Looking forward to Thanksgiving…

Especially this year, since hubby is retiring next week and won’t have to work thru the holidays. 

Like most of you, we stick to our family traditions, but we’ve decided to shake it up just a little bit this year and abandon Dear Abby’s Pecan Pie, which we have been making for the past thirty something years in favor of trying Pioneer Woman’s Pecan Pie.  That Pioneer Woman is totally awesome, so her pie must be good.

And we’re going to make the recipe I got from the LA Food Times for Banana Coconut Cream Pie with Coconut Crust, which is nectar of the gods, and has more calories than you want to think about.  It’s the crust that takes it to the next level, butter and coconut, why wouldn’t it be good.  But damn those calories, it’s Thanksgiving, I’m gonna eat it alllllll, girlfriends…

If you’re interested, here are the links -

Lawry’s Coconut Banana Cream Pie>>>

Pioneer Woman’s Pecan Pie, the pie that’ll make you cry>>>

Gobble, gobble Waddle, waddle… ~ jan

Wouldn't you kill for this closet!!!

Source:  Julie Mihaly

If I were brave…

This is so awesome, women living life to the fullest.  My friend, Martha Bowman is one of those women.  See her at 3:00 into the video.

Marie Osmond talking about her son’s death on Oprah…

If you missed seeing Marie Osmond on Oprah yesterday, you  missed the most moving, tragic, heartfelt television show I’ve ever seen.  She was talking about the death of her son, she was so honest and open and she’s  still so brokenhearted, it was really difficult to watch her talk about this and experience her pain, but it was so touching that she would open up and talk so honestly about this.  I hope that it was a healing experience for her.

I’ve been a fan of hers, always.  In the early 90’s, we were at the annual Toy Show in New York, it’s a big deal, all of big guns are there.  We had a booth just a few aisles away from the booth that was selling Marie’s dolls.  And one afternoon she came and worked in her booth, meeting people, talking about her dolls.  I stood in front of her booth and watched her all afternoon, so close to her that I could almost reach out and touch her.

She looked beautiful that day, I’ll never forget what she was wearing.  A  brown velvet blazer, a long brown paisley skirt and tall brown suede boots.  She was gracious and kind to all of the people, and her trademark laugh just rang through the building.

I’m including a link to parts of this show from Oprah’s site in case you missed it.  I had no idea that the quality of her voice was so good that she could sing opera flawlessly, but you will see what I mean when you hear her sing “Pie Jesu.”  And if you scroll down there are several video clips from the show that you can watch.

It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, by far the best hour I’ve ever spent watching Oprah.

Here’s the link>>>

I wish they had included more of the interview, so I went to YouTube and sure enough, there is lots more on their site than on the Oprah link.

Here’s the YouTube link>>>

If you watch this, ladies, get out your kleenex, this will tug at every mother’s heartstrings.

Call your children today, hug them if you can and tell them how much you love them.  Keep them close to your heart and be so grateful that you have them, I know I am.

~ jan

A giggle for you tonight….

My friend Marti sent this to me, it’s too good not so share.  Those of you who share my wicked sense of humor will love this… ~ jan

The Cat

Last Saturday night we were  dressed and ready to  go out to a Party . We turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.

Because we knew we would be having a few drinks we phoned  a cab  company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived and we opened the front door to leave the house.

As we walked out the door, the cat we had put out in the yard, scoots back into the house. We didn't want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.

My wife  goes on out to the taxi, while I went back inside to get the cat. The cat runs upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. Waiting in the cab, my wife doesn't want the driver to know that the house will be empty for the night. So, she explains to the taxi driver that I will be out soon, 'He's just going upstairs to say Goodbye to my mother.'

A few minutes later, I get into the cab. 'Sorry I took so long,' I said, as we drove away. 'That stupid bitch was hiding under the bed. I had to poke her ass with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off, so I grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her fat ass downstairs and threw her out into the back yard! She better not shit in the vegetable garden again!'

The silence in the cab was deafening.

Wow, this was a long time coming…

Nisha and I have been friends forever it seems, since we were our twenties.  We both waited a long time for grandchildren, but now she has her Gabby, who is almost three months old and I have my Abby who is thirteen months today.  And no, we can’t keep their names straight, we both call them by the wrong names.

We met them for lunch, Lindsay and Abby came, too.  It’s so special when your friends are grammies too. It was such a good time…

Does anybody remember McDonald’s Cheddar Melt?

I saw a commercial today that McDonald’s is bringing back that icky McRib, yet again. That is the nastiest sandwich known to man, why they resurrect the tired old thing every few years is beyond me.

Back in the 90’s, they did have an awesome sandwich, the Cheddar Melt.  Remember that one?  It was a quarter beef patty with melted cheese and grilled onions on a rye bun, and it was awesome.  But do they ever bring it back? Nooooooooo.  And would I eat it if they did??? Yesssssssss.

I never eat fast food anymore, but you betcha I would hotfoot it over to Mickey D’s faster than a New York minute if it ever reappeared on their menu. 

Just in time for the holidays, a Cherpumple pie cake….

Yes, dear hearts, it’s a Cherpumple, it’s the dessert version of a turdurken (chicken stuffed into a duck, stuffed into a turkey) which we tried, at Ryan’s insisence, a few Thanksgivings ago.  I was not a fan.

The Cherpumple consists of a cherry, pumpkin and apple pie, all stacked on top of each other, baked into a three layer cake batter and frosted.  Sounds just horrid, doesn’t it, but it’s for real.  Here’s the video…

Can she really be this big?

Cuppycake walked all the way thru Costco yesterday holding onto Daddy’s hand.  Doesn’t seem possible that she’s old enough to do this…