November 25th

As usual, I didn't get to bed until after 2am. Sometimes this doesn't cause any problems getting up the next day, but there are days when it does... and today it did. I couldn't seem to get out of bed and I don't know how many times I hit the snooze button. Once I was ready to go the bowels had to act up a bit, just to ad the finishing touches to the morning's rush. I finally got out of here and in to town to church. I was late! I was presenter today, so was to open the service by greeting and welcoming people then doing the Announcements, etc etc etc. When I got there Rev. Dale was doing the announcements. Not long after I got there, once he'd finished the announcements, he handed it back over to me and the rest of the service went great.

After the service there was the usual social time where we visit, drink tea/coffee and eat a snack. Wendy helped me to take the programs apart, which I really appreciated. Andree won the Book of the Month draw (darn, I wanted that book too, haha).

I went to the gas station and filled up the truck for just under $55. Then went and picked up some outside Christmas lights that I was given over Freecycle. They're white LED lights.

Off to the dog park after that for a nice walk with Reba. Two times around was enough today as I was not properly dressed. I'll remember to take gloves, a hat and a scarf next time. My coat, zipped right up, was still letting a lot of cold air down my throat. There were a few snow flakes falling, but very few. It failed its attempt to dump on us, but word has it that it will succeed tomorrow.

After the dog park I went to Wal Mart to get a Poinsettia, but they were all sold out. They usually, at this time of year, have a whole pile of small, under $2 Poinsettias that are quite nice. While I was there I got some skim milk for me and cream for Shadow (cat), and I 'ran into' a fellow I've known since about 1975, and haven't seen in 10 years or more now. While we were talking, he (Dave - yes, another Dave, lol) said that Jack asks about me all the time and if Dave has seen me. I met Jack shortly after I left my husband, so early 1977 (I left December 5th '76). We were great friends for quite some time, then I guess we lost track of each other. I gave Dave my phone number to give to Jack, so it will be really cool to hear from him after all these years. I'm trying to remember when the last time I saw Jack was, but not sure. Definitely more than 25 years.

Then I went to the 'Everything For A Dollar Store'. Got some pop ($1 per bottle - cheapest in town by far), orange juice ($1 per bottle), face cloths (2 for $1), and visited with the 2 gals that work there. We visit every time I go there, lol. This is such a great place to shop.

It was nice to come home, though it was a wonderful day away. I fed the chickens before I came in and saw they had enough water until morning. Now that the weather is below freezing I close the door and leave the light on at night and this keeps the water from freezing. Later in the winter it will get colder, and when it's really cold the water will freeze even with the door closed and the light on.... but this year that won't happen because the chickens will be gone to their new home long before that. I kinda feel bad for the pigeons and other wild birds that live here and depend on chicken feed to survive. I think I'm going to have to keep getting the free bread I've gotten for the chickens, and feed it to the other birds. I won't be buying more chicken feed, that's for sure.

I spent a fair bit of time this evening practicing my speech for tomorrow night and will do some more of it tomorrow too. I found a stopwatch on the net, so I can time myself while I practice the speech. This is very important as everything at Toastmasters is timed. This speech is a 5-7 minute speech and when I started with what I'd written, it took very close to 9 minutes. I've cut it down to where it takes about 6:45, but every time I give it I do it a bit different, never remember the exact words I used the last time. Also, when you speak like this, often the audience laughs, and I always include things that will make them laugh, so you have to wait for the laughing to stop before you continue to speak. This could make me go over time if I'm not careful, so I want to cut about 45 seconds more off it, leaving me with a 6 minute speech... safety margin, lol.

Did some of my Power Of Decision homework tonight too, so just have one more small thing to write and another chapter of the book to read before Tuesday evening. I'll do some of that reading shortly, when I go to bed.

Now I am about to check the feed/water for all the inside critters and refill where needed... give Shadow the cream he's been impatiently waiting for, let Reba in and give her a big doggy cookie. Then floss and brush my teeth and off to bed. All that as soon as I do my weather report and the quote for the day.