. Hmmm, I thought it said left. I must have been wrong. So I do that. Before the check goes in the slot, up pops another screen that says Put in the check with the bottom edge of the check on the left. Wait! I put it in with the bottom of the check on the RIGHT like you said! It doesn't spit the check out. It eats the check. Instead, it spits out a deposit slip for an amount of 00 dollars. The bank is closed. I now have to explain to my husband how I could possibly screw up depositing $38.00 in his account. And by the time he can get to the bank on Monday, who knows where the checks will be? Probably in some bank that will go bankrupt before then. -- The annual Thanksgiving debate is on -- store bought pies or homemade pies? My family votes for store bought pies so I won't have to go to "all that bother". Hmmmm... They don't care about "all that bother" when I'm carting laundry baskets up and down the stairs, cleaning hair out of the drains in the bathtubs, taking out the garbage at midnight because my husband forgot and is already in bed when he remembers, or scraping cat poop out of the corner of the laundry room when the cat misses the litter box -- but suddenly they're concerned over my health and well-being when it comes to baking a pie? I think they're trying to tell me something. -- My daughter sends me an email that has one of those "answer these questions and pass it along" things -- with questions about Christmas. You know - your favorite toy you received as a child, real tree or artificial, favorite Christmas song, favorite Christmas meal.... But wait! What's her answer for "favorite Christmas meal"? Ham. This girl has been at my Christmas table for every Christmas since she was born, and every single year we have had either roast beef or turkey. Ham?!? Has she gone to other houses once she leaves my table? Perhaps stopping by Subway on her way home for a good ol' ham sub? What is this ham business?!? Or - like the pies - is she subliminally trying to tell me something?? Harumph... I'll show them "no bother". We'll have Jenny-O pressed in a bag turkey breast (white meat and by-products only), Bob Evans steamed in a bag mashed potatoes, Franco American canned turkey gravy, store brand crescent rolls in a can and Stove Top Stuffing Mix. There! That's "no bother"!!! Oh - and I'll make a homemade pie! That'll teach 'em. WHAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY 1. I'm well on my way to being done with my Christmas shopping. 2. I didn't catch the flu my husband got hit so hard with. 3. Gas prices today were $1.59! (A gallon, not a quart!) 4. Once again, a warm and toasty home on a very cold day. 5. Blog friends (new and old) who respond to my call for action.

And one more ARE YOU KIDDING ME? moment provided by Levi Strauss commercials

Alright, now I'm just ready to bang my head against a brick wall in disbelief that this can even be in print. But here, STRAIGHT FROM THE LEVI STRAUSS WEB PAGE is their description of this commercial that has me so up in arms:

The last TV ad, ‘Secrets and Lies’ – features two characters confessing a series of white lies as they unbutton their Levi’s® 501® jeans. Their unveilings, along with the physical unbuttoning of their jeans, captures the provoking theme of self-expression and unrestrained behavior central to the “Live Unbuttoned” campaign.

Are you kidding me????????????? Unrestrained behavior?????? Oh yeah, THAT'S what we're trying to teach our children and grandchildren! THAT'S going to make the world a better place. UNRESTRAINED BEHAVIOR!!! Here's two more email addresses for you -- the wonderful folks who are SO proud to put their names and emails out there as being responsible for these commercials. Brett Anderson Levi’s® PR 212.704.3234 banderson@levi.com Melissa Ladines Levi’s® PR 212.704.3213 mladines@levi.com

Ask Mr. and Mrs. Obama to take a stand on Social Responsibility

To continue my personal pledge of taking a stand against corporations that are socially irresponsible in the advertising aimed at our children and teenagers, today I found this web page of President-Elect Obama that asks citizens to tell him what is important to them. You can find it here: http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourstory YES, there are critical issues facing the upcoming administration, and many will be considered far more important than what your kids are watching on TV. However, keep in mind, OUR CHILDREN ARE THIS COUNTRY'S FUTURE. What they are watching on television, hearing in their Mp3 players, viewing on their computers will at some point come into play as to the adults they will become. In addition to writing to the Levi Strauss company, I'm asking you to also take a minute to write to President-Elect Obama and say YES WE CAN make a difference in our children's future by holding corporations to socially responsible advertising.

