Winding Down a Year With Poodles

What? Another year has almost past? It seems like yesterday that I was having fun with what Santa brought me last year. Or maybe I was returning it. I can't remember.

**Sighing**

Yes, I'm getting older. The time flies by but I'm glad to be here. Have you noticed how the most bizarre things happen around "The Holidays". Just a few miles up the road, a car sped off the road, over a guardrail and into a creek. All four passengers have now died, two were dead at the scene. What the accelerator? The theory is that the accelerator pedal stuck which is an apparent issue with that type of car (Avalon).

This morning the newspaper reported that they were from a local church that was canvassing the neighborhood. My question is was the Reaper there for all of them or just one?

Note to self: Be careful getting into a car with other passengers.......YIKES!

Also, my second cousin and his wife lost their son earlier this month. It's a very sad story of a young person not able to find himself.

This post is getting too deep for me, unlike our latest SNOW. That's right. WE HAVE (or maybe I should say HAD) MORE SNOW! It stuck to the grass last night but the city facility where I teach on Wednesdays is delaying their opening today so I don't have to teach my class. I do have to get my hair done, though, and I hope my stylist made it in from west of town in order to prevent me from looking like this:

Fido models "The Silver Reffie"

Things have been slow this week. This weather is messing with my outside running schedule. Yesterday, I ran in the snow. Yes, I am THAT crazy. I didn't even take water with me. I just stuck out my tongue when I got thirsty. I got a bit wet, but it wasn't that bad.

My gloves soaked up the giant snowflakes so my hands were cold. I stepped in enough puddles to cause my shoes to squeak. My feet felt like icicles but other than that, no sweat. Well, there was sweat, but we won't discuss that. Afterall, women glisten, right?

I'll leave you with a few Texas novelties: First, from the peopleofwalmart.com site:


Hubby saw this car the other day. What the tailgate?

Down in Austin, it's a little more laid back at Christmas:


My friend took this photo on her way to New Braunfels. Where else but in Texas would you find such a fascination with armadillos and no, they really aren't that big!

Tune in Sunday for the start of Knucklehead's Blogger Idol contest. While suffering from temporary insanity, I signed up to be a contestant.

**Smiling and blinking**

I love, love, love all of you. Please vote for me next week. Whatever I write will be the best. Whatever I WRITE will be the best. Vote for me. Me. Me. I am open to bribes....

OK. OK. I don't like the begging part of it but I think the contest will be fun.

I do love all of you, though.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Be careful out there.

Photo credits: Fido: The Pack on flickr.com, Creative Commons license (see sidebar), Austin decorations: LAWilson