As you are probably well-aware by now, I am an Uber-Loser-Stay-At-Home-New-Year's-Eve-Un-Party-er blogging at 9:30 pm on December 31st. But then at least I get in one last post for 2010. And I won't get frostbite in our lovely -37C temps outside.

Phew, what a year this was... a roller-coaster of highs and lows. And I detest roller-coasters. Why people pay good money to lose their lunch is beyond me. But I digress.

Hopefully this brand spankin' shiny New Year will:

Have LESS mischievious feline exploits:


Have MORE fantabulous home projects to brag about:


Have LESS humungous malls to throw my money away at:



Have MORE opportunities for self-control at mealtime (unless there are nearly naked men spray-painted gold and posed as chandeliers in the middle of the table):



Have LESS run-ins with nasty weather:


But then again, if these things DO happen in 2011, what the heck am I going to blog about?

Nevermind. Bring it on.

Ah vacation days over the holidays... a time to sleep in and then, at a more sane leisurely pace, attack my lengthy To-Do-Before-Acck!-Christmas-Is-Coming-Way-Too-Soon!!!!  list.

As per my usual morning routine, I pulled myself out of bed, stepped into my slippers and staggered to the back door to let the dog out. Since it was a balmy -9 C I pulled on my jacket, not bothering to zip it up. I let Casey out to dive into the deep backyard snow drifts as I remained in the garage, deciding to be a good samaritan and once again feed the wild bunnies that live under our deck. Once the snow falls, every few days I give them something - today's meal would be a treat; a few handfuls of the Wild Delight Nut and Berry Mix I bought for our bird feeder last summer.

I reached up on tiptoes to the shelf where my gardening supplies are stored for the winter and grabbed the 3 Kg bag of seeds, nuts and fruits. Pulling it off the shelf, it nudged a tower of plastic flower pots just enough to start them teetering back and forth.

Slowly they began to topple, so out of sheer reflex I attempted to stop their plunge - with the bag of seeds, nuts and fruits, natch.

Unbeknownst to moi though, the last time I had used it, I failed to properly seal the ziplock closure on said bag of seeds, nuts and fruits.

A cascade, not unlike a Niagara Falls of seeds, nuts and fruits poured out over my head.

It poured into my jacket.

It poured into my PJs.

It poured into my slippers.

I stood in dumb shock, still holding the now nearly empty 3 Kg bag of seeds, nuts and fruits that now lay strewn all over the garage floor.

Oh well done, Maureen. Bravo.

As I shook my slippers to dispense of the seeds, nuts and fruits lodged between my toes, I looked up to see that I had indeed saved the cheap, used flower pots from an untimely demise.

Note to self:

Next time, let the stupid plastic pots fall. They'd be a tad easier to retrieve from the cold concrete garage floor than using my frozen, numb fingers to scoop up a kajillion seeds, nuts and fruits.