I'm taking a stand against Levi Strauss

I am officially taking a stand against companies that are over-the-top socially irresponsible, and I'm starting with Levi Strauss. This company is creating deplorable and unacceptable commercials for our children and young people to watch -- and they are getting away with it because WE DO NOTHING. As parents and grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, or anyone who cares about kids, it is time to take a stand. Your children and grandchildren are watching and being affected by these commercials. JOIN ME AND TELL THESE COMPANIES "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP". Our politicians aren't going to do this for us. For all you Obama-ites who said "YES WE CAN" a few weeks ago -- well, step up to the plate and actually do something! Obama isn't going to stop these companies from producing messages that have negative impact on our children and teenagers. This particular company, Levi Strauss, is putting out commercials that glorify casual sex and breaking and entering into a family's home. (A link to the commercial is in the letter below.) If you agree with me, I'm asking you to take a few minutes of your day and either call or write Levi Strauss & Co. and let them know that you don't like these commercials, and demand they be taken off the air. OUR CHILDREN ARE WORTH THE SMALL EFFORT THIS WILL TAKE!!! We are the grown-ups here. Our job is to protect our children. Our country is going to hell in a handbasket, and WE ARE LETTING IT HAPPEN! Our children deserve better. We need to show these kids WITH OUR ACTIONS that we actually care! They deserve our time and effort to make this a better world FOR them. It's time to stop complaining and DO SOMETHING! Please pass this on to others as much as you can. Let's truly get a letter-writing, phone-calling, email campaign against these commercials going. WE CAN DO THIS. We have a voice. We are the consumers! These companies cannot survive without US. You can contact Levi Strauss & Co. here:

Call: 1-877-524-7386 (Voice of the Consumer Line) Email: http://www.levistrauss.com/Company/ContactUsForm.aspx?loc=1 Write a Letter: See address below This is my letter to the CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., with a copy to the Chairman of the Board. Mr. John Anderson President and CEO 1155 Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 Dear Mr. Anderson, Yesterday a good part of my afternoon was spent comforting a neighbor whose house had been broken into in broad daylight by three teenagers, ages 17 and 18 years. I have no idea if you've ever had your home broken into, but it's a truly traumatic experience and takes years to put behind you and forget that horrendous feeling of someone invading your personal property and space. It literally takes years for you to feel safe in your own home again. This is America, Mr. Anderson. We all deserve to feel safe in our own homes! Later in the evening, I sat down to watch television and viewed a commercial from your company that left me absolutely stunned by its degree of social irresponsibility. It not only depicted casual sex between two young people, but also showed these same two young people breaking into someone else's home, laughing about it, and acting as if it was "no big deal". The commercial is overly sexual, inappropriate, and sends messages that no one in their right mind would want sent to our young people. Your company is known for it's support of HIV causes, and yet you are glorifying casual sex. Your company speaks of "responsible, progressive and accountable business practices" and yet shows two young people celebrating the act of breaking and entering into a family's home? What are you thinking?!?Just in case you don't know of the commercial of which I am referring, you can view it online here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26395407#26395407

I went to your web site to find a name to address this letter, and also found this interesting paragraph in your 2007 Annual Report:

Great brands and business are built by consistently providing quality products and services and by earning the trust of consumers, customers, investors, employees and communities through responsible, progressive and accountable business practices. Moreover, as business leaders we have the obligation, both individually and collectively, to make our enterprise not only a source for economic wealth, but also a force for positive social change in the conduct of our business. This principle of responsible commercial success is embedded in our 155-year experience and continues to anchor how we operate today.

I also found this on your web page, listed under "Values":

Four core values are at the heart of Levi Strauss & Co.: Empathy, Originality, Integrity and Courage. These four values are linked.

Mr. Anderson, the "easy" way to show the community that Levi Strauss & Co. is "a force for positive social change" is to write a check. You can boast that you support HIV funding - and have someone in your finance department write a check. But it takes no personal commitment of any kind to write that check. The difficult way - and the only way that truly counts - is for your company's actions to match the words in that Annual Report, or, in this case, for your commercials to actually be based on what you define as your company's “core values”.

