Scenes From Black Friday...

From For Ellipsis

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."

-Burton Hillis

From For Ellipsis

The storm that came through the Bay Area yesterday, brought an all new meaning to the phrase, "Black Friday." LOL. Can you believe I took this photo at 4:10 PM? LOL. I love rain, especially in late autumn. It makes the leaves on the trees seem even more vibrant! It was cold, dark, and wet, and I was grooving to the sound of Christmas music as I went to the Mall. I was a happy girl. Black Friday is one of our favorite days of the year, Alan and I just love to go and people watch. One of our favorite sights from years past, was two women who brought a shower curtain rod to hold all their shopping bags on! LOL. They were obviously shopping geniuses, they new a good bargain, and how to get that bargain home! LOL.

Our favorite haunt on Black Friday is Union Square in San Francisco, but alas Alan had to work, so we decided to go somewhere closer when he got home. We chose the Hacienda Crossing mall in Dublin. There wasn't much to see, and there were plenty of parking places, so I wonder how that will bode for holiday sales figures. :( Not good methinks. But I did my part. I got a beautiful new sweater and purse at Old Navy, and then went home for Thanksgiving dinner PT2. After wards Alan and I went to "Christmas in the Woods" at the Carousel in Tilden Park.

From For Ellipsis

We love it there, it is amazingly beautiful, and too much fun! Alan talked me into riding on the Carousel, the little round bench that goes around and around. I was surprised at how fast it went, it totally made me dizzy, and of course Alan laughed, and yes, we shared a nice kiss. Gosh, that man is still romantic after 19 years. He loves me I think. We will comeback a lot before it closes just before Christmas. We have a tradition of picking out ornaments for each other, and the cats, from trees at the Carousel. They have a wonderful selection. Some handmade, some a little more commercial. There is something for everyone. I even found a beautiful mermaid ornament! That made me smile.

How was your Black Friday? What did you do? Did you go shopping? Did you stay home under a nice soft blanket? Did you watch sports? Tell me everything!


:)

-Carly

You can read more about Tilden here. If you live in the Bay Area, consider coming to the Christmas Fantasy In The Woods. It's a blast!

It's Black Friday...

And Girls Just Want To Have Fun! That's why this girl is off to the mall to have a day all to herself. Bliss.



"Some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world. I wanna be the one to walk in the sun, oh girls they want to have fun. Oh girls just wanna have fun!"

-Cyndi Lauper (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)

It's Black Friday, do you know where your deals are? Are you going shopping for bargains today? Did you LOVE the 80's as much as I did? Tell me everything!

-Carly

Happy Thanksgiving

From For Ellipsis

"Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths. At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings."

-J. Robert Moskin

I have so much to be thankful for...

Little Orange Cats Asleep On The Kitchen Window Sill

From For Ellipsis

Little Black Cats With A Goofy Sense Of Humor

From For Ellipsis

A Tall Yellow Poplar In My Yard

From For Ellipsis

It's Beautiful Falling Leaves

From For Ellipsis

And Gulf Fritillary Butterflies That Pause For A Rest In The Autumn Leaves.

From For Ellipsis

Friends. A Husband Who Loves Me. My Blog. My Photography. My Health.

I am a lucky girl indeed!

From Our House To Yours...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

-Carly

Do We Need To Take Up Donations For Gov. Schwarzenegger?

"Laws control the lessor man, right conduct controls the greater one."

Mark Twain












I am beginning to think we here in the state of California need to be gathering up donations of food, warm clothing and a little pocket change for Governor Schwarzenegger and his family, because apparently they have fallen on hard times! That must be the case, because just yesterday, the governor's wife, Maria Shriver, was caught yet again thumbing her nose at the law. Yesterday morning, while out for a muffin, she was caught on camera by TMZ breaking the law not once but twice.

First she was caught red-handed by a traffic cop for not feeding the meter. But as the cop began to write her a ticket, her personal band of merry men, AKA the CHP Dignitary Protection Unit, quietly and apparently efficiently, talked the meter cop into NOT issuing her a ticket. It's all discretionary after all. Now, as if that wasn't bad enough... she then proceeded to drive off without buckling her seat belt. Illegal since the mid 90's.

