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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Wishes

When I was younger, Christmas meant I'd get a couple gifts from my parents and a trip to my grandparents' house  for the day.
I always wanted cool gifts, even though Mom tried to teach us that isn't what Christmas is about.

As I get older, I feel more the meaning of what the Christmas is supposed to be.
Same goes for all religious holidays in December.

It's about love.

I don't wish for things anymore.
Things are nice, but they are just things..

OK, maybe I learned that last year when Honeyman got me one gift and it was a cd that I already had.
I was fine.
I realized I don't care so much about the gifts anymore.

Though it still bugs him, because he just brought it up a couple days ago.

This week's Ten Things Tuesday is about the types of things I wish for.

1. I wish for my daughter to stay goofy.
  If she's not goofy, she's not happy so I tell her to stay goofy.

2. I wish for the FDA to mandate GMO labeling.
  If I want to eat pesticides, I'll go buy a bag of Round-up.

3. I wish for at least a few more years with my parents.
  Even though my mom drives me insane. But, they are still my parents. They are getting old and tired though.

4. I wish for Honeyman to be able to enjoy his life more.
  He works hard and gets down about things. It's nice to see him happy.

5. I wish I had some zucchini.
  I wish my plant hadn't died. I could buy some, but it is just not the same.

6. I wish my cat allergy would go away. I love to snuggle with my kitty, but she makes me hurt.
I do it anyway.

7. I wish people would accept other people even when they don't agree.
  Examples include: religion, abortion, same-sex relationships, political parties

8. I wish our family could find time to watch out Christmas movies BEFORE Christmas.
  I can almost hear bobble head Ralphie screaming for me to take him out of the box.

9. I wish I could stay home on Christmas Eve.
  I don't see that ever happening, but I always thought it would be so nice.

10. I wish someone would give me an idea what to fix for supper sometimes.

What wishes do you have?

Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Holidays!

Yeah, I say it!

Happy Holidays!

I am getting so sick of
" Don't take Christ out of Christmas"
" Say Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays"
" Christ is the reason for the season".

I say "happy holidays" and I am not ashamed to say it.

I said it years ago.
I said it before I had ever met a Jewish person.
I said it before I knew Kwanza was a real holiday.
I said it before my oldest sister embraced paganism.

I said it because I was LAZY.

Yes, that's right.
LAZY

Instead of saying Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year or writing it out, I decided to economize my time and say or write Happy Holidays.

These days I know people are of all faiths.
It's still easier to just give a general "Happy Holidays!".

If I know you and your faith I may say
Happy Yule
Happy(or would it be Merry) Festivus
Happy Hanukkah

Or than again, I may just say

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Demanding December

The end of the year is always a crazy time in this house.
From mid-September on, there is no let up.

This year the super busy waited til the first of December and seems poised to go through the first part of January.

What caused me to be so busy?
Dentist/orthodontist visits
a weekend trip to my parents' home
and a deer.

In one day my poor 15 year old had 2 cavities filled and a nice visit to the orthodontist.
I so cannot wait until March.
The last of the orthodontist payments and the braces should be off.

Yes!

But, anyway ...
after that we ran around getting ready for the trip to my parents/deer hunting.
It was nice visiting my parents, but the spare bed is freakin' hard.
I have not missed my bed so much in my life.
Not only that, the mattress pad is plastic.
Every time I turned over it crinkled.
I don't know why I turned over trying to get comfortable.
It just wasn't happenin'.

So, Honeyman hunted with my uncle and other assorted relatives while Kiddo and I hung out with Dad.

Honeyman got a big buck opening day.
We stayed the weekend so he could hunt and help the group tag out and than we came home.
I'd post a pic, but some people have a thing about dead animals so I won't.

Than I had to do all the laundry I should have done before we left.

The next two days we butchered.
A lot of people have problems with venison.
I don't.
I grew up eating the stuff.

Fun fact: My one sister didn't like eating it so my mom mixed ground deer and ground beef together. She labeled the packages deef. It was either that or beer so she though deef was more appropriate.

We ended up with 100 pounds of meat. All of that is venison. Or good eats, as we like to call it in my house.

After that, I spent what seemed like days, going through my mountain of emails.
All with my internet wanting to go out just at the time I wanted to use it.
By the way, Windstream informs their customers of an internet outage by way of the internet.
Which, is really extremely helpful.

Can't forget the tree. Got it one night and decorated it the next.

I also got gifts. Online shopping is my friend.
Why run around getting all stressed and worried that people will shoot you?

Next week I get to make a pumpkin cheesecake. Someone ordered it from me.
Not a lot of orders for goodies this year.
But, that's OK. I've been busy.

Than I have to make goodies for friends. This year it's whoopie pies. Chocolate, pumpkin, and oatmeal.


If you have never had a whoopie pie, you NEED to try one. They are awesome!





 So, it has been busy and going to be busy. Honeyman may have to work Christmas Eve so we may not be going to the inlaws that night like we usually have to do.
We stay home on Christmas, but will go out to my parent's a few days after.
I hate running around and trying to see everyone on the same couple of days. I get stressed and me stressed is not fun to be around.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Comments, anyone?

My comments seem to working oddly for me lately.


For a while actually. I thought it might quit, but I don't know if it will.
Is anyone else having problems commenting on my blog?

The first time I hit comment, I get a red box above the comment section and my comment is in the box.
I hit comment again and it posts.
Sometimes it works right.
More often than not, it doesn't.

If you are trying to comment and having problems, can you let me know?
Either try and comment or send an email, would you?
My email is on my profile.

I'd like to fix it if it isn't working right.
Thanks.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Another Christmas One

I know. I missed last Tuesday. I missed posting any days last week.

I had a bajillion things to do and something had to give.
More on that later.