I implore you to get these repulsive and socially irresponsible commercials off our televisions, where children and teenagers view them, and replace them with commercials more in line with the "responsible business practices" you preach. As I tell my children, "Actions speak louder than words." Although the words on the Levi Strauss web page read "social responsibility", the actions through your commercials speak far louder.

I am posting this letter on my blog (http://joanoh2.blogspot.com) and any response from you or your company will be posted there as well. I am asking you publicly, Mr. Anderson, to change the socially irresponsible path your company has chosen to take through your commercials, and, instead, strive to show us those core values you say are at the heart of Levi Strauss & Co. Until that time, and most particularly during the Christmas gift-giving season, I will no longer purchase any Levi Strauss or Docker products for my family.

Most sincerely,

cc: T. Gary Rogers Chairman of the Board

Too close to home

Yesterday was a tough day here. Around 11am I was sitting at my computer and from where I sit, I can see out the front windows of my house. I noticed a neighbor, Mr. K, walking around his house without a jacket on. I thought it a little strange, since it's VERY cold here, but didn't think much about it. A few minutes later, I looked up again and noticed another neighbor home from work, which is unusual -- it was 11am she normally works until 3:30 or so. Again, nothing alarming - maybe she didn't feel well or had a sick child. But, I looked up again a few minutes later, and saw a police car. Uh oh... I decided to be a nosey caring neighbor and find out if everything was OK. It wasn't. Mind you, I live in Suburbia USA. There are about 20 houses on my street, and I'm at the end where there's a turnaround (cul-de-sac). Normally, there are several of us home during the day, cars are in the driveway, and houses are close enough so we can see what's going on just by looking out our windows. I'm the only house with a wooded backyard -- the rest abutt houses on the streets on either side. So, this isn't an isolated area; it's actually quite busy and open. Neighbor K (wife of the man without the jacket) happened to be looking out her window and saw three kids (14, 15 years old) at the front door of Neighbor N's house. She said at first she thought they might be selling something, but realized they were young and should be in school. So she continued to watch. She watched as one suddenly disappeared through a front window, and came around the inside and opened up the front door for the others!!! They broke into Neighbor B's house! In broad daylight with no less than six cars in driveways in the immediate vacinity! Neighbor K called to her husband (who is retired and home), told him what she saw, and dialed 911. Husband K promptly took off out the door, ran to Neighbor N's house, went INSIDE, and chased the kids out! (Not a good idea, but that's exactly the kind of neighbor he is.) The kids were two boys and a girl (!) and, we learned later, this was the SECOND house they'd broken into that morning! The kids took off running -- one ran behind my house and into the woods, one ran across my front lawn, through another neighbor's yard and into the woods to the side of my house, and I never heard where the third kid went. In the very few minutes they were in that house, they'd grabbed video games, a satellite dish receiver and money. They left their three bikes on the front yard of Neighbor N's house. Bikes -- as in, not old enough to drive, but old enough to break into people's houses. And they dropped a backpack in her yard, which contained Gatorade and an IRON. Yes, a household iron. The police believe the iron was in case someone was in the house -- a weapon! It's amazing that all this happened HERE, in this particular neighborhood. First, there are some VERY rich areas in our town -- million dollar plus homes, and there are some very isolated homes in our town. You would think they would pick one of those areas, wouldn't you? But then, they may have been too far a ride on their bikes! The last I heard, the police had caught the kids. While I was comforting Neighbor N (she was really shaken up), I did hear an officer ask Mr. Neighbor K if you could identify the kids, and later saw Mr. K get into a police car; I assume to go do the identification. Our police department is often commended on how fast they react in these kind of situations. And now - I'm going to get back on my Social Responsibility bandwagon. Where do kids get the idea that this is an OK thing to do?!? After watching this unfold, trying to get past it, I sit down to watch TV and see a commercial for Levi Jeans that is SO irresponsible that I'm dumbfounded. Aside from the girl having sex with a man she doesn't know, the girl is BREAKING INTO AN APARTMENT (watch her when she's at the closed door), then tells the guy and it's just fine with him! Yippy! We broke into this apartment -- now let's have sex! Don't believe me? Watch it for yourself. I'm speechless. What kind of world is my grandson going to grow up in? How on earth can I or his mother or his grandfather protect him from these kind of IRRESPONSIBLE messages? The world is getting to be a very scary place. What are we going to do about it???? And no, I am NOT saying Levi Jeans is responsible for my neighbor's house being broken into today. I am, however, saying that our kids are receiving HORRIBLE, IRRESPONSIBLE, negative messages from the media and no one is doing anything about it. Nevermind what's going on in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, people -- look what is going on in your own homes.

