Missyisms

The Macy's Faux Windows

In the past few years I've shared images from the Marshall Field's annual Christmas windows. Well, I begrudgingly give you one image from this year's windows at the Macy's store on State Street.

I think these are the absolute worst windows they've ever had! That's why I'll call them Macy's windows instead of Field's. There were fewer windows and they were stupid windows. Apparently these little creatures are creating hope, love, etc., for mankind...wrong!

There was one advantage to having awful windows...there was NO temptation to stay out in the awful cold to look at or get better pictures of them!

Images from past years:

2007

2006

2005

I should try to find my pictures of the Harry Potter windows...I don't remember what year they did those.

1 + 1 = 2009

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Here's a few firecrackers from London. Thanks to the BBC for the video. Enjoy.

It's too bad the commentator talks so much. We want to hear the fireworks, not his inane comments!

Merry Christmas in 2008

Merry Christmas everyone!

For the first time this week we're having decent, but cold (brr) weather! The sun is shining, the snow and ice are on the ground...not flinging down from the sky...and though cold, actually much colder than forecast, it is above zero degrees F (-17.78 C), but only just above zero...we'll take it.

Christ's blessings to you all on this day, the day we celebrate his birth!

Merry Christmas!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July to all my American readers! Enjoy your nation's birthday!!!

Here are some fun time lapse fireworks.

Christmas Card Delivery

Here is the opening line of an email I received today:

"I just received a Christmas card from you in the mail post marked Dec. 29, 2007."

No joke. It has taken one of my Christmas cards, one of the few that I finally sent, seven to eight weeks to reach it's destination! This might be acceptable if I had mailed the card to Gweta, Botswana or Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan, but noooo. The destination of the card was merely 1.1 miles from my home! In fact, I think I put the card in the drop box at the post office which is only one stop light...two tenths of a mile!...from the destination! The same town for pete sake!

I could have crawled to and from the destination in less time! How many of my other cards haven't reached their destinations!

This is the Chicago postal system at it's best!

Drab

I took down my Christmas tree and decorations this evening. Tomorrow is the last pick up for the tree, so it had to go out. The house always looks so drab after the Christmas cheer is boxed up and stored away for next year. I've spent time each of the past several nights sitting by the Christmas tree reading a book...it was so soothing and enjoyable. Couldn't do it tonight unless I wanted to sit in the rain out on the curb by the tree.

It was good while it lasted. :-)

Happy New Year 2008

Happy New Year!!!! I hope 2008 is a good year for each of you (an me too, if I may include myself)!!!

I went to see the movie Atonement with a friend today. The theater was packed! Probably because the outside weather was not pleasant and everyone headed to a movie. This is the first time I've ever been to a movie theater on New Year's Day...seemed rather odd, but was fun. It looks beautiful outside, but driving was a bit tricky and shoveling is getting old already! ;-) I didn't have time to snap a picture of the snow, maybe soon.

Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be dangerously cold. Right now it is 5 degrees F (with a feel like temp of -12), that converts to -15 degree Celsius (-24.4 feel like). Either way...OUCH! I have a bunch of errands to run tomorrow, but I'm thinking I might just leave them until Thursday when it is supposed to be warmer. The forecast is for the temperature to climb 30 degrees by Saturday so it can rain and wash away all the snow.

I hope your weather is much more pleasant than ours! Happy New Year!!!

2007 Christmas Windows

I had to go into Chicago today during a snow storm. It's the only time I've been downtown since the Christmas windows at Marshal Field's/Macy's opened. This year's windows were of the Nutcracker. Here are a few pictures I snapped in a horrible rush. The first is my favorite. (The white splotch on the mouse's pants is an out of focus large snowflake!)

And of course we must have Swan Lake! (Click any of the following for a larger view.)

And a couple more:

Merry Christmas 2007

OK, I've used this image before, but I like it and it's just right for the season! Merry Christmas!!!

Image copyright Century Greetings.

Whew!

I jinxed myself with my last post. I made the mistake of writing: "I thought the family Christmas dinner was going to be at my house, but that might not happen now. Motivation to clean house has disappeared!"

Silly me. Really shouldn't have said that. At 10:00 PM Thursday night, my brother tossed all those plans out the window. Not only did the location change to my house, but the family gathering was switched from a day or two after Christmas to Sunday. So not only at my house, but several days earlier than planned. So I spent Friday and Saturday scrambling to get myself and the house ready to host the family Christmas today.

Everything went very well and we had a lot of fun, but I'm wiped out. I should sleep very well tonight! Oh, and of course, my regular readers are saying, "What about Reggie?" Yes. That was an issue. Reggie was the reason I didn't want to have celebrations at my house. He gets too upset. And today he broke the mold. He was so freaked out at the visitors, that he tried to crawl into the refirgerator when I opened it and a few minutes later he hid behind the washing machine and got stuck. We had to move the washer to get him. He's never done any of that before. (He did the washing machine stunt once before at somebody else's house, bt never here.) He was so upset I did something I've never done. I took him out to the garage and put him in the car. This would have been great yesterday, it was in the 40s. But the temperature dropped over night and it was in the low 20s (about 5 Celsius). The garage was warmer than that and the car was warmer than the garage, but still very cold for Reggie to be out there. I checked on him several times and he was usually curled up sleeping. I put his cape/coat on after a bit and brought him in after we ate. He never seemed to get too cold...excellent...and after sitting in my lap for 30 minutes, he eventually calmed down a bit.

So the Christmas rush is over. Oh wait...I don't have cards finished. Some have been mailed, but there are still more to do. I'll get those finished very soon, hopefully tomorrow.

BUT tomorrow, I'm going to a movie! Just so you know, I said that last Tuesday for Wednesday and I said it last Thursday for Friday, but I haven't been to a movie yet! Tomorrow I hope that I get to go. There isn't a lot out, but I'd like to see Atonement. Several people have also recommended Enchanted, but tomorrow I think I'll focus on Atonement. The movie is only out in limited release, but it is showing at one local theater...come join me.

And Merry Christmas!