In Reno, Nevada

First and foremost -- I have to tell you about Anne Bradshaw's contest -- why? Because I want to win, natch! Read on - because there's more!

Anyone want to win a brand new, still-in-box, RjTECH UNO-02DVD compact slim DVD player? And since it's the Christmas season when it's nice to give more, SHIPPING by Priority Mail is FREE in Continental USA. Closing date--DECEMBER 18th 2007.

Full DVD functionDVD format compatibility:

DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW/VCD/SVCD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/JPEG
Audio Outputs: 2.1 CH RCA/Coaxial
Video Outputs: Video/S-Video/YCbCrMulti-TV System NTSC/PAL
Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 1.5 inches ; 4 pounds

Two simple rules:

1) Post information about the contest on your blog with a link back to Anne's.
2) Leave ONE comment back at Anne's post telling her you've completed #1.

Winner will be chosen by random number generator on Tuesday December 18th, and announced the same day. Spread the word about this nifty give-away. And a Merry Christmas to one and all!

As mentioned, I'm in Reno, Nevada. I drove here with a friend yesterday - that was quite a drive. I don't think I've ever been on a road so straight before. I mean STRAIGHT! Holy Cow! I'm so used to the twisty turny roads of the Rocky Mountains this was somewhat a shock to my system. Yes! I'm a Rocky Mountain girl and I've never driven in the Midwest.

My best girlfriend from high school, who now lives in Idaho, and I decided to hit the highway and pop on over here to see Merrill in his new Christmas Show at the El Dorado Hotel & Casino.

Here are the deets on that:

The Eldorado Showroom presents Spirit of Christmas starring Merrill Osmond. The Eldorado Hotel Casino is ringing in the holiday season with one of London’s biggest Christmas shows! From the producers of “Spirit of the Dance,” the Eldorado Showroom presents “Spirit of Christmas” – a holiday extravaganza of pure Christmas magic featuring Merrill Osmond, lead singer of the famous family band The Osmond’s. Osmond and the “Spirit of Christmas” cast will spread the holiday cheer during a 7-week run from November 13-December 28.

Santa and his merry helpers will take you on an unforgettable Christmas journey through the streets of London in this glittering, dancing and singing seasonal spectacular! “Spirit of Christmas” is an enchanting Christmas show with a dazzling cast, beautiful costumes, breathtaking scenery and the highest kicking Chorus Girls this side of the North Pole.

Sing along with Osmond and the chorus to your favorite Christmas standards including “White Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Chestnuts Roasting,” “O Holy Night” and many more.

Osmond is fresh off the heels of the “Osmond Family Celebrates 50 Years,” music special and continues on to “Spirit of Christmas,” another dazzling family event sure to fill your loved ones with the holiday spirit.

We're very excited. Merrill's music has helped my friend through some of the toughest times of her life: Military service, severe auto accident resulting in dozens and dozens of surgeries on her hips, knee, ankles and feet. Bedridden, then wheelchair, then walker and now she's finally walking on her own, slowly, but on her own. I am so proud of her and her unwillingness to give up. This was what she wanted. She wanted to come see Merrill in his Christmas Show. It was something I could give her and really wanted to. So we hit the road.

I'd been up since 4:00 a.m. trying to get all my work done, laundry, dishes, packing, cleaning, pretty much running around like a chicken with my head cut off so that I could give her these four days of "best friend time." By 2:00 in the afternoon I was dragging, I mean seriously dragging. We'd been on the road for three hours, I was driving, and the Dr. Pepper I'd sucked down at 10:00 a.m. was long gone. So Linda bought me this little tiny bottle of something called Five Hour. She told me to swig it and it would give me some energy. Did I mention she'd never read the bottle's directions? Did I mention you're only supposed to have HALF the bottle for moderate energy?

So yeah, I swigged the whole thing, just like she said! You guessed it! Seriously amped up and wired for HOURS! I believe I mentioned, ad nauseum, that may have been a little too much caffeine. UNDERSTATEMENT!

On the way we listened to Marie's new Christmas CD. What a rockin' CD!

I mean, seriously, this is the best Christmas CD I've ever heard in a REALLY, REALLY long time. Up to then, the best Christmas CD/album I'd ever heard, in all these years, was the Osmond Family Christmas Album released in the 70's. Bar none. I still think that, but Marie's now has equal status in my eyes.

She recorded duets with the brothers, with Donny, with Jimmy, with Merrill, with Paul Engemann (former lead singer of Animotion (remember them?)), her son, Steven . . . original songs as well as some of the standards. Excellent song choice and her voice is fantastic. The years on Broadway have given her voice depth and texture and it shows on this CD. She and Merrill did the rockinest rendition of "Santa's Claus is Coming to Town" I've ever heard

Yeah, so now I have to save my pennies and buy one! It's a must have for my music library.

Nonsequiter. You know what I was thinking as I was driving yesterday? After Alvin gets his kidney transplant in the first quarter of next year, and after he's recovered completely, I really want to take him on a Tahitian cruise. He served his mission there and has talked often about wanting to take me back there and see some of the most beautiful beaches, grottos and places he saw on his mission. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to find a way. My husband has had the toughest last few years and deserves some time in the sand, sun and surf more than anyone I know. I will figure out a way, somehow.

Well - how's that for a few leaps and jumps from one topic to another? Maybe I still have the residual effects of the Five Hour caffeine drink. I've been up since a quarter to three this morning. I'm pretty sure I'll be draggin' halfway through church this morning.