Come have Coffee with me!

Well, hello! How nice to meet you. My name is Faith. Joan's not home right now, but come on in! I'd love to have some company. Me? Oh, I've been sent to bring a smile to Joan's heart by a very generous blogger friend, Niki, from Pumpkin Country. I arrived two days ago (in the middle of all the flu hub-bub that went on around here). Oh, I was so glad to get out of that box! Trust me, it's no way to travel! Just look at my hair! Joan has gone off to IKEA for a few hours - she SAID she was going to do Christmas shopping, but I think it's more to do with the fact that she found IKEA has fabric on sale. Sssshhh.. don't tell. She keeps saying she's NOT going to buy more fabric. I've only been living here for two days and I know I've heard her say it at least two times! So come on in, sit down, get comfy. Would you like some coffee? Do you mind if I sit in Brayden's old high chair? (He's moved on to a regular chair now -- he's getting so big!) Gives me a better view from here -- plus I don't spill coffee on my pretty dress. My goodness, it's cold here in Ohio, isn't it? I saw some snowflakes yesterday. I forgot to bring my coat and warm clothes with me, but Joan has told me that I'm welcome to use any of her fabric and her sewing machine to make what I need. I do love to sew, don't you? Right now I'm just working on a little quilt to cuddle under when we watch TV. Pffffft... darn hair -- do you have a bobby pin? Well, if you don't mind, I did promise Joan I'd help out with a little housework while she was gone. Actually, I was just being nice and casually said, "Is there anything I can do to help out while you're gone?" And (harumph) what did she do? Made me a To Do List! I wasn't quite expecting that, but I guess I can get it all done. Do you mind if I work while we talk? I need to fold these clothes to start. And clean up the breakfast dishes.... Well, that's enough for now. I can do the dusting, vac the family room, scrub the kitchen floor and clean the bathrooms after you go. I'd rather visit. Let's go sit in the family room! What? The books on the table? Oh no!!!! Don't look at those. Those are a surprise for an upcoming blog giveaway!. No one is supposed to see them! Please don't look -- I was just looking through them while I drank my coffee. Please don't tell anyone you saw them! And speaking of Giveaways, Joan showed me a Giveaway for another girl almost like me! I'd love to have a friend (someone I can share this @(#$*&( To Do List with!), so enter for me, would you? It's on the Spun by Me blog for her 100th post! I think we could be great friends! Oh my, we'd better head into the family room, OK? Bring your coffee, get comfy. It's warmer in here, isn't it? I just can't get used to this cold weather. Joan knit some sweet mittens and socks for Brayden, and I was rather hoping they'd fit me, but I'm afraid they are too big. Oh, one of the things on my To Do List is to help Joan knit these socks. They're a Christmas present for someone special (but I can't say who!). Let's see -- Knit 3, Purl 1... I think I can do this. Awww, you have to go already? Let me walk you out to the door. I'll show you something funny on our way out -- here on the stairs. See this kitty sleeping in the basket on the stairs? It took me the longest time to get up the nerve to find out why this cat sleeps all the time. When I finally reached over to pet him, I found out he's a ROCK! I thought he would bite me (Joey the Killer cat does -- I have to hide when he's in the house) but he just lays there and looks cute! Jeff's sister Sandra painted him years and years ago and he's been on the stairs ever since. Now that's my kind of cat! Well, it was so nice to meet you and I will tell Joan you were here. I'd walk you out, but it's just too cold to go out without a coat. Maybe by the next time you stop by I'll have sewn a coat for myself... if I can ever get done with that darn To Do List that is... Bye bye now! See you next time!