Christmas isn't really my holiday (It's Halloween), but looking at my house you'd probably never know it.

I mean, we are not like Santas all over the inside and outside people.
But, I do have sleigh bells on my door and decorations scattered around.

So, I though I'd share some of my Christmas stuff with you.
This is how we do Christmas in my house.

The worst part is moving furniture to have a spot for the tree.
A hundred years ago, there was a lot less that went into a living room.
Chairs were smaller.

So, without further ado(or is it adieu?) here is Ten Things Tuesday- Great Christmas stuff.

1. Christmas Movies
  Everyone has their favorites. Mine is A Christmas Story.
We also watch Scrooged every year and most years National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

2. Freebies
  I love my freebies. I used to get tons of freebies for gifts or stocking stuffers. They are a little harder to come by these days it seems. Or, it takes more work to find them. I have even gotten ornaments. Nice ones. This angel one came from some church. It is glass and I love it.

3. Homemade ornaments.
Kiddo made this in pre-K. Well, someone else cut out the wood, but she painted it. She also made me a tree one.

4.Santa
Here is my booty shaking Santa. He spins around and dances and shakes his booty. I love it!

5. Christmas cookies
Every year my sister and I try to get together with our girls to make cookies. Sadly, one niece couldn't make it this year. She works retail. But, it's a fun tradition. It would be neat if my other sister lived closer so she could come.





6. A new ornament every year.
This angel we have had for years. It is one of the first ornaments we bought as a couple.

7. Lights
   I love lights on my tree. I have two different sizes. I have the minis and the bigger ones. I don't do blinking lights- they annoy me.

8. Handmade ornaments/decorations
   I have some ceramic Santas I bought from someone online. They are awesome. This year's handmade ornaments were bought off Etsy from Scrapin Sara's Gifts. She mentioned how to make them on her blog, but as I am not crafty I got a couple from her and they look great.

As, you can see- great job and two different sizes of lights.

9. Penguins
  I love penguins. I have penguin ornaments as well as decorations. Sadly, my dueling banjo penguins refuse to duel anymore. One plays, the other one just sits there like the dud that he is.




Honeyman had this made for the family a couple years ago.

10. Fat Santa
   He always goes near the top of the tree. He's heavy. I have all kinds of Santas on the tree, but this one is a family favorite. We found it at the DAV thrift shop several years ago.




So, do you have any special ornaments
decorations
movies
or other traditions?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Christmas Memories

I am a little late today, but my clock/calendar says it is still Tuesday so I'm good.

Christmas has never been my favorite holiday.
Growing up, it was never all I thought it would be.

I never got a pile of gifts and a belief in Santa.
My mom didn't believe in that.

Sometimes I get caught up in the not so fun Christmas times.
They weren't all so bad.

This weeks Ten Things Tuesday is about Christmas memories.
The good and the bad


1. My grandma died
  The coroner listed the date of the death as December 22, but they weren't sure. She was found by my aunt on Christmas Eve.  24 years ago this year and I still remember that day.

2. My cat climbed the Christmas tree
   She was a pretty rotund kitty and as she neared the top, the tree started to fall. My mom caught her and the tree.

3. Kiddo's first Christmas
   We had a tiny 3 foot tall artificial tree. I turned on the lights, put her in her carrier, and set her in front of the tree. She was mesmerized.

4. Honeyman stringing up lights in the garage
   We always go to Christmas Eve at the inlaws. Not a ball of fun. But, we do it. Anyway, when we got home he backed the car into the garage and he had put up Christmas lights. We didn't see them when we left because we usually keep the car out except when the weather is bad.
He was so excited to see our surprise.

5. Picture time
   My mother-in-law used to always have this thing about family pictures at Christmas. Ever since my brother-in-law got divorced she has never done family pictures, even though he always has his sons. It is weird, but we just don't question it.
Anyway, when Kiddo was a toddler she was hungry, but she couldn't eat because pictures came first and other people were late. We had to wait for them to do pictures. She was not happy in those pictures.

6. A robe and nightshirt
   When we were kids we got 2 gifts from Mom and Dad and  they were not always toys. One year all three of us got a nightshirt and a robe. Maybe it was because I'm the youngest, I don't know. But, I didn't mask my disappoint too well and Mom got mad.
Give me a break! I was a kid and I wanted something fun.

7. Pissing off my mom from 200 miles away
   We don't go to my parent's home for Christmas. We go out about a week later. It has been that way for years. Last year they got it in their heads I was going to be there. I never said I would because I never do. About noon, I wasn't there and my sister called from Mom's and asked me because she didn't think I was going but the parents were sure. Mom blew up. I could hear her screaming. I felt bad for my sister. Later I called and talked to Dad and I didn't even talk to her. She was still pissed.
It's a gift!

8. A boyfriend getting me something he likes
  Technically we weren't together at that time. It was all very complicated. But, anyway he gave me a keychain with Taz on it. He loved Taz(Tasmanian devil), I did not.

9. Christmas Bells
    My mom has this group of bells that she hangs up every Christmas. A few years ago, she didn't. That was the only year I remember she didn't put them up. It always seemed a sure sign of the season when the bells went on the door.

10. Going to Grandma's
     We always went to Grandma M.'s for Christmas. Except one year. We got to go to Grandma B.'s. We never went there because it took hours to get there. But, one year we got up, opened gifts, and got there in time for Christmas dinner.
Grandma and Grandpa were so happy.


Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

Friday, November 25, 2011

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The One About Thanksgiving

To all that will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow:

Have a good one!


To all others:

 Happy Thursday!


I really thought about reposting my lovely Thanksgiving post from last year.
Ultimately, I decided against it.
It is in the past and will remain so....
unless you really want to read how uninvited people came to dinner. If you do, go ahead and click here.

It's a different kind of year for me.
I have never been one to really enjoy the holidays.
Growing up holidays were more of an obligation to go somewhere and not necessarily where I wanted to go.

Since, we have moved here, we started our own day.
We stayed home.
I cooked.

It was small.
It was peaceful.
It was awesome!

This year is different.
We are going to my parent's home for the first time in ...
... over a decade?
Oh, wow.

I didn't realize it has been so long.

My parents are tickled to death.
All of their children under the same roof on a holiday.
That seldom happens.

I don't pick one day out of the year to be thankful.
I am grateful for things on a regular basis.
If I only waited til the 4th Thursday of every year, I'd really be a pain to live with.

But, Thanksgiving is not just about me and my thankfulness.
It is about my daughter being thankful she gets to see her cousins, aunts, and grandparents.
It is about my parents being thankful for having their whole family together.

So what if my nephew's ADHD drives everyone just a little bit insane.
So what If my mom is bound to blow a gasket at some time during the day.

I am determined that it is going to be a good day.

Now, I have to go make my deviled eggs.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- The 2am Epiphany

 Epiphany. Pictures, Images and Photos



I am one of those people that can never just lay down and go to sleep.
Even when I am exhausted, I seldom can.

Things just pop into my head and refuse to leave.

I have even gotten up and written emails to state senators before.

So, this week's Ten Things Tuesday is about some of the great ideas I get in the middle of the night when most people are actually sleeping.


1. I should redesign my blogs.
   That worked. Until, I thought I should add a favicon to Yummy Stuff. I already had one for Welcome to Me. Than I realized I couldn't remember how I got the favicon uploaded. So, I have one made to be finished another time. Apparently 2 am isn't such a good time to do that.

2. Leaving your windows open automatically sends a signal to a skunk to walk through your yard.
   At first, you think it is a coincidence, but after it happens every time you realize it is not.
If you've never had the privilege of a skunk walking within 20 feet of you, know the smell is so bad it could singe nose hairs. The smell on the road after one has been hit- tame by comparison.

3. I'll just get a Roku so I can get rid of Directv.
   I have Directv. I am far from being a fan, but living out in the sticks has its disadvantages and that is poor TV reception without a dish. Of course ESPN professional football and NFL Network football games would have to be streamed from "dubious sources" and Honeyman wants to watch TV and not the computer. That could be a little bump in my plan.

4. School should have a later start time.
  Getting up at 6am pretty much sucks when you are wide awake at 2. But, it still should start later. When buses are picking up students in the dark, it's a bit early.

5. Maybe I should just stay up until Kiddo heads to school and than go to bed.
   That would work if I didn't get super tired about an hour later so I decide to nap for a couple hours. Then I feel worse than if I had just stayed up. And yet, I still keep doing it. Will I never learn?

6. Hashtag sounds like an illegal activity.
   I actually twitted this one. But, come on. It does.

7. A quitter never quits and a twitter never twits.
  And this is why they call it tweet and not twit when you post.
See, I'm a good thinker this time of night.

8. I'll get on Facebook and actually turn my chat on and see what's going on.
  Apparently, I am the only one up. Hmmm, strange.

9. I should have started the dishes sooner.
  I have a compulsion that says the dishes need to all be done before bed. If I don't do them, I feel guilty in the morning when I see dirty dishes. I can go around thinking I am going to wait until morning. Then at midnight or later, I will see the sink and realize I have to do them.

10. I'll make donuts in the morning. Get started at 5.
    I make breakfast every morning. Kiddo doesn't realize how good she has it. I had cereal everyday and I got it myself. She gets eggs and toast or pumpkin pancakes.
The donuts?
Yeah, that never happens. I can never seem to drag myself out of bed at 5.

Honeyman tells me I just need to quit thinking when it is time to sleep. I can't help it. I am a thinker.
Except I don't sit like The Thinker, that would hurt my back.

Monday, November 21, 2011

I Love It!!!!

 I grew up watching WKRP in Cincinnati. This is one of my favorite episodes. Here is a little bit.





I laugh every time.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Redundancy

Being redundant is using more words than necessary to describe it, or repeating the word.

Some people don't realize they are doing that.

Saying the letters or words and than the word or words to describe it is what I am talking about.

Would you say LOL laugh?

No, you wouldn't.
Or at least I hope you wouldn't.

But, there are certain word redundancies that society seems to be OK with.
And it isn't until you say the words, you realize that just doesn't make sense.

So, here's my Ten Things Tuesday list of word redundancies- in no particular order


1. ATM machine
  We have all heard it. Most of use have said it before.
Why do you need to say machine? ATM means Automated Teller Machine, so you're saying Automated Teller Machine machine.

2. NFL football
  Maybe I don't pay enough attention to the rambling of the sports announcers on TV.
Or maybe this is new. Why do you need to say NFL football? NFL is National Football League.
Maybe they are saying it to differentiate this NFL and that other one over there, you know the one that plays chess.

3. ITBS tests
  This one is pretty much in Iowa, but I am sure every state has their own version.
ITBS stands for Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. When I was in school, we called it Basic Skills or Basic Skills Tests. When Kiddo was taking them( they only go through 8th gr.) she kept calling them ITBS tests. I'd tell her that if she was going to say the letters, not to say tests cause that didn't make any sense. Guess where she got the idea to call them that? The teachers. Yeah.

4. LMAOROTFL
  I know, I know, I know. There are no words after this acronym. But, it popped in my head so I am going with it.
This means Laughing My Ass Off, Rolling On the Floor Laughing. I get it. It means that something is just hilarious in geek speak( even if it isn't really). But, you said laughing once, do you need to do it again? I think not.

