I,m back!

Wow! An update after, what? Two years? And i still have very little to say. I'm playing with my new iPad And I love it. Just having trouble navigating. It's partly old age and partly never ever using an apple product before. It's worth it...I can play games, keep up with twitter a little bit more, listen to music and podcasts, watch tv shows and on and on. Still have to figure out how to upload stuff here & other online spots.

New Year's Resolutions and Update.

Well, it's almost 2010 and time for New Year's Resolutions. I usually don't make them because I never keep them. But I thought I'd give it a try for the 1st decade of the 21st Century. Here goes:

1. Blog more often, even it it's just one sentence. (We'll see about this one!)

2. Finish all of my crocheting projects. And, hopefully, in a more timely manner. (Sorry Chrissie! I'm trying to finish before Collin goes to college!)

3. Clean out my office and then progress to the rest of the house. (Again, we'll see!)

4. Be prepared and shop ahead of time for holidays and special occasions. (This is a biggee for me!)

5. Write.

6. Cut down on smoking. (Another "we'll see".)

7. Post more, better, and more creative videos to you tube.

I guess that's it. At least they seem obtainable!

News from the Natali Household:

Ella has turned one (Nov 11) and Collin was born on Dec 5th. I now have 2 beautiful grand children and I couldn't be happier! They are both gorgeous geniuses. (or however you spell it) I now have a Facebook account and spend a lot of time in Farmville. Yes, I"m addicted!

Vito is having a lot of trouble with severe pain in this right shoulder and arm. We think we finally found a doctor who knows his butt from a hole in the ground, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that he can help.

We've been in the middle of a neighborhood crime spree. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving our house was broken into . They threw a brick through our dining room window and took off with my tennis bracelet, a jar of change, Vito's camera (with the pictures of Ella's birthday party in it), and Vito's vintage guitars. They tired to take our DVD player and TV, but we think something spooked them since they left them behind. The TV was swiveled out form its original place and the DVD player was found in our basement. My main fear when Vito called to tell me about the break-in was for our 2 cats. They were nowhere to be found and I was afraid they had either gotten out or the creeps who invaded us had hurt them. They finally came out of hiding about an hour or so after we got home.

Then, about 2 weeks later we had our tire slashed. And on December 17th someone tried to steal our car. They destroyed the steering column and took our radio. When they couldn't get the car started (anti-theft thingamajig) they slashed the tire. Our neighborhood has had a rash of these events, so I guess I shouldn't feet targeted. But I do!

I keep slowly uploading videos on you tube. Vito got me a flip type of camera for Christmas. I like them because they are smaller and less obvious than my regular video camera.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season and I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL New Year!!!

Just a short note to show I’m still around. I’ve been off work since Sept 18th and go back to work tomorrow, October 1st. Decided that, since I missed August completely, I should post something here for September!!
We usually go to the beach in September, which is why I had such a long vacation, but Vito has really bad pain in his right arm. The idiot doctor he was going to wasn’t paying attention to what Vito was telling him about the nature of his pain. Vito will not be going back to him, but at least he got a consult for an EMG exam. I’ve been saying all along he needed a neurologist, not an orthopod!

We are going over to Brian & Mallory’s for dinner tonight since Brian had to work on our regular Monday night family dinners. I’ve gotten to see our Ella 3 times this week, counting tonight! YAY.

I have to get moving on Chrissie’s baby shower. I want to at least get the invitations out!!! (I’m so lazy)

We spent 3 days last week with my baby sister Josie in Amish country. They have a nice house and a nice hunk of land. I put a video of their horse Amos playing in the horse pen. We had a really great time. I bought an Amish style bonnet for Ella and a crochet trimmed bib and receiving blanket with crocheted booties for Colin who is due in December.

Well gotta go. Will try to post more often. (I know, I know, you just can’t WAIT for me to post again!)

Heard the locusts for the first time tonight. I love it when the crickets & locusts chirp. Or buzz, or whatever they do. I find it very restful.
We went to a confirmation party today and they had the BEST roast beef. I ate 2 sandwiches which is unusual for me. At least in one sitting!

I’m going downstairs and scrounge up something to eat. (It’s been awhile since the roast beef!) I figure since we’ve fed the cats, the crabs, the fish, and the local birds it’s time for us!!

This is John & Yoko. Yoko is on the left.

It’s a beautiful day here in the Burgh! Or at least it was…getting a little darker cloud here and there. Hopefully they will keep moving on and not rain on me! Trying to figure out if we want to go the annual 4th of July celebration in Crafton or not. Want to video tape some of it for my You Tube channel. I’m a lazy You Tuber, which I think I have said before.
Both my hermit crabs popped up early this morning so it looks like I will be cleaning out the crabitat. I’m debating on whether I want to move them into the bigger tank or not. Again, laziness is playing a part here! We left the bigger tank on the back porch during the winter and it needs to be cleaned out again. *sigh* But I think the bigger tank will work better with the new, larger salt water dish I bought them ages ago. Plus I need room for their fresh water dish, food dish, and shell holder. Will think on it some more. (Procrastination at its best)
Not much really going on here, as usual. Been re-reading the Discworld series. Terry Pratchett is awesome!
Since I don’t have much to say, here’s a list of the TV shows I try to follow (I know…excitement plus!):
Burn Notice, Psych, Monk, Dexter, Bill Mahr, Eureka, Graham Norton, Big Bang Theory, Two and Half Men, Desperate Housewives, Medium, Criminal Minds, Numbers, and Grey’s Anatomy. I am starting to get hooked on Nurse Jackie & True Blood. I also try to catch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, but I usually end up watching the clips and/or shows on the net. Well, time to run back outside and procrastinate. Have a fun and safe Independence Day!!!

Last weekend in June!

Last Saturday the kids, all except Brian who was working came over to visit. Ella had her first taste of Grandpa’s pasta. She isn’t crawling so much as hauling herself up and trying to cruise. We got to see her on Sunday too since it was Father’s Day and Mallory & Brian came over to visit. Chrissie & Bill had already given Vito his gift on Friday. Chris, Bill, and I got Vito 2 canvases and a $100.00 gift certificate so he can buy some art supplies. Hope he follows through! He’s lazy about using his talents, just like I am. We had our family dinner on Monday at Brian & Mallory’s and got to play with Ella AGAIN!!! She’s a hoot. She crawls straight for anything that she can pull herself up on. You have to watch her constantly. Yeah, I know…the fun begins!

I’m still waiting for both my hermit crabs to emerge so that I can clean their crabitat and give them their new water bowl.

This was my seond full week back to work after vacation and I still have “vacation head”. It will probably last for awhile!

My great-niece, Brittany, who just turned 15, put up her first video on you tube. Go Brit!!!! Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/britxolovesxoyou
She’s a really sweet kid, so please comment, rate, & subscribe!!! (Shamelessly promoting nepotism on you tube!)

Vito put another drive on my computer so that I can save all my videos in one place and clear up my C drive. He says the extra drive has as much space as my entire computer. We’ll see!!! I want to make a DVD of Chrissie & Bill’s wedding, so I may try that tomorrow. I wanted to go to North Park or Maraine, but we have to pick up our granddog from doggie day care. Chrissie & Bill are in Erie for the weekend. They will return tomorrow after stopping by my sister Jo’s place in Atlantic. (Chrissie just called…they are going to watch the sunset over the lake. I’m envious!)

I have a 4 day weekend next week. YAY for government holidays & accrued leave! So I will have two 4 day work weeks in a row! (Yeah, I am THAT sick of work!)

Well gotta go and finish the laundry & the baby dress I am making. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!!

Lazy Week in June

Just spent a nice, long, lazy week of doing absolutely nothing! I haven’t even left the house, though we may go out tomorrow. I love vacations! All I did was sit on the back porch, crochet, read, and listen to my police scanner. Brian, Mallory, & Ella came over Sunday for pizza and they returned, along with Chrissie & Bill, on Monday for hot dogs & hamburgers. I have been busy today with editing my home videos, to be honest. I’m taking out the inappropriate bits (bad words and gestures mostly) and putting them together for an “R” rated video. They are funny bits, but not ones you’d want kids to see or hear. My family is SOOOOO classy!!!

We have steaks on the grill and ‘taters & onions on the stove for dinner. I’m starving!! It rained off and on all day and it’s definitely muggy in the house.

Well, not much of an update, but that’s because it’s lazy week!

Off to eat my dinner! See yinz!