I went forth and multiplied...

I now have TWO blogs. this one and the one I am going to send you to temporarily until I can get this one fixed.

lFRUSTRATION!!!

Hang with me people, I am still trying to figure out what the HELL is wrong with my computer. It appears to have a "LURKER" or something that has taken over my ability to see anything with haloscan.com comments. I can not get to the home page even, comes up as not able to open page. So if you are using haloscan as your commenting forum I can not see them nor can I comment. I can however see your blogs. Several of you have commented on my blog, because you CAN see them and are trying to tell me what to do, but I CANT SEE THEM!!!! My sister told me I had quite a few.

I have wonderful WS from Blogeois's place trying to help me when he is able to. So just be patient with me...

I have downloaded hijackthis, and I have gone to Hoster.com, and I have the logs printed out, but for the life of me I do not know what to look for.

I have even taken the haloscan.com comments out of my template and tried to go with bloggers commenting forum, but I cant get that to work either! maybe after I publish this...And that doesn't work either! Blogger cant put them in because haloscan is blocking the comments. I HATE THIS STUPID PIECE OF S#$%&

If nothing else works, then I am scratching this and will be starting over with a totally new template, and title.

Keep watching...I'm here!

WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Well from what my Sister says, I have quite a few comments, but I can not see them. I can not see comments nor LEAVE comments on any blog that uses haloscan.com!! I tried defrag, system restore, and now I am turning on blogger's comments, although I HATE having to do word verification. We will see if that works. I may not have put it in the right place either.

I HATE BEING STUPID!!!! THis has been going on for about 2 days, ever since Dec 24! I thought maybe Haloscan was off for the holiday, but I guess it is me again. I wrote to a friend who fixed me when I could not get to amazon.com, but I cant remember what he did with hoster. But they live in the Portland area, and I just heard they are all without power because of a big windstorm. SO.....l

Let us try this blogger commenting system and see what happens.

HELP!!

Ok You wizzards out there.

I can not see my comments, I can not see comments on any blogs that use haloscan either. My Sis says that she has hers but they dont show up for me, neither do Davids or Wandas.

Sally said she can see mine and I have 18 comments. How does this happen. I looked at my source code and all looks as good as it should to me. (that does not mean it is right!)

Anybody else having problems...email me

dreamer(at)galaxynet(dot)com

and let me know.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am wishing that all of you will have a happy and safe Christmas. I have a few things left to do here, mainly cleaning, and then Bob will come over, and watch TV and at 9:00 I will go over to Phyllis' for family time. TOmorrow I am cooking a 15 pound Rib Roast! I make the BEST Prime Rib Roast...Phyllis bought it this year, and she bought a big one. I asked her why so big, and she actually growled at me. BECAUSE I WANT SOME LEFT OVERS!! oh.

Neither of my kids will be here for Christmas. DOnna has decided that it is too phony, so she is not celebrating Christmas this year. No tree, no presents, no cooking, no family, nothing. Tim is stuck on Orcas Island, and won't be here either. He only lives 45 miles away, but to get there you have to take a very crowded ferry full of tourists getting away from it all. ANd during the holidays it is nearly impossible for him to get off island and then be assured of a spot on a return trip! SO he stays there, and might call.

This is the very first year that I have not bought 1 christmas present. I made all of my simple little gifts with things left over in my craft boxes. THey are cute, and 100 years ago would have been perfect for Christmas, Now a days, they are hokey. But it is the thought that counts.

I will write more about Christmas later, right now, I have a fruitcake kitchen to clean up. and 2 rooms to vaccuum. and a catbox to change, and a bunny to feed. Gotta get busy....

Stay Safe and be happy...remember it is not the # of gifts, it is the quality of the love that is important.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Somehow all the Haloscan comments are down. So I can't see that you all were here! >:(

Christmas meme...

A Meme for Christmas


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
EGG NOG!! With a bit of Hooch in it.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrapped of course!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored, but big on the house and tiny on the tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?.
I used to. It never worked.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Right after THanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Prime Rib or Ham

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
The Christmas we transferred from Guam to San DIego, and we thought we would have to spend Christmas on the transport (that is a ship for you young ones)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yep.

