Hello all. This is Labor Day weekend which means only one thing....the summer is coming to a close. Usually I dread this time of year because I love my spring and summer months but actually, this year I am ambivalent about it. I guess because this year I will be in the south for the first time and won't have to deal with all the freezing temps and 4 feet of snow I'm used to. Yes it gets cold here in GA but nothing like what the north receives.

I talked to all of my peeps in MD recently to make sure everyone is OK. The north east has had some really crazy things happen recently. First an earthquake then a hurricane right after. Yowzers. We got nothing here. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Getting back the the whole Labor Day thing, who's having a bbq? I need some free food and a bbq to crash so fess up. I promise to bring my wonderful whit and charm. You can leave your address in the comments, its safe here.

Hello all,

Since everyone is busy with family and friends I will keep this post simple and just wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I hope Santa brings you exactly what you want this year.

In spirit of the holidays, we here at The Diva’s Thoughts have decided to forego Ask Tee this week and resume the feature next Wednesday as scheduled so please don’t forget to send in your Ask Tee letters. All are welcomed.

What I’ve decided to do today instead is to ask you all to tell us what your favorite holiday traditions are.

I’ll go first. When I was a kid every Thanksgiving and Christmas my father would commandeer the kitchen and bake. He would bake for hours and I would love to watch him. He’d bake all kinds of cakes and pies. He’d make pecan pies and sweet potato pies and coconut cakes and chocolate cakes and so many others. The smells emanating from the kitchen were pure heaven.

I used to look forward to the holidays so that I could smell those sweet smells and see my father doing what he loved, and eating those delectable treats.

Man I miss that. Daddy, I miss you.

Happy holidays everyone!

What are your holiday traditions?

As far as I can remember growing up, we have always had family gatherings for the holidays, always. It was a time to get together, eat some good food, have some laughs and good natured ribbing. The holidays were always something to look forward to.

This year however, not so much. My brothers don't seem to have the same desire to keep the family traditions going and it saddens me a great deal.

I've always known that it was my mother that was the glue that kept our family together and that if anything ever happened to her then we would all splinter off into our own separate lives. My mother is disabled and in a nursing home. This in all likelihood will be our last holiday together and I really wanted to make this a special time for her but it's apparent that my brothers are not interested in this and it really saddens me. Not because I particularly want to see them but because I wanted this to be memorable for my mother.

My brothers will in all probability go their separate ways doing whatever they want to do for Christmas and I will maybe visit friends, after I spend time with mom of course.

This is all infuriating me to no end and also giving me the case of the blahs.

I'll be glad when this holiday season is over and I really never have to deal with my brothers again.