It's embarrassing.

On the other hand...

I am going to try to remember that perhaps they have fallen on hard times. It might be entirely possible the Schwarzenegger's might not have even a little pocket change to spare, a situation I can relate to quite well. The economy has been hard on everyone, maybe they aren't any different. In the spirit of the season, maybe the rest of us should gather up a turkey, some bread, some canned vegetables and maybe a pie or two and deliver it to the steps of the capitol, to our governor who has apparently fallen on the same hard times the rest of us have. You know... in the spirit of THANKSGIVING.

Really Governor? Really?

SO sad. SO embarrassing. SO unnecessary.

Hang in there folks... I will be thinking the best for you!

:(


-Carly

View the video here.

A Fond Thanksgiving Memory, But First, A Word From Our Sponsors...

And Now A Fond Thanksgiving Memory...


A True Holiday Classic!

"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal,it's a way to live."

-Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear

-Carly

Disclaimer: Obviously Ellipsis isn't sponsored by any entity other then my weird sense of humor. No celebrity or corporate endorsement is implied. LOL. It's just me, having a little holiday fun. Really... I tease the blogger Sarah Palin. Really... it's just a little harmless goofing. Really... I promise. WINK!

An Open Letter To Governor Schwarzenegger...

"Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do."

-Don Galer









Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger

:)

You have the opportunity to do the right thing. Have the California Highway Patrol issue you a citation for parking in a red zone. You did it. You know you did it. You were caught... ahem... red handed by TMZ. How cheesy is that? You should have known better, now you need to set an example and step up! You have a real chance to show what you are about, now is a really good time to show your fellow Californians, and anyone else that might be watching, what your values are. Do you value the law Governor Schwarzenegger?

You looked the other way last month, as your wife was caught talking on her cell phone while driving, you signed the law into place prohibiting that, and was she issued a ticket like any other California citizen? No. She donated her beloved cell phone to charity as her fine. Hmmm... shouldn't she be issued a ticket for breaking the law? Lame, very lame. And when she was caught also parking in a red zone last month, nothing at all was mentioned as a fine for that violation. Really Maria? Really?

Shame.

Shame on both you!

Are you above the law?

Do you get to drive drunk also?

Do you get to park in the blue Handicapped Parking zones?

Step up Governor Schwarzenegger, and pay your $90 parking violation like everyone else has to.

Show some integrity.

The state could use the money.

"I love Thanksgiving turkey. It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts."

-Arnold Schwarzenegger

-Carly

If you want to see our beloved governor getting caught red-handed click here to visit TMZ. If you want to sign this open letter to the governor, feel free to do so in the comment thread.

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #65: Giving Thanks!

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day."

-Robert Caspar Lintner











EMPS #65: GIVING THANKS! NOW CLOSED!
Next Thursday, we here in the U.S. we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, so I thought that would make a nifty easy assignment for us, but even if you don't live here, this is an assignment anyone can participate in! Let's share with each other what we are most thankful for. Family. Turkey dinners. Animals. Photography. Dessert. Pets. Your photography. It's all good. If you want to be specific to the holiday that will be fine, but if you simply want to show what you are most thankful for, well, that's great too. It's completely up to you!

Extra Credit: Show me a Turkey. Frozen. A turkey sandwich. Turkey noodle soup. Any old turkey will do, but please folks, don't post photos of turkeys being harmed... ok?

**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot assignment closes next Sunday, at 9:00 PM ET. You have until then to get your photo, post it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the direct link back to it. PLEASE REMEMBER, it must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED! Please double check your link, as that is the one I will use to link back to you. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you leave me. OK? Also, please link back here so others can participate in the assignment.

Linking List for EMPS # 64: Trains. 11/16/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama

2. Liz

3. Karen

Thanks so much for your participation last week. Wonderful photos as usual. We have some terrific photographers among us. Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! See you next Monday with an all new photography assignment!

-Carly

By the way... When you get the chance, be sure to drop by Greg's website. He has a great monthly "Tips and Tricks" feature which I know you will learn a lot from, and he could probably use our feedback as well, so, when you get the chance drop by and have a look around and let him know what you think. This month it's all about using a Polarizing Filter :)