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him?
Sugar cookies, or candy cane cookies..

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it!! But we hardly ever get it.

12. Can you ice skate?
no ice!!
.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I think it was the Christmas I got Patsy and Rebecca my dolls..

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Family and the feeling of peace.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
pecan pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Going out for that drive to see the lights on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree?
An angel.

18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving?
Giving. Only this year I am broke...:(

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
Silent Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum!

Now it's YOUR turn!

A winter's Solstice...

tonight is the longest night of the year. It did not get light until after 800 and it was getting dark at 400 PM I LOVE this time of year. Especially driving through the empty fields, and seeing the flocks of winter birds flying low looking for any little bit of grain or bug that they can.

the doves were all lined up on Lea's side of the yard, this morning, all puffy and waiting for the feeder to empty out of the squirrels so they could get in and eat their fill. Once I let Sadie out, the squirrels were gone and so were the doves. But Sadie did not stay out as it was raining and windy, so she wanted back in with Mommie.

I had 3 types of woodpeckers at the suet blocks this morning, Harry the Hairy woodpecker, Mort and Morticia the downy woodpeckers and the Western Flicker. The chickadees and the Juncos were all flocking, and out front the Ravens were after the rotting turkey meat that I found in the back of the fridge.

My tooth was still a little sore, so I only had cornbread and milk. I finally got the fruitcakes made, and I ended up taking a combination of three different ones, and hope they turn out. I used Mrs. Maus's fruitcake recipe, and Mary's Southern Recipe, and a little of Cal's. The basic one was From Esther, and her daughter in laws mothers recipe. It is turning out pretty good, but I had to guess at the time and temperature, as Esther forgot that part!! ;) It smells really good right now, so I turned off the oven and will just let it slowly cool down, then I will make a mixture of rum and Peach Jam and glaze them with that. Oughta be really good.
I do not like the green stuff in fruit cake, so I only put in things I like. It's my house I can do that!

As I was stirring the very stiff batter, I of course HAD to taste it. And I forgot and bit down on a nut! SO my not so much hurting tooth is now giving me a fit, so as soon as the cakes come out of the oven, I will take another pain pill and head for the bed room. It had not hurt very much at all today, but I goofed and should not have chewed on that side quite yet.

I am recording the Mormon Tabernacle choir Christmas concert, followed by St Olaf's College Choir. They are both exceptional groups, and the St Olaf's Choir is world reknown in it's own right. It is a given that the Mormon Tabernacle would be, but they are paid performers, and the college Choir is not. I so wish I had continued on with my music training.

marts apprentice is coming on so time to go watch that. Enjoy the Long night ya'll.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....

I had a root canal done on the offending tooth today, and am loaded with pain killers, so I opt not to take out the trash, and instead, get my body to bed and sleep it off...

If you want to know all about it go here (I TOOK IT DOWN, IT WAS MAKING MY BLOG GO WONKY!!!)

Well Ill bet I screwed that up....( i did!)

short post today...I was up most of last night with a hell of a toothache. Started out in my bottom jaw, then went to my whole side of my right face. (as if I had a LEFT or WRONG face LOLOL) then it localized right under my latest crown. THROB, THROB, THROB! PAIN HURT OWWWIE!!! I called the dentist and left a message on his machine, so this Morning at 8AM Krista called and said get in here. So off I trundle to the Dentist in Oak Harbor, to wait while she squeezed me in. I seem to have an infection under my crown now, and the tooth has died, so tomorrow I go back again for a root-canal. Merry Christmas Mary Lou!! Shit! I was hoping to be able to wait until after income tax returns came in. Ah well. On the way home I stopped at the drug store for anti=biotics and tylenol 3, and then headed home. Christmas music was playing on 106.9FM so I of course was singing along. Then Handel's MESSIAH came on, so I started to whistle. Did YOU know that it is impossible to whistle with one side of your face numb? It is! Trust me on this! Well the novacaine is starting to wear off, so I better go take a pill. I hate to, but I will.

