Well I've just had a helluva last 24 hours....

It all started with a trip to the oral surgeon, and computer problems, so I wasn't online all day, then we had a stormy night. Jeez Louise, it wasn't one of my better days.

I went to bed yesterday afternoon, sweet Maggie, just kept sniffing my face, just sniffed and sniffed, and then she licked my cheek,then snuggled down beside me with her head on my cheek and just laid there, so quiet, she wasn't sleeping, but she knew something was not quite right and I think she was trying to help. Sweet little soul...

And last night it was stormy and hubby was working, and there I sat, in the chair, reading a book with Mags in my lap and Munchie next to me on the ottoman. And I felt safe... Yeah, I know it's an illusion, but it was comforting. Those of you who aren't doggie parents, have no idea of what you're missing...

And now the Dell Dude is coming this afternoon to fix my computer, so I will be back scrapping "hopefully" and in a much better mood. And am I hurting from the dental crap, nope, I'm swollen, but not hurting. And I did have Marti take me thru G. D. Ritzy's yesterday for a strawberry malt, oh that did help. Really it did. Veronica Jeanne, if you're reading this, I know you're smiling, V thinks strawberry malts make every problem in life easier, too...

So I'll be back soon dear hearts, boring you all with my silly nonsense. Life will be good again. Let's just hope the Dell Dude can fix my puter!!!

Oh.,......W-O-W....

Check out this Doris Day clip from 1971, girlfriends. I love, love, love the yellow dress and the hair - she looks EXACTLY perfect for 1971.... Voice isn't bad either...

I answered a little quiz...

Stephani posted this quiz on her blog, same quiz, different answers, of course... I swiped it. Thanks Steph... Anybody else want to answer this, just jump right in there...

1. Who would you love to be your Valentine?

Okay, you all know who my valentines are, let's go outside the box..... I would love my valentine to be.... ummmmmmm.... The Barefoot Contessa - HUH??? WHY??? So she could cook for me, silly.... My valentine doesn't have to be a man. Well, if I'm perfectly honest, I wouldn't mind Paula Deen cooking DESSERT for me, but I would want the Contessa to do the appetizer and the main course. I'm hungry, no dinner yet, can you tell???

2. What treat would you love to receive in a heart-shaped box?

A salad from Olive Garden... Well, I would.... Or that new Voyager Cell Phone, that would be FANTASTIC... I've probably got a better shot at the salad...

3. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

OMG, I did in high school, let's don't go there...

Did you find out who it was?

Yes, actually it was more of a STALKER... For real it was... And then there was the perverted neighbor when I was in my 20's who would call me on the telephone, whispering obscene messages. