A Gift Words Can't Describe


*click picture to enlarge

Happy weekend, make the most of it!

It's A to Z Monday

.... and you know what that means. That's right, it means the stock market is continuing it's downward spiral. Or it's the day I'm supposed to tell you all about youth baseball and men who go commando dedicate their lives coaching youth baseball.

But, more importantly, boys and girls, it's all about the letter I.

This could have been all about my love of Iguanas, but that would be a little bit redundant and cause some fellow blogger to get extremely jealous leap off bridges. And then the rest of you would insist I tell you all about the time I had iguana tacos in San Blas, Mexico...or how I swam nude with six life guards in Maui....even if it was only a dream. The swimming with lifeguards was a dream...the iguana tacos was real.

For the letter I, I'm going with IKEA..because that's where I went yesterday after a baseball tournament. It's a big deal around here because IKEA is fifty miles away, and it's been two years since I've been inside an IKEA.

Can you believe the only thing I bought was this candle and coasters? For real. Oh, and some snazzy napkins.

I got lost in the maze and all I can remember was wandering past the same sink made from cardboard shoe inserts real bamboo. I finally ask an employee if there was a secret to finding the cashiers.....and the exit. He told me to follow the signs towards the restaurant....yes he did.

Three hours later I bid adieu to IKEA. As I drove away, I couldn't help but think how awesome these flags would look at the Compound. Maybe by the pool. Do ya think?

Here is a bit of IKEA trivia...because I might be the only person who doesn't know this:

"The guy who started this retail chain is named Ingvar Kamprad. That gets us the I and the K. Well, Ingvar grew up on a farm called Elmtaryd. Now we have I-K-E. And Elmtaryd is in a town called Agunnaryd. I-K-E-A. And that's how this company got named."

The Reason For The Season

or, these are a few of my favorite things.

Thirty five years ago, I friend gave me a beautiful gift that she spent numerous hours making. I have cherished these pieces and love to display them....and display them I do......year 'round.

The details are spectacular and the picture doesn't do them justice. My friend said she was going to make me add-on pieces every year for Christmas...but I said no. I love the Holy Family and wanted to keep the Nativity simple, and so it is to this day. I move it to my coffee table for Christmas, but it's so beautiful, I display it all year.

My middle daughter knew how much I loved my three piece Nativity, and decided to get me a beautiful Austrian Crystal one when they were stationed in Germany ten years ago.

It's just as beautiful and lovely, and I display it year 'round, and put it front and center with the ceramic one for Christmas.

My third Nativity is my pewter, stained glass plate that my mother, Rita gave me. It has over two hundred different colors but it doesn't photograph well....but it's another of my favorite things.

Do you have a special gift from years gone by that you display front and center every Christmas?

Disclaimer....While these are some of my favorite things, the ornaments on my tree are on even par with my nativities.

A Promise Is A Promise.....

And so, when I said I'd waste devote a good portion of my time sharing gift ideas with you, I wasn't kidding. I've been posting items at the bottom of my post, but.....today I have something special. Something that deserved a post of it's own.

I want to feature a special gift for the men in your life....and if you are anything like me, you have several men to lavish gifts on. Personally, I have one son and three son-in-laws, and thankfully sadly, only one lives close by.

Now, normally I don't get too excited about finding the right gift because the men's colognes that were so eagerly embraced in the seventies are looked upon with disdain and involuntary gagging a lukewarm "thank you".



I remember when men loved the scent of Hai Karate. Do you remember the commercial when women attacked Regis Philbin and Joey Bishop when they splashed this stuff on?



And Jade East....don't even go there. It's not working for today's man.
BUT, I found the perfect gift for those men in your life.....

I dare any man to turn his nose up at Flame Body Spray! The new fragrance from BK.

That's right, Burger King! And this is what the ad says:

"Flame," a new men's body spray that sports a hint of "flame-broiled" meat. It captures the essence of the Whopper and gives it to you.. Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame broiled meat.

I love this whole search for the perfect gift feature....I'm gonna miss doing it.

GIFTS FOR BLOGGERS



Let's start with some bling from Gyrlz Lyfe! Not that it's computer or blogger related....it's just classy. I would love one for myself, but with the lack of donut shops in Texas, I'm afraid I would have those cute donuts chewed off in no time.


I know most of you are too sophisticated for some of the gift ideas I've posted. In fact you indicated your disdain for the Chicken Poop lip balm...even though it's free range!

I'm beginning to understand that the readers of this blog are diverse and geographically spread out. One in Florida, one in Philly and the other three in Virginia. Technically, I think all of you live together in Australia, but that's just a hunch.

Anyway, here are some more blogger appropriate gifts.

Here we have an air conditioned mouse. It should prevent your hand from sweating as you blog 12 hours a day.

Next we have the illuminated keyboard. Perfect for the night owl who likes to work in covert conditions....like in the dark. These run between $25 - $100.

How about some replacement keys for those days when the world spins off it's axle. Is the world on an axle?

Some of you are closet bloggers....I know who you are....wouldn't it be nice to have a rear view mirror to prevent suspicious aliens from sneaking up on you?

And, how about my new work station with all the conveniences you could ask for. Let me get up and show you.....

That's right.....a built in loo.