Oh WAIT!! I have a pint of Meyers dark rum and a pint of Christian Bros Brandy sitting on the counter waiting for fruitcake, don't you think a toothache deserves it MORE? LOLOLOL SEE ya!! Whoot!!!

My own Village...

my town...

This is a picture of my own little town, that is handpainted by myself. It is not l because I want to wait until the other 16 pieces are done so I can light them all at once. THe Tree, my mother made, I LOVE it. And she made the tree skirt too. (Look familiar anyone ;) )

I got up yesterday and after blogwalking some I decided that I had to get cracking on making the rest of my cards. So now all are sent except for in town ones. I know that some in Europe have received them already. Be on the lookout for them. (everybody but DAVID, because he wont tell his address.) As I was sitting at the table looking out on the wintery white frosty world, I thought I needed Christmas Music, so I got out my John Denver Christmas albums, and the CHristmas cd's that my daughter made for me one year, and of course Harry Connick Jr. and Neil Diamond, and I sung my little heart out. John Dever has a range that makey perfect for me to sing to. I have a very low voice, and can not sing many ALto parts. TOo high. But John does it just right. And Karen Carpenter too, even though I have none of her albums. So I sang, drank good coffee, and made Christmas cards.

The cats just look at me like I am some weird being, but Sadie knows! She pointed her little muzzle straight up and puckered her little mouth and sang right along with me. I just love that....It is so funny!!!! SO after 4 hours of sing-a-long I finished my cards, except for a few special ones, and will get them in the mail TOmorrow.

I put a roast on to cook, and sat in my chair to watch TV Christmas Movies. I eat them all up. Every single one. I just LOVE Christmas. THe smells, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the spices, the baking cookies, the fire, the lights, I lOVE the lights, the feeling in the air, from EVERYONE. The one thing I really hate is being so damned BROKE! no money for store bought gifts, so I am making a little something for each of the family, and NO STOCKINGS this year either. Ah well, there is always next year.

THe sun came over the top about 815 this morning, and it was gorgeous!! the light hitting the few clods off to the east and turning them pink. THen just as quickly it was gone. We have had the driest December! Cold and foggy, but no rain, no snow, to speak of. Just COLD it was 18 this morning about 430. Rain should be coming in tomorrow and turn it all to mush! When the Pineapple Express comes in from Hawaii, it is laden with warm wet air, which hits the Olympic Mtns and dumps it all right here on Puget Sound. We save some for Blogeois around the Portland area, and we send the rest on East to Leslie, and Kat, and Ellen. ANd Lost and Joan, and sometimes we send it to the midwest. So expect a White Christmas you all, All we get is wet ones.

Bob brought Rum and Brandy over last night, so Today I get to make FRUITCAKE!!! I am trying several recipes, and will let you know which one I like best.

On to Christmas Movies again today...ya'll have fun!!

WAVING AT CAITLIN!!!!!!!!!! Hey, Ya want me to knit you a cute little cap to keep your head warm? Let me know, I will.

A Cup of Tea...

A Cup of Tea...

There is something settling about sitting down to a good cup of tea just as it starts to get dark. I personally LOVE Earl Grey tea, but that is loaded with caffeine and keeps me awake all night.

It has been so cold here this past week, that I have been unable to get warm. I pile on the sweaters and socks and fuzzy slippers, but nothing gets me warm. I have even resorted to turning on the heat because I was out of wood in the wood box and did not want to go outside for fear I would slip on the ice and freeze to death.

Last night, actually yesterday afternoon, Bob was over for a bit, so I had him load up the wood box for me. I have a system. Since I can not bend over without excruciating pain in my back, I have Bob do that part. I open the dining room window which is 2 feet from the woodpile, and take the dcreen out of the window, then I hand the wood into Bob, who carries it across the LR to the wood box. Then I don't have to bend over, and the wood box is full, and Bob didn't have to go outside and stumble through the ice crusted leaves all over the grass.

After he left, I built a fire, and Sadie let me know that this was a good thing. as soon as I sat down in front of the woodstove, SHe was there, as were the 4 cats. I believe Bea would have been also, If I had let her out of her cage. I kept that puppy goping most of the evening with only 5 pieces of wood. It heated up the whole house, and I was finally warm.

I fixed a cup of herbal tea, and sat in my chair with all the lights out except for the xmas lites and listened to classic KING FM, and drank in the warmth of the tea, and the fire, and the Christmas lights. AHHHHHHH I was finally warm, Clear through. THe only thing that would have made it better would have been a really good friend to come over and drink it with me.

( I see you Caitlin!!! ;) ) Everybody Wave at her.....

Adak National Forest At Christmas...

adak

Imagine an entire forest lighted with the dazzle and joy of a family Christmas tree. Stringing miles of colored lights from top to bottom and hither and yon--what a chore that would be! Accomplishing such a feat would take all of Santa's elves working at warp speed--or an incredibly small forest.

Luckily for the Kiwanis Club elves of Adak Island, the Adak "National Forest" is small--33 trees all told. It's so small the entrance sign reads, "You are now entering and leaving Adak National Forest." This tiny cluster of Sitka spruce surely comprise America's smallest forest. A leisurely walker can circumnavigate the entire forest in less than a minute.

Like a deserted island surrounded by water, the Adak forest disrupts the monotony of the open tundra. It nestles on an east-facing slope just inland from the frothy Bering Sea. On a clear day, you can view the forest with Mount Moffett as a backdrop. Moffett and the miniature forest are a couple of the prominent landmarks of Adak.

Adak is located about 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, in the stepping-stone chain of islands known as the Aleutians. Due to its extreme western location, Adak played a strategic role in the outcome of World War II. Its proximity to Kiska and Attu (which the Japanese occupied early in the war) provided U.S. forces with an outpost from which to attack the Japanese. The military stronghold on Adak also protected North Pacific sea lanes, Alaska territory, and the Pacific Northwest.

The historical journals are sketchy, but most likely the Adak Forest trees were planted as a morale booster sometime in 1944. Perhaps thousands of spruce were planted throughout the Aleutians in the 1940s, but today the Adak Forest is the only significant result. After 49 years, the trees are seven to 15 feet tall and six to seven inches in diameter. By contrast, in Southeast Alaska, near the heart of this tree's natural range, an average 50-year-old Sitka spruce will be 80 to 90 feet in height and 15 to 20 inches in diameter.

Although the Aleutian Islands are not conductive to growing large trees, the small size of the Adak Forest enables Adakians to put a special spin on their Christmas tradition. Bob Akens, a 13-year island resident and member of the Kiwanis Club, said, "We light up the whole forest as a community service. Everyone here is a way from their real home at Christmas so this brings a little bit of hometown spirit to Adak.

by Lon Lauber

I spent 18 months on The Island, and it is what the author of the above report says...Bitterly Beautiful. As Store Manager, I got to know Lon, because he was the best photographer of Adak scenery on the Island. He had a small Cottage business that he ran out of his home.

The Adak National Forest is very unique, it is small, and during the Holidays, it is beautiful! Especially after a good snow fall. My Father was stationed there right after the war, in fact he was stationed there when he got the cable telling him that I had been born. No wonder I had a pull to go there. It was terribly lonely, and I am not a loner, but I would not change my tour there for anything.

Nasty News...

Back when I was doing A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The FOrum, Caitlin Lewis auditioned for her very first role. SHe was 14 at the time. She was cast as Philia, the vestial virgin, and she was WONDERFUL. Such a chatty upbeat older than her years teenager.

Today I got an email from her Mother, telling us all that Caitlin has Cancer.

November, Caitlin was going out for basketball and came down hard from a layup shot. After thinking she had pulled muscle again, xrays showed a cracked fibula (small bone in lower leg) but also showed a malignant bone tumor. After several tests and scans, she has been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, malignant tumor - it basically has destroyed her fibula and expanded out into her muscle. If she hadn't cracked that bone and gotten the xray, we never would have known till it would have been too late to treat, so things seem to happen in a way that is necessary, I guess.

She has started her Chemo, and has had her first treatment. She is expected to do quite well, but I am just flumoxed by this news. Her Mom was very upbeat about her prognosis, and I just KNOW that Caitlin will not let this get her down.

Caitlin comments on my blog, but has not done so in awhile, but I am sure she will again. SO everybody...all together now 1-2-3 GET WELL CAITLIN!!! HURRY UP AND GET BACK TO FULL HEALTH!!! WE MISS YOU!!!!!

She can be reached at caitlena(at)msn(dot)com I am sure she would love to hear from people. ELLEN? CJ? Steve?

monday ...and still black text..

village

This is the grouping of pieces that I call my village. No two of them are from the same collection. I will post the ones I made tomorrow.

3 pieces of this one are Dept. 56 pieces. I would love to have more of them, but Alas, I no longer have expendable income.

I am still trying to get my text to come out red. but it just wont. I may just leave it alone and wait until January when I switch to Winter....

I spent today putzing around, almost done with my Christmas Cards for the continental US. the out of country ones are on their way as of last week. the In State ones will get done tomorrow.

My friend Rusty came over for coffee after she got out of school, and it was enjoyable. No one ever comes over here,EVER. It was really nice, and the house was reasonably clean too. Nothing like Leslie's though. THere is yucky stuff still spilled in my fridge from this summer.

We have had the coldest foggiest weather here, and the past few days the sun was out, but today it was foggy and cold again, and the weatherman says POSSIBLE snow this weekend. BRRRRRRRRRRR It hailed just as Rusty left, and then POURED for about 10 minutes, and now the moon is out cold and foggy. there is a rainbow around the moon. SOmething tells me there is ice up there...

WHEW!

Well, I bribed my SIL to come finish decorating my house. So I can relax as far as that goes. I even have my village on display. I was collecting just a piece here and a piece there of village, and then I realized that there were so MANY of them. I had 1 piece of Lenox, 1 piece of Colonial village, and 1 generic. Then I discovered Dept.56! So I thought that was what I was going to continue with until I discovered that I had 1 piece of Santa's Village, 1 piece of Christmas in the City and 1 piece of Dickens village. And there are many more collections. I like them all!

When I lived in Fallon, NV I was only 50 miles or so from Virginia city, which is very historical, and very touristy. I would spend quite a bit of time up there, rummaging through the museums and the shops. There was a complete Dept 56 shop there, so I would go up as soon as they opened in the spring and decide which 1 piece I would buy that year. I loved that shop. If I had to settle on just one collection it would probably be the Dickens Christmas Village, although Christmas in The City comes really close.

I have not bought a piece in several years as I have not had the extra money to do so, and the prices just are not coming down. I think my collection is as done as it is gonna be. I have about 10 pieces that I am finishing myself. They are ceramic, and unpainted, and uncleaned, so they were really cheap. I have 4 pieces of that collection done, but they take forever, as the painting is so tedious. I want to get them as close to historically correct as I can, so I research the paint jobs on each piece I do. I may just get out the dremel tool and the paints and get with it this spring. Yeah, I need something to keep me busy....(snort)

Kids part II

We made it all the way into Michigan and were there for a week, visiting and planning our next step. We knew that we would not be back this way for several years, and Jim’s Grandmother was very frail, so it was a bittersweet reunion. The kids were fine, and getting anxious for Santa to arrive.

Christmas morning dawned cold and windy, but full of good things from Santa. It seems he thought that the poor little kids would not be getting much so he brought them more than they needed. Now all of this along with what Santa had packed from Virginia, made for a very full car.

We left for the longest leg of our trip on to Washington to see my family for the first time in 5 years, on Dec 26, and made it in to Oak Harbor, on Dec 31, just in time for the New Years Eve Party at the American Legion. (Remember folks, my family used to be hardy partiers. And not even Grandkids would sway them from their libations. ) Phyllis was waitressing there and Mom and Dad had made reservations for us too. For the life of me I can’t remember what we did with the kids…hmmmmm…Donna?

I sashayed up to the bar and laid a big lip lock on my new brother in law that had no clue who I was. It must have scarred him for life, because we never got more than three words out of him at any one time. EVER! We saw the new years in, and then headed home to crash, as it was a long drive from Michigan in snow and Mountain passes.

