Cookies?

My mother was a big fan of crochet. I remember some of her creations were, shall we say, less than appealing. She would find something to make and then make what she felt were improvements on what the pattern called for. Her color combinations weren't always compatible. One thing that she did make that I treasure and bring out year after year are the Christmas mice.

They look hungry, these mice.

My partner in cookie cooking this year gave me this snowman to grace my tree.

As you can see we got a little crazy as the day of baking wore on. I had the whole grinch tooth thing going on.

Yvonne dropped the towel in the chocolate ...........

and on and on she rolled cookie after cookie.

After awhile of dipping pretzels one by one and thinking we would never finish (I was using a cup hook to dip mine), Yvonne got the brilliant idea of lining the two tables in the store with parchment (we have 1000 sheets, yes, 1000) and then we each went at the table with cups of melted almond bark and a spoon to create what you see. That was only the first color, we did red and green, too ........... and sprinkles.

Yvonne is so handy to be around, always full of ideas. Best way to dip pretzel rods? Insulated coffee mug. Just the right depth and keeps the coating warm. Notice that I am giving credit to Yvonne for all her good ideas. Really have no choice ............. she reads the blog.

These cookies got a chocolate ganache filling, and the peanut butter balls got a nice chocolate bath.

Macaroons .............. yummmmmmm.

This was only day one and I have already sent most of the goodies I made out to family. I will have to make more soon for the next two boxes that will be shipped out. I have lost my appetite for sweets. Could have been the green icing on my teeth ..... maybe.

Thirty-six Years Together

Thirty six years ago I left work at the end of my shift at the hospital emergency room and got into the car with the love of my life. We drove to the court house to get our marriage licence. I was dressed all in white (this was back when nurses actually wore uniforms ...... cap included), literally head to toe. He wore a pair of jeans and a non-descript shirt along with the jacket that he wore when he worked as an EMT. We were quite the pair, just needed the ever present stethoscope dangling from our necks.

We had a small ceremony planned for later that week and we were simply taking care of one more detail. We presented all that was necessary and the clerk asked if we wanted to get married then or just get the licence. He looked at me and said, "Do you want to get married?" I said, "Yes, let's get married." And we did. Just like that. I don't even remember who our witnesses were. After our "ceremony" we picked my two children up from daycare and went home. No muss, no fuss. We did have a small reception on the day we had planned to get married. No honeymoon, no gifts or any of the stuff that usually comes with a wedding.

I am quite certain that most every one thought it would end as quickly as it began, but here we are thirty-six years later. Wonder if anyone is still waiting?


Today we celebrate thirty-six years together. We are planning a trip to WalMart to pick up my prescription and then we will eat out. I say planning, because a pipe burst and he who plumbs is at the local hardware store getting parts. We might not go anywhere. We might just stay home and eat whatever I can put together and enjoy the warm fire and our freshly bathed trio of dogs. Doesn't matter so much where we are as long as we are together.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea .........

Today we met with some of our kamping buddies for a late afternoon meal at the local BBQ establishment. We were all having withdrawal symptoms, having not been in the company of one another since ............. well, last month. This was the brain child of Sue and Miss Martha. Sue picked the date. The wind will absolutely take your breath away as the temperature is dropping steadily. She will not live this down anytime soon and refused to be involved in next month's date picking. Fred will have to take the blame should that date turn out to be a blizzard.


I had promised Miss Martha some doll clothes for her granddaughters and I managed to pull it off in the nick of time. Good thing, cause what would St. Nick do if I didn't keep my promises?
Yesterday was a shopping marathon for cookie ingredients and staples. It was a balmy 50 degrees and Yvonne and I managed to cram it all in the back of my VW Bug. She had to drive us home, since I can't see at night and no one could see out the rear view mirror. I had planned on sewing after the shopping trip, but ........... shopping is exhausting!


When I was drying my hair yesterday I noticed that my temples were gray and upon further inspection discovered the crown of my head to be, well, really gray. Not a subtle sprinkling of gray, but more like, "Gee, I wonder if she knows how bad her hair looks?" So, this morning, after only half a cup of coffee, I decided to remedy the hair situation. As I was carefully applying the color to my hair I was studying all my new wrinkles as I looked in the mirror. It was then that I noticed that my eyebrows were also turning gray ............ Hair is hair, right? And, shouldn't your brows match your hair color? So, thinking myself to be ever so clever, I applied some of the hair dye to my brows and waited the required time.


I wiped the goo off my brows and hopped into the shower to rinse my hair. As I toweled off and looked into the mirror. Dark brows, dark, thick brows. Think Groucho Marx. I grabbed a washcloth and scrubbed at them. That is when I noticed that the dye had also colored the skin, not just the brows. I am hoping that this will eventually wash off my skin and I know that the color won't last forever. It seemed like a good idea at the time .............


He who is slow to recognize change noticed the new look, but my friends were either tactful or oblivious to my new look. All of them, except Yvonne. She kept touching her brows every time she looked at me during dinner. What are friends for?

Goodbye Rocky

Almost two years ago my grandson, Gavin, got a little puppy and named him Wall-E. Wall-E couldn't stay in Gavin's apartment. Wall-E came here to live with Gramma and Papa. Gavin misses his little dog, but he knows that he is happy here with us.

Last spring, Gavin's mom got a new dog for Gavin. A boxer named Rocky. Rocky captured the heart of Gavin and played with his new boy endlessly. Rocky visited the kampground this summer and had a great time galloping through the fields. He met all the campers and was quite smitten with he who loves dogs.

