We have a good friend Rudy who doesn't consider it Chrismas unless he's playing Dominick the Donkey. He'll often call up Christy and play it for her. LOL. I think it's a somewhat regional song and apparently has gotten most play from here to Boston. Here's what Wikipedia says about it: Dominick the Donkey is a Christmas song written by Ray Allen, Sam Saltzberg, and Lou Monte, first sung by Monte in 1960. The song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus bring presents to children in Italy. Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Santa's got a little friend, His name is Dominick. The cutest little donkey, You never see him kick. When Santa visits his paisons, With Dominick he'll be. Because the reindeer cannot, Climb the hills of Italy. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Jingle bells around his feet, And presents on the sled. Hey! Look at the mayor's derby, On top of Dominick's head. A pair of shoes for Louie, And a dress for Josephine. The labels on the inside says, They're made in Brooklyn. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Children sing, and clap their hands, And Dominick starts to dance. They talk Italian to him, And he even understands. Cumpare sing, Cumpare su, And dance 'sta tarantel. When jusamagora comes to town, And brings du ciuccianello. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Hey! Dominick! Buona Natale! My favorite part is... when you look at the labels they're made in Brook-a-leen....lol.. Here is a link that might be useful: Dominick the Donkey

That bad huh?? My son's was so disgusting that I tackled it while my girlfriend did the kid's bathroom. Over an hour later I'm still working on one shower door and every once in awhile squirting something on, swear to god 1/2 inch thick soap scum on the shower walls. AND the most disgusting toilet I've ever seen. Ok Heathen, I get why you don't want to hug it, LOL. I have a total mental picture of this now! My girlfriend who does houses for a living walked in on me and burst out laughing because I had gloves on that went almost to my elbows! Together we did the toilet & surrounding area 4 times and I still think the only way to get it clean is to buy a new one which I think he is going to replace it. My friend is gone again to her son's wedding in Manteca and no phone and she'll be gone most of the month, she'll be dog sitting while they're off on a honeymoon. Maybe Brenda knows the vinegar trick. I don't know why guys can't hit the toilet but anyone who can just point and shoot outside, I don't think it bothers them over much, after all they don't clean the toilets anyways.... After hearing your problems I will get that shower door cleaner for you, I promise! You know how I solved that in my old house? I got rid of the doors and installed shower curtains. I'd rather replace shower curtains every 6 months than keep those doors clean! In the new house I specifically said no shower doors. They put up signs with red marks across them in the showers. The guys installed them anyways. I made them take them out and give me a written warranty that if the marks show in a few years they have to come out and rub them back out again. I think I was the only one in the subdivision to not want them, they put them in automatically.

Yep - when I was at Lowes in Moore yesterday, they had begun their Christmas items also. All their shelves were stocked, but they didn't have any decorated trees yet. Their Halloween items were on an end-cap of an isle and they didn't have much left compared to 3 weeks ago when I was there. When I lived in S. OKC a few years ago, Target on SW 44th was the WORST. They put their Christmas items on the isles next to the school supplies! However, Hobby Lobby has had their Christmas items out now for more than a month, but I can understand "crafters" wanting to get working on projects....but the other stores? No way. So Jay.....what the heck did you find??? I should have joined this forum earlier. Last year I shopped on e-bay for an "aged" galvanized bucket for the garden. Paid $25 + shipping after MIL helped herself to the one we were using, We just loved that bucket because it was just the right size and it was also my FIL mother's "pickin' bucket" in her garden. My DH loved watching the grandkids carry that full of tomatoes and green beans, just like his grandma used to do. I also paid about $20 for a cone-shaped seive with wooden pestal so I wouldn't have to borrow MIL's any more. Our home is filled with antiques, all that have a personal story behind each one. DH remembered today that he has a "coffee grinder" stored somewhere over at his parents place. It's one that hangs on the wall and is hand-cranked. I asked him to high-tail it over there and get that!!!! This year, I'm watching for end of the season sales on lids & rings. A very dear friends' mother (84 yrs young) decided it was time to clean out her garage and in the process, I inherited 5 boxes of canning jars in all sizes! I'm tellin' ya...I HIT THE LOTTERY!!! Let me know if anyone sees these items on sale somewhere! I haven't seen them anywhere here yet. pk

FD, yep, same guy. BF was actually going to come meet everyone this trip, but was coming out later than me since i was staying for longer than he wanted to, or had enough leave for. So I flew out... then it snowed 20 inches and all the flights were cancelled. So he didn't make it. Too bad, probably would have been a good time for it, Mom's guy might have been nice to BF just cause he's not my brother. Reason for problems... well, longstanding personality conflicts, plus money. Short version... the instigator is a loan/investment from my mom to DB/SIL when SIL expanded her business. I don't know (and really really don't want to know) the financial terms, but the SO is unhappy about it and at some point last summer called up DB at work and yelled at him. DB hung up on him, then called back and yelled back. Honestly, though, I think the money's mostly (not entirely) an excuse. I think it's mostly just that they don't like each other.