OH YEAH!!! And we blew the engine out of the car I was driving On Look Out Pass in Montana, and paid some one to drive it over to us when it was fixed. Forgot about that too. Some things you don’t want to remember. All of the kids Santa toys had to remain in the car, so they were bummed there was nothing to play with.

Never fear, Santa must have forgotten he left all of the toys at Michigan, because he left that many in Washington Too. Now to figure out how to get it all into both cars and on down to California. Donna ended up with Two Barbie houses, exactly alike, several Barbie dolls, and clothes. Tim ended up with every hot wheels car or matchbox car you could think of and they filled two huge carry cases! Not to mention a racetrack that has to be assembled at every stop.

We made it in to Alameda and found a house in Hayward, Calif. While we were waiting for the movers to arrive Jim of course had to report in to Lemoore, Ca for training, leaving me to move once again by myself. It NEVER failed. EVER!

I just made a big pot of Chicken Noodle Soup, so time to stop, eat and address In Country Christmas Cards. I will send them to everyone whose address I have. And that leaves David Out. He is afraid his wife will find it and then blow his cover on blogging right DAVID? Wink wink ;) ;)

Traveling at Christmas...

Traveling with kids at any time of the year is difficult. Traveling with kids at Christmas Time is HORREDOUS! In my lifetime, there have been 5 times when we not only traveled with kids at Christmas, but we TRANSFERRED duty stations at Christmas time. That is a major undertaking, especially with little kids. AS we grew older it was not as tough because the SANTA was not expected as much as when we were little.

We were living in Virginia Beach, when Jim got his orders back to Sea Duty. We had been on back-to-back tours at NAS Oceana for 5 years, but we were expecting another tour from The East Coast after the first of the year. I was not expecting to transfer ACROSS Country, especially before Christmas. Jim brought his orders home a week before Thanksgiving, and we were packed and ready to leave by Dec 15.

We knew we would be driving to Jim’s Parents house in Michigan, where we would stay until after Christmas, so we had to plan on Santa gifts too. This would be Tim’s first really aware of things Christmas, and we knew that he would be fully into the whole deal. Donna was still in first grade, so she would be fully expectant of Santa also. We had two cars, so Jim drove the VW Squareback full of the SANTA and the Luggage, and I drove the VW bus, with the kids and the other items we would need until our Household effects would arrive in Alameda, Ca.

We pulled out of Virginia Beach loaded and ready for a long dark drive to Charleston, W.Va. where we would be spending the weekend with Jim’s Aunt and Uncle before the LONG drive into Michigan. It was a long drive into Charleston even on I –64, because it was very hilly and twisty, and icy, and I was not real comfortable driving in those conditions. As I was white knuckling it into the really hilly part of W. Va., with both kids sound asleep on their own seats in the back, I was looking at all of the Christmas Lights all lit up in the night. Suddenly out of the back , right into my left ear was a tiny little voice, saying…”oh the pretty Tristmas lights!…” scared the bejesus outa me. Tim had been standing up quite awhile, looking out the window at Christmas going by in the night.

Once I calmed down, I asked him how long he had been awake, and he told me he was watching the Santa stuff. That was back in the last town we passed about an hour back. I had never known him to be so quiet. He was usually all jabber. This one night he was quiet, as if he knew that Mom was tense, and he wanted to add to the peace of the moment. He has always loved the Christmas Lights. ALWAYS!

Wednesday...

I had the opportunity to apply for a part time job with the Whidbey Playhouse, which I would have LOVED. I was told that it would be a NEW position, including the janitorial duties, I hardly ever scrub my own toilet, so I did not relish the thought of cleaning 7 toilets every day. I vaccuumed my bedroom last night and threw my back out, it is sooooo painful. So since just vaccuuming one room put me out of commission, I opted to NOT apply for the position.

Now I am being told it was NOT the janitorial position, but mostly office work. Looks like shot myself in the foot! I really NEEDED that job, if in fact it was an office job. I NEED a part time 2 or 3 days a week, and I work weekends too. Well I hope SOMETHING shows up soon!! EEK!

I am going to go get my tree today, a small one because I cant afford a big one. If there were still any in the woods to find, I would do that, but alas, they are all gone. Such is the price of civilization!

got my suet feeders full again and the house is almost stink free again. GADS but rendering that uet down to it's liquid form is AWFUL!!! THis was home grown suet too, and home butchered, so it was not the pure suet that you get at the butcher shop, so It stinks even more than usual.

BIRD SUET:

Fill your containers with a mixture of:
squirrel food
bird seed
sunflower seeds
peanuts (shelled)
raisins
dryed corn

Melt your suet over very low heat until clear. (if it isnt clear, strain it) then let it cool to the hard stage again, right in the pan, This makes it harder)

Once the suet has been melted twice and is now debris free, add 1/2 cup of creamy peanut putter. MAke sure it is all melted in.

Ladle the suet mixture over the birdseed in the containers, set outside to get solid, then wrap in saran wrap and freeze.

I use the square containers from the bought suet blocks, I save them and wash them every time.

I also have used muffin tins, and pinecones. If you do use pinecones, dip them into the hot suet and them bury them in the bird seed. let harder in the freezer them hang them in the trees. THe Chickadees go crazy for them.

THe recipe up there is the one I use, but there are many more, some call for oatmeal, cornmeal, cayene pepper, garlic...etc. ???????

I hang 6 feeders, and they usually last a month or so, unless Lola gets really greedy!!

Sleep....

house

I got to sleep about 300 AM this morning, and woke up at 730 listening to something hit the plywood covering that is laying over the crawl space hole. THUMP!! Then a pause, then a whack, thud, then a THUMP!!! A pause, and a whack, thud. Sadie was still asleep, and the cats were on my bed, so I was not sure what I was hearing. I peeked out the window and could see nothing, then 3 cats flew off the bed and ran down the hall. I was right after them, wondering what the hell was happening. THUMP! Whack, thud just as we all got into the office, Loki was immediately in the window followed by chitters. I waited, as I saw the suet feeder swinging wildly in it's chain.

Suddenly, THUMP!! And Lola was hanging on the window screen right in front of us. Drove the cats NUTS! She seemed to know that the window would protect here from the cats that were 2 inches from her face. She then leaped over to the suet feeder and hung there swinging and eating until she worked a sunflower seed out of the suet, then whack Thud as she leaped down to the plywood and the feeder whacked the window.

I was so excited!! She was so close. The suet feeders are all empty, so I got my tush busy rendering suet and making blocks to fill the feeders again. Now I have them all in the freezer getting really hard, and tomorrow I will refill all the baskets. It is after all Christmas, and the critters have to eat too.


Lola

I finished getting all of my Christmas cards made, and the out of country ones addressed. I thought I was being smart and making them smaller so they would fit in a smaller envelope, but there are none to be had right now. Evidently everyone else had the same thought. So you are all getting your cards in a big envelope!! Ah well. At least that is done. Tomorrow I will head to the post Office and get the no lick 'em Christmas stamps and get them all in the mail. Then tomorrow night the USA ones will be addressed and mailed on Wednesday. Whew.

I still need to get my tree, and get busy decorating!

I fell asleep under my spiffy new electric blanket, (OOPS, now called a WARMING blanket.) this afternoon. I was cold, and sleepy so I laid down to nap until Dr. Phil came on, which was an hour later, and slept until 600!! It felt so good to be warm clear through. I have not been able to get warm. My feet are freezing all the time, and I am dressed in sweaters and socks and curled under the afghan, and still not warm. This afternoon I did, and so did 1 dog, and four cats. I am going to have to remember to turn on both sides of the blanket though, because they were all on my side.

Maybe I will luck out and sleep all night tonight....Or at least until the critters hit the house again tomorrow...

Somebody! Please....

Will somebody PLEASE come put my tree up for me and decorate my house for me? I HATE to do that, especially by myself. My Dad always put the lights on the tree, and when I moved on my own, either a boyfriend, or later my husband would do it. Then Tim loved to put the lights on the tree, and string the extra lights all around the living room, and the bathroom mirrors. He really got into decorating. I HATE IT! I LOVE all the decorations, and nothing is more relaxing than sitting in my chair, in front of the wood stove, listening to Classic KING FM playing Christmas Choral music, and watching the tree lights. (All the other lights have to be out of course.) preferably with a cup of coffee and a glass of Baileys, or a glass of drambuie on the rocks, or a khalua and cream. Yummy.

It is just the dragging out the boxes, setting up the tree so it wont fall over in the stand, watering it so it won't die, then wrapping it with lights, and then putting all the decorations on it. Then putting all the boxes BACK into the garage, and sweeping up all the needles, and then trying to keep the cats out of it for a day or two until they get used to it. THAT is what I hate!

Call me a grinch I guess. I used to love everything about Christmas, but doing it all alone just doesn't seem worth it. No one EVER comes over to visit, EVER, and both kids are gone, and wont be home for the Holidays. They have their own lives to lead now.

When I was a little girl, I envied those friends of mine that had extended family close to them. They would go to their grandparents house for dinner, and see all their cousins etc. We lived FAR away from family, and just made do with the four then five of us. I always said that when I grew up I wanted a big family so they could all come over for Holidays. SO I married a grouch who did not like company, and then later, everybody moved away.

SO if anyone is up this way, give me a call. I will let you decorate my house for me. I will even fix you fudge and hot cocoa! Sounds like a deal, right?

Hello? Anybody there?...Hey...

Busy day...

ARRRGGHHHHH I just lost my post!! When Will I LEARN? this time it was an IE problem, and needed to be shut down. SO poof, there it went.

As I was saying...

We went into Burlington to get some things from Michael's and Costco. GOt what we needed and then Phyllis and I went to Applebees for dinner. Had a steak and garlic mashed potatoes, and for dessert I had bread pudding. It was unlike any I had ever had before. I LOVE Bread Pudding, and this was DELICIOUS!! It was crispy on the outside and really cremey on the inside, almost like french toast. But it was in cubes, and I think deep fried. Served with a carmel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Absolutely NO calories either. I was sated!!

Came home minus the envelopes and red brads that I went in for. Now I will really be late with my cards. I am making them all myself, and needed the envelopes to get them in the mail. SO Tomorrow I will head to office max and see what I can find. I may have to make the envelopes myself too.

I am tired, and need to get a good nights sleep tonight so I am going to go take a hot bath and crawl into my nice clean bed and under my brand new electric blanket and cozy down. see you tomorrow.

Christmas and Cats...

xmas cat


1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.
2. Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door.
3. Open door and remove cat from closet.
4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.
5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.
6. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc. . .
7. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.
8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.
9. Remove present from bag.
10. Remove cat from bag.
11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.
12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.
13. Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.
14. Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight.
15. Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper.
16. Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.
17. Place present on paper.
18. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.
19. Place object on paper, to hold in place while tearing transparent sticky tape.
20. Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.
21. Seal paper with sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.
22. Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.
23. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.
24. Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.
25. Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper.
26. Decide to skip steps 13-17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.
27. Put present in box, and tie down with string.
28. Remove string, open box and remove cat.
29. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for locked room.
30. Once inside lockable room, lock door and start to relay out paper and materials.
31. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and relock.
32. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cat from outside door)
33. Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best)
34. Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with this last year as well.
35. Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to make torn sheet of
paper look presentable.
36.Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.
37.Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job.
38.Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.
39.Spend 15 minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion.
40.Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.
41.Go to store and buy a gift bag

In Transition...

I am going to be changing things on my blog today, so you may see some weird things going on. Bare with me please...while I figure out which color goes where. DAMN I wish I had a template that says "put the background color here...put the border colors here...put the sidebar color here...put the font color here...etc, etc, etc, You'd think that these template makers would know that the majority of the people that use their templates are not geeks, so they would make their own! I know when I was taking Basic way back in the darkages...you could put words into the program that would do nothing, but would tell anyone reading the codes what was going on. Sounds really easy doesn't it? Ah well. I will be fixed by this evening....I promise.