5. FEMA disaster relief
  FEMA is Federal Emergency Management Agency. That is what they do- manage an emergency which means the same thing as disaster relief. Is saying aid so hard? I mean really, how often in this world is an emergency so awesomely good that FEMA has to be there?

6. NBA basketball
  Yes, I already covered sports, but this makes a little more sense because the NBA players are not doing a whole lot of basketball playing right now. So, you need to specify. National Basketball Association basketball.

7. Puree in a blender or food processor
  You can't puree by hand. You can mash, but not puree. Common sense says, " Hey, use this nice electric appliance over there." I understand if you don't cook a lot this information could come in useful. However, it still is redundant.

8. Whispers quietly
  Have you read this in books before? I know I have.  By very definition, a whisper is quiet. If it isn't, the person doing it obviously needs whisper lessons.

9. Cut into dice
  Once again, another cooking term. To dice is to cut something into small pieces or cubes. I am not sure why you need to instruct someone to cut into cut in small pieces.

10. Fill the oval in completely until no white is seen.
    You know those tests where you have to fill in ovals? Why does it say completely and until no white is seen? Do you need both? They mean the same thing.

Monday, November 14, 2011

It Depends

I love getting mail.
Don't you?

A lot of times, I get freebies in the mail.
Some are stuff I sign up for.
Some are not.

Like, somehow I ended up with a subscription to Jet magazine.
I do not know how.
But, I get it until next April.

In case you don't know, Jet is a black people magazine.
It is geared to them and so far I have not seen a white person in any of the pages.
It is mostly entertainment stuff, but sometimes some actual information.

I don't read entertainment magazines so I don't have a clue why I am getting it.
I do look through an occasional magazine, but I don't care about people I don't know getting married.
Or how Will and Jada Smith are raising their kids.

Here's another freebie I got in the mail.
I was excited.

What could it be? It's from Kimberly-Clark. Maybe it's napkins or some kleenex. Awesome.

                              I can't wait. I just have to know. Free stuff, so it has to be good.

                                                                   Doesn't it?

                                                                  What the hell?



Sure, it's a freebie.
How the hell did I get Depends as a freebie?

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Changes

Is anyone with me on this whole time change thing?

Meaning that it's crap.

I keep hearing how people love dalight saving time because there is more light.
There is no more light than if it were standard time. The government just moved it.

It is lighter because there are more daylight hours during the summer.

Between the winter solstice and summer solstice the days gradually get longer.
After the summer solstice, the days gradually shorten until winter solstice where they start lengthening again.

I read that the Department of Energy did a study that we actually do save energy because of the change.
Is it really due to the change?
Or is it because it naturally stays lighter longer during the same time frame as daylight savings time?



Instead of it starting to get light when I get up.
It's gonna be pitch black.
Awesome!

I have a hard enough time getting up at 6 am.

 Now, we have come to the end of daylight saving time.

And other people are excited because they get an extra hour of sleep.
Does that even really work?
Don't you kind of lose it at the end of the day?
You know, you end up staying up later since you are not tired and are more tired the next day.

I really wish it would be left well enough alone.
Just leave it standard time all the way around.

I used to know exactly when it would be.
End of April.
End of October.

Congress had to go screw with it some more.
After 50 years.

Yep, it's what I love about America.



Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Memorable Movie Quotes

Some movies just stick with us, for whatever reason.

Maybe it has a lot of action.
Maybe it had a great story.
Possibly, it was just that hilarious.

In a lot of movies, there are pieces of dialogue that just stick out.
They are really funny
Or
They have meaning and speak to me.

I am sure it is that way for all of us.

Some quotes just come back to me time and again.

This weeks Ten Things Tuesday is on the movie quotes that I really remember.

1. " Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should."
   Jurassic Park
This is so true of so many things. A lot of people do because they can and never think of the consequences. Or they don't care what may happen.
Ian said it to John.

2 "Intellectuals, liberals, peacemongers, IDIOTS!"
    Mars Attacks
I love this movie. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it. Martians invade and the governments keep trying to be their friends. Most of the people seem to have their heads up their asses.
The general said it because he was mad no one would listen.

3. "It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."
     Batman Begins
Isn't that the truth? It isn't about your name, how much money you have, or what clothes you wear. It's about the way you chose to live.
Bruce said it to Rachel. He was paraphrasing something she had said to him earlier.

4. " POTATOES! You know potatoes? Fry 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew."
    Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
As to why I remember this phrase, I really don't know. I just do. If you don't remember- Sam said it to Gollum.

5." You're goin' down like a sweet muffin!"
    Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
This was a funny, funny movie. About a group of guys playing in a dodgeball tournament to pay off a loan.
White said this to Peter during the competition.


6. "If you're here and I'm here, doesn't that make it our time?"
    Fast Times at Ridgemont High
So, the dude was a stoner. Isn't that actually true?
Spicoli said this to Mr. Hand in class one day.

7. "I do not think that word means what you think it means."
     The Princess Bride
Don't you just want to say that to people sometimes? I know I do.
Inigo said this to Vizzini because Vizzini kept saying things were "Inconceivable!"

8. " Now, get out of my Van Halen t-shirt before you jinx it and the band breaks up."
    The Wedding Singer
If you grew up in the 80s, you can definitely relate to this movie. But, my daughter loves it too so I'd say all around winner.
Robbie said this to Linda when she tried to get back together with him.

9. " When you grow up, your heart dies."
    The Breakfast Club
My mom always thought this was horrible, but in some ways it is true.
When you grow up, you aren't the same. You can't do things just because they are fun. You have responsibilities and to a teenager that can seem like you don't care about what they want.
Allison said this to the rest of the group.

10. " Life is a do over."
      City Slickers
 Life really sucks sometimes. Sometimes all you can do is start over.
Just because things have turned to crap doesn't mean they always will be that way.
Mitch said this to Phil after Phil majorly FUBARed his life.

So, what are some of your most memorable movie quotes?

Monday, October 31, 2011

As Seen from My Window

Silage

Because cows love to eat corn stalks!




**********************************************************************************************************

Note this is not hay. It is the remnants of a corn field that has been baled. Corn stalks! Yummy!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Halloween Schalloween!

 It's my birthday!
I am now 39.2.





But, seeing how everyone else seems to care, have a great Halloween weekend!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- TV Shows are Spinning Off

These days most spin-off of TV shows seem to consist of the same idea moved to a new location and with other characters.

Examples are CSI, CSI:Miami, and CSI: New York.
You've got Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: SVU, and isn't there  Law and Order: L A?

I could go on and on.
There is the NCIS which was a spin-off from JAG and now has it's own spin-off in the form of one in LA.
Criminal Minds and it's failed attempt.

But, I want to revisit the old style spin-offs.
Shows from when I was growing up.
Spin-offs where one character would be in an episode or show and just go off on his own.
You don't see that much anymore.

Back in the 70s and 80s it happened quite a bit.

Top Things Tuesday- TV Shows and their spin-offs:

1.All in the Family
  This was a show in the 70s about a bigot, Archie Bunker, and his family.
Spin-offs included-
The Jeffersons
Maude
Archie Bunker's Place- spin-offs came from this one too like Gloria, who was Archie's daughter.

2. Alice
  Alice was a single mother that became a waitress at Mel's, a diner.
Flo was the spin-off. Flo liked to say "Kiss my grits!" a lot.

3. Soap
  This show was so wacky. There was alien abduction, demonic possession, infidelity, amnesia, mob stories, cults, homosexuality. Very rare and controversial in the 70s.
Benson was the spin-off. The butler was sent to go to work for the governor, who was Jessica's cousin.

4. 21 Jump Street
   Johnny Depp's break out show. It was about a group of NARCs. They were all so young and pretty.
The spin-off to this show was Booker. Booker was one of the cops and he got his own show as a PI.

5. Happy Days
I don't know anyone my age that didn't watch Happy Days. It took place in the 50s in Milwaukee. Fonz, the Cunninghams, Arnold(after him came Al). It was a family show.
Mork and Mindy was a spin-off. As was Laverne and Shirley and Joanie Loves Chachi.

6. The Tracy Ullman Show
  This was a sketch variety show on Fox.
It was on a couple years, I believe. It also is where The Simpson's came from. Every week, there were little shorts of the Simpsons and soon it became what we know today.
 Just thinking about how long ago that was makes me feel not so young anymore.

7. Married With Children
   Al Bundy sold shoes. His wife, Peggy, loved to sit on her butt all day and they had two kids-Bud and Kelly.
 Top of the Heap was the not-so-successful spin-off about a single father and his cute, but dumb teenage son.

8. MASH
   I think we have all heard of MASH. Many of us have even watched it. In case you haven't, it was a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea during the war.
Aftermash  was about 4 of the guys that came back and worked together in a hospital.
Trapper John, MD was a spin-off of sorts. It was about Trapper years later. The character Trapper was from MASH but that's about it.

9. Three's Company
   This show was about 3 single people sharing an apartment. One guy, two girls and then there was the nosy landlord.
Later the Roper's moved to a condo and got their own spin-off- The Roper's
Another spin-off was Three's a Crowd which was Jack living with his girlfriend and her father always butting in.

10. The Cosby Show
    This show was about a rich black family- The Huxtables. It starred Bill Cosby
The couple had good jobs and several kids.
The spin-off for this was A Different World. It was about the daughter Denise going off to college.
Strangely, though, she left the show and it still kept going without her. I say strange, since it started out a spin-off starring her.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Get Down Tonight

                                                     Here is my Halloween pirate.
                                                     I love my pirate.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Updates

I keep waiting for things to slow down and go back to normal.
But, so far, it ain't happenin'.

I am still canning and juicing tomatoes.And making salsa
Will it ever end?

Someday...

Actually when I get done with what is in the house, I will.
It is supposed to freeze tonight.

Bye-bye garden.

Other than that, what else is going on with me and my world?

Due to the harvest of the corn behind the house, the cow has once again been spotted and located by the people thought to be the owners.
And there ends the quest to find the missing bovine.

We are helping Kiddo with her science.
When did 9th grade physical science become so goddamn complicated?

Of course the subject I would be great at helping her in-English- she is getting an A in.

And she is talking about trying to get into Journalism next semester.
I had been trying to get her to do that months ago.
Score 1 for Mom knowing what she is talking about!

I am actually pondering going to Thanksgiving at my parent's house.
It has been years since we did that.

Since we have lived here, most years it has been just the three of us.
One year we did have my brother in law's family over and that was a toilet clogging good time.
And the years before that Honeyman's grandma came over.

I always like making the dinner and dessert.
But, I just have a feeling I need to be going to this one.

And now it seems like our resident spook is moving things in Kiddo's room. She can't find things where she put them and they appear in other places. She gave me a bobby pin she found in her bed.
We don't have bobby pins that I know of and most certainly not in her room.

Odd stuff indeed.

So, that's what's goin' on.
The fun stuff never stops!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Q & A Time

 I first found this through Al at Penwasser Place. 
 
Jenny from the Pearson Report did it too.
So, I thought- why not?


I have a few spare moments.


1. What is your favorite word?
Hmmm
Cheese. What's not to like about cheese? It can be something yummy to eat OR something to say at picture time.
It's very versatile.

2. What is your least favorite word?

If I have to pick one word and not a phrase- shart.
I don't know why, it just sounds disgusting. Which it kinda is so the word fits the action. Still...

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Strangely enough, I have most intelligent ideas when I am laying in bed unable to sleep.
I don't know which one that would fall under, but I am goin' with that.

4. What turns you off?

Sleep. But, I guess sleep is just stand-by mode so it would have to be death. Otherwise I just keep going.
Like the energizer bunny.

5. What is your favorite curse word?

To me, a so called bad word is a cuss word. A curse is something that a witch or voodoo doctor puts on you.
I don't do that.



Just kidding
Ass- it's a noun. It's an adjective. 
Once again-very versatile.
Dumb-ass, 
Smart-ass, 
Wise-ass,
Bad-ass
just plain ass.



6. What sound or noise do you love?

Rock music. Not boy band pop, not techno(or whatever it is called) .
Good rock.

7. What sound or noise do you hate?

Cicadas. Their noise drives me nuts every summer.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Pastry chef. Or run my own bakery.

9. What profession would you not like to do?

A mud wrestler. Rolling around in the mud would put mud in places I don't even know that is possible to wash.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

It's safe, I didn't let any of the dumb-asses in.

So, these are my answers.
Feel free to play along.

 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Great Things About October

Ah, just making it under the wire this week.

What a day!
Busy and not without mishap, so I am a little late getting this out.

But, here I am with Ten Things Tuesday.
This week is about why October is such a great month.

1. Me
   I was born in October. So, of course it has to be an awesome month. The 29th, in case anyone wants to send me a card or $100. Your call. I am not gonna be picky.

2. The harvest
   Farmers will get the crops out so I can see something besides corn and soybeans. And maybe the cow will finally be found.

3. Halloween
  I love Halloween. It is my favorite holiday. I am not crafty and yet I managed to make most of Kiddo's costumes.

4. The killing frost
   I love my garden, but I am ready to be done canning and freezing things. I am also looking forward to the end of ragweed season(Kiddo's allergic) and bugs.

5. Pumpkins
  They are so pretty and orange. I like all sizes. I grow pie pumpkins and jack-o-lantern size.
It is fun to make jack-o-lanterns.

6. Honeyman's birthday
   His birthday is coming up on Saturday. He hasn't even come up with his birthday dinner yet.
That is what I do. Everyone in the house decides what they want for their birthday dinner and that is what I make.

7. New TV shows
   A new season just started and so far the reruns haven't started yet. I love Criminal Minds(Yay for Emily and JJ being back) and Parenthood.

8. Too warm to snow
   It isn't super hot anymore, but no snow and not -20 degrees yet. I hope I don't jinx it, because it has been known to snow in Iowa in October before.

9. Columbus Day
  Because I really don't know what I would do without a holiday celebrating a man who really didn't discover America. Plus, he was a real nut job.

10. It's the beginning of the fiscal year
   Why is this great? Because we all get to watch and learn how the federal government can screw things up even more by their fiscal irresponsibility. Party doesn't matter. They are all fiscally stupid.

OK, there you have it. And you just thought October didn't have much going for it.

Monday, October 3, 2011

My Cheap Honeymoon

Sherilin over at laughing my abs off wrote a post about her honeymoon and invited others to share.
So, here is me... sharing.

Honeyman and I didn't have a lot of money in those days.
What makes it different from these days?

You could do more with less 14 years ago.

We didn't do the nice traditional wedding.
I didn't care.

I had done all the big wedding planning before.
The nice dress, the fancy invitations, the minister.
But, the wedding was not to be.

I should have known we were doomed when that first groom-to-be wanted to play Randy Travis during the ceremony.

But, since Honeyman and I were keeping it simple, we got nice rings.

We also made plans to get it done on the Friday before Labor Day.
He had no vacation time, but this way he'd have a three day week-end for the honeymoon.

We went down and got our marriage license and they gave us instructions on getting married at the courthouse.
This was our plan and so this was great.
On the sheet it said we could just go to the family court and find a judge. We didn't need an appointment.
If we did it offsite, judges could charge a minimum fee of $55.

No problem.
The courthouse was fine.

Except, naive me.
I believed it would be that easy.

Did I say we had not a lot of money?
Yeah, we had just enough to go away for a couple days.

And than, we get to the courthouse with Kiddo, my sister, and Honeyman's brother and we can't find a judge to do the deed.
A nice lady called and found one that would do it on his lunch hour, but didn't like marrying people at the courthouse because it was so "unromantic".(Translation-he wanted the money)
By then, we figured we had no option but to have him do it and pay the money out of our measly honeymoon fund.

We went to the judge's house and got married in his flower garden.

After that, we drove down to the inlaws to drop Kiddo off for the night.
We obviously were staying home.

But, they gave us $100 for a wedding gift so we got to go away after all.

Yes, we had about $150-$200 to go on a honeymoon.
It worked for us.
We went just one state over.
To Minnesota- Land of 10,000 Lakes.

We ordered in pizza.
I don't even remember the name of the little town we stayed in.
The room was under $50/night and it was a decent room too.

But, we went to one of those places where they build a little town and have people living like they did 150 years ago.

We also went to a cave.
I like caves.
What was funny there was the DNR guy, telling us about the cave.
Said it's a great place to go during an earthquake.
An earthquake!

I know the safest place I feel when the ground is shaking is underground.
Honeyman and I wanted to laugh.

How many earthquakes are in Minnesota?
And if there is one why would you go into a cave?

OK, they get sink holes once in a while, but I would want to be underground at the point either.

Maybe he meant tornado and said the wrong word?
I can hope.

Probably the most memorable thing about that trip was the news.
Waking up and turning the TV on to find that Princess Diana had died.

It didn't ruin us celebrating our marriage, but it was very unexpected.
So, I'll always remember when she died.

I'd include pictures, but that was before I had a digital camera and I have no idea where all my honeymoon pictures are.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Favorite Things

Don't we all have things that we consider our favorite things?

I don't pick a favorite movie or favorite band.
I don't even have a favorite song.

There are just too many good out of them.
I can't just pick my tip top,  the creme de la creme.
It is too hard.

But, I have other things that I put first.

So, this week's Ten Things Tuesday is 10 of my favorite things.
And here they are in no particular order:

1. Holiday decoration
  Halloween pirate skeleton
I love decorations that make noise and move. When I go to stores, I have to check out the holiday aisle so I can play.
I loved this so much, I bought it.
He tells jokes and sings "Get Down Tonight".

2. Hugs
  Hugs just make me feel good. I'm just gonna say it. If you don't like hugs AT ALL from ANYONE, you are just weird.

3. Zucchini
  My parents never grew it while I was growing up so I didn't know what I was missing.
I could eat it several times a week, fixed in many different ways.


4. Grilling out
   This was my awesome splurge this summer. In many families, the man is the griller. Not here. It is me. I love to grill. I love to smoke. I had to have a grill with a fireside smoke box. My last smoker was on it's last legs. Really- the legs were bent.


5. Baking/Cooking
   Baking and cooking is in my soul. It really is at the heart of who I am. I even have a cooking blog- Yummy stuff.


6. Cats
    I have always been a cat person. Sadly, I am allergic so my cat makes my feel bad physically.
But, I still cuddle her and damn the consequences. I don't call her my furbaby like some animal lovers do, but she is part of the family.

7. Dancing
  I love to dance. Honeyman won't go dancing with me unless we are at a wedding. Guess what? We are going to a wedding Saturday. Time for someone to put on his dancing shoes, me thinks.

8. Organic foods
   I wish I could afford to buy everything organic because I totally would. I am very much against GMOs and since our lovely FDA believes  GMOs don't need to be labeled, organic is my option.
GMOs is genetically modified organisms also know as GE which is genetically engineered.

9. Volcanoes
   I just think they are the coolest thing. I would love to go on one of those tours where a guide takes you to the rim of a volcano.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
Why, yes.
Yes, it would.

10. Staying up late
   I have never been a morning person. I have never had a problem staying up til all hours though.
I always end up dragging ass in the morning because I can not bring myself to go to bed much before midnight. I have to get up at 6 am so I never get much sleep. And since I am not a coffee drinker, I don't have a lot to get me going.

Monday, September 26, 2011

It's a Trade

We did it.
We really did it.

We traded this

for this

You just reach a point in your life where storing all the music you own on a hardrive in the car and better gas mileage are just not as important.

That and getting tired of trying to drive through this

and this

in a 2 wheel drive just wasn't working out.
Front wheel or not, it just doesn't.

Now, we are 4 wheeling it, when the occasion warrants.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Great Musicians!

I am a music lover.
I think everyone that isn't, should be.

There is a kind for everyone.

I grew up with all kinds of music.
Dad likes his country.
Mom likes her mellower rock.

She also had classical records that I listened to.

At heart, I am a rock girl.


All of it just depends on my mood.

So this week's Ten Things Tuesday is about the musicians that I love.

1. Tom Petty
   Whether he is going solo or playing with the Heartbreakers, I love Petty. He is a great songwriter.
Good for a mellow mood.
Saving Grace


2.The Offspring
   I love these guys. Very full of energy and they just make me want to get moving. The lead guitarist's name is Noodles. With a name like that, how can you go wrong?
Gotta Get Away



3. Depeche Mode
   These guys have been around for a long time and they are still putting out new stuff. Nice good sound.
Enjoy the Silence


4. Disturbed
  These guys are not for everyone. They are heavy and high energy. A lot of people think metal has no meaning. Believe me, their songs have meaning.
Another Way to Die


5. The Foo Fighters
  A good rock sound headed by Dave Grohl. The songs are good. Most of their videos are so funny. Dave Grohl started the band and recorded the first album by himself and didn't get other members until it was time to tour.




6. Three Days Grace
   Good rock music. Good lyrics.




7. 10 Years
   This band has been around for a little over 10 years. They have a really great sound. The lead Jesse is a little guy with a really big voice.



8. Flyleaf
   Their oldest stuff is heavier than their newer stuff, but it is all good. Male band with female lead, which is not too common.



9. R.E.M.
  I love this band. Is it a coincidence that the initials are that of my maiden name? I don't know. You be the judge.
I don't think they have a single song that I don't like.



10. Red Hot Chili Peppers
   Another band that has been around for many years. They are very funkadelic.




What is with  Warner Brothers disabling embedding?

Monday, September 19, 2011

Each Death Brings You Closer to You Own Mortality

This is one of Honeyman's bits of wisdom.
I think the older we get, the more true it is.

When I was younger, I went to sooo many funerals that death just never phased me like some people.
It was just a part of life.

People are born.
People die.
It just happens.

It is sad, but that is how it is.

My dad's side of the family is pretty large.
He was born #4 out of 14 children.
Both of his parents came from large families too.

So, there were always people going toward the light.

Nobody likes funerals.
I hated them.

If it was family I went.
I didn't know them or maybe even who they were.
But, I went.

As I have gotten older, death hits me more.

I don't know if it is because Kiddo almost died.
I don't know if it is realizing my parents are old and the end will be only a matter of time.

My father has emphysema and high blood pressure that does not want to be controlled.
It makes me sad.

Saturday I went to a family gathering for an uncle that passed a week ago.
He didn't want a funeral of any kind.
So, we had a picnic.

It was really nice to see and talk to family that I haven't seen for a very long time.
It was also sad to think that it might not be so long before this is done again.

I really truly believe the lesson in people dying is that we need to show the people we love that we care.
Not one of us is given a set amount of time on this earth.

And no one should ever forget that.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Kidless in Monroe

Kiddo has left the building!

She's my little homebody and she actually left home.
She went out and about with her grandparents and gonna spend the night there.

I am going to be all alone.
Honeyman is sleeping and than he will go to work.

So, I am just having a nice relaxing day.

I do need to go do something with tomatoes.
I am not sure what.
Juice, just can, or make more salsa.

I'll think on it.

Been a pretty good week.

I found out I can barter some veggies for farm eggs.
Yay!

I found out that my credit union will not give me as good of an interest rate on an auto loan as a dealership.
Does that not seem backwards to you?

I found out that farmers around here are missing a cow/steer here or there.
So, I must be on the lookout.
And try and read the tag so we can figure out which farmer it belongs to.
Sure, that'll be easy.
I hope one of them doesn't come eat my garden.

Who says Iowa is boring?
PLEASE!
We have cows on the loose.
Maybe a steer too.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- Questions I Have

Do you ever wonder about some things?

I know, I do.
I do it all the time.

Maybe I am just a curious person.
I don't know.

I like to know why people do things.
What is their motivation, their thought process?

Or, I want to know their brain functioning power.
Was the power on when this happened?

So, that's this week's Ten Things Tuesday. Things I think and wonder about.

1. Why is there a track & confirm thing on the US postal service website?
  When you buy something, you get a tracking number for FedEx, UPS, or the USPS. They all have a spot to type in the tracking number. Guess which one never has a record of that number?
I'll give you a hint- neither rain, nor snow, nor dead of night....
 (for those from another country that's the USPS motto)

2. When there is a shark attack in the ocean, why do officials go looking for the offending shark? It is in the OCEAN, which is really big, and how are they gonna know they got the right shark?

3. Why does Chris Wragge of the Early Show always grease his hair back?
  It just doesn't look good. And this isn't the 1950s.

4. Why do so many people say  we need to vote all members of Congress out, but then they still   vote their guy back into office?  They seem to think everyone else. But, their guy is OK.
Or are the people saying this the ones that don't vote?

5. Why do people vote party and not person?
   Some people from the same party have different ideas and I really hate when people go on and on about what party so and so is from.
I don't care! The government needs to just fix the country and quit being little babies and start taking care of the people and not themselves and their reelection plans.

6. How was this big ass crocodile captured alive?
Check out the story.

7.  Why won't Dave Sayer come to my house?
  I wrote him a nice letter and everything. I just don't understand.

8. At work, why do the best workers get treated like crap, while the laziest workers get treated great?
Seems very backwards to me. But, it happens everywhere.

9. Why don't the news anchor people pay attention to what they are reading.
  Once, the teleprompter stopped working and the anchor was lost when she had to read her papers. She started reading news that she already told me.

10.  Why do companies change things and call it "new and improved"?
   It might be new, but it is very seldom improved.
I miss the old version of Nacho Cheese Doritos.

What kinds of things do you wonder about?

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Ten Things Tuesday- All About Love

So, yesterday I celebrated 14 years of marriage to my best friend.
It hasn't all been bliss.
We have had our share of bad times.

But, the good far outweigh the bad.

The way the "experts" talk, we never should have made it this far.
We did everything all out of whack.

With us,
First came pregnancy. Like within a month.
Next was moving in together
followed by baby being born.
We got married when she was almost a year old.

We didn't know each other as well as we probably should have, but we thought we knew enough.
And it has worked.
For the most part.

In honor of my wedding anniversary, this weeks Ten Things Tuesday is about why I love and appreciate my Honeyman.

1. Flowers
  Every Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, anniversary, and birthday I get flowers. Without fail.

2. Appreciation for what I do
   He always thanks me for me cooking a good meal and taking care of the house. I know it is my job, being a homemaker and all. But appreciation is nice.

3. Hugs
   Hugs are my favorite thing in the world and he gives me plenty.

4. He doesn't care how much money I spend
   I could break the bank and he wouldn't care as long as it made me happy. Not that I would. I kinda like having a roof over my head.

5. He works hard for us.
  He stays in a very stressful job, working overnights to give us a good life. You can't find too many places with better health benefits.

6. Laughter
   He makes me laugh. We laugh a lot. I couldn't imagine going though life without a laugh at some point during every day.

7. Comfort
   When I feel bad or just depressed or maybe really stupid for something I did he is there and he makes me feel OK about everything just by caring.

8. Music
   We share a great love of music and have very similar musical tastes.Tom Petty is one of our favorites.

9. Movie Quotes
   There are some movies that we know so much and we will throw out a quote just whenever the occasion seem to fit. It is just one of our little things. Maybe to some it is odd. But, it's fun.

10. Knowing what each other is thinking.
    Something will come up in conversation with other people or just watching the news. We can look at each other and just know what's going on up there.

Does he drive me nuts? Yes, sometimes.
Do I drive him nuts? Without a doubt.

But, that's just part of marriage.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

It's Liebster Time!

I'd like to thank Laila over at Untroubled Kingdom of Laila Knight for this lovely award.
Liebster translates to love or friend OR beloved depending on where you get your information. It's German or Spanish.

I think of lobster when I see liebster so in honor of this award here is "Rock Lobster" by the B-52's.




Now I am to pass the Liebster Award to 5 bloggers and hope they in turn will spread the love.

Amber over at Ambyland

Munir from Focus

jdracecar over at It's Always FUNNY in Columbubble

Tracy from It's An Average Life

Stephgas from it's never too late to save a hopeless case

Now, I need to go inform the winners by leaving a comment on their blog.