We spent Thanksgiving with my daughter this year and most mornings found Rocky in bed with us and the rest of our dogs. He would try to climb in my lap for a hug and lay on the floor with me the last night we were there, his big head on my shoulder. He played ball with my dogs and was sad when we all left.


This morning, for reasons we will never know, he attacked and bit one of Adrienne's neighbors. He was not provoked and no one knows why he did this. The neighbor had to have stitches and Rocky had to go. I suggested that Adrienne contact a Boxer rescue group, but we both knew that he would have to be put down.

My daughter found Rocky on Craigslist. We all thought it ironic that a Boxer named Rocky would be living with his owner named Adrienne. Now I am wondering why the owners wanted a new home for Rocky. Did he bite someone while in their care? Did someone abuse Rocky at some time? Did the person he attacked this morning trigger some memory of a bad event in his life?

See the stick-on labels on Rocky's kennel? They say "I like my dog". Written by a sweet little first grader whose heart is breaking tonight. He went to school today knowing that his dog would not be there when he came home.

I was in WalMart when my daughter called me to tell me that she had no choice but to have Rocky put down. She would not withhold the biting incident and that made him unadoptable. She was crying as she told me that she sat with him for awhile after it was over. I was crying as I asked for my refund for a leaky hose.

My heart is heavy as I write this. My little girl had to be a grown-up today and I wasn't there to help her. She has to explain all this to her little boy tonight and I won't be there to help her. The mother in me wants to do something to make it all better and I can't. Now Wall-E must write a letter to his boy, so Gramma needs to suck it up and get with it ..............

Bitter Coffee

Now in phase two of my grandchildren induced malady. Hoping this is the last of it, I have the runny nose and eye watering head cold. The throat is better and the dizziness is gone. I am still inclined to think that school germs are the most resilient of all...........



I was sitting here with my lukewarm coffee, trying to sort through my in-box and delete all the spam, in order to reward myself with a stroll through the land of blog. He who loves to run errands and will invent one in order to climb into his trusty pick-up and roll down the road smoking his hated cigarette asked if I would not love a gourmet coffee. He "had to" go to the bank and deposit two checks that came in yesterday. Not too very long ago, the manager of the local McD's gave he, who is not above asking, a handful of coupons for free gourmet coffee drinks--no purchase necessary. So, I, of course said yes, I would love a gourmet coffee!



Making great headway and entering every contest I encountered on-line to win $15,000, I looked up as he entered the door with my treat extended towards me. As I eagerly reached for it, he told me to enjoy it, since it had cost $3.50! New manager won't honor the coupons. Nice. I was giving them out to overnight guests. Guess I will just toss the rest. But ................. why did he buy it? He said because it was already made. But, when I go through the drive-thru and order, there are two windows and you pay at the first one, then drive forward to the next window and watch them prepare your drink.



I drank every last drop. It was good, but it was not worth $3.50. My mind is calculating how many cups of Maxwell House that $3.50 would buy. As he who says absurdities would say ........ they sure are proud of that coffee at McDonalds!

Sad Saturday

Thought I heard the phone this morning as I lay under my warm quilt trying to out wait he who would stoke the fire and warm the house. After a few minutes I gave up and shuffled to the kitchen to make coffee. I saw the message light blinking on the phone on my way and stopped to see who called. I was hoping it wasn't a water or backed up sewer issue.





It was a call from my friend Yvonne. She asked that I please call her back. I did. She wanted me to go with her to have her cat euthanized. Not a fun trip for sure. I was barely awake and in need of caffeine. But, a friend in need .............. I threw on a pair of jeans and a sweat shirt and barely got my teeth brushed when I heard her horn. I grabbed a coat and shoved my feet into the first pair of shoes I saw and ran my fingers through my unwashed hair as I went out the door.





I held the old cat as we drove to the vet out in the country. The poor old girl had gone blind and was and was apt to walk in circles oblivious to her surroundings. It was time to help nature along, but still sad. My friend stroked her pet as she left this world. I felt tears burning my eyes, but I blinked them away in case I would need to drive us home.



Good thing I didn't need to drive ............. no license or glasses to see. I did say I hadn't had coffee, right? Yvonne didn't want to go home and insisted we go get breakfast. I try not to go out in public without an attempt at putting myself together. Oh well, my friend needed me.

What Day Is It?

Woke up this morning and carefully got out of the bed. I have been so dizzy with this cold, bug, whatever thing that has held me captive for however long long I have been sick. I say however long because I was shocked to hear Al Roker say Thursday!



How did that happen? I thought it was Tuesday. What happened to Tuesday and Wednesday? I must be a little better, cause now I am worried about all the things I need to accomplish that I haven't done and I have apparently sat slack jawed and mouth breathing through two days. Two days that should have been productive. I noticed that I painted the kitchen and a wall in the dining room. I don't remember much about it and other than a couple of spots that could use a second coat it looks pretty good. I really should dust ..........



This is the absolute worst time to be sick. Oh, wait, I think that every time I am sick. Is there a good time to be sick? I suppose not. I need to be in the sewing room, but if I don't even know what day it is .............. I keep a pair of needle nose pliers close at hand for those occasions when my finger doesn't move quick enough and the needle hits it. Dizzy and sewing is not a good combo .............



What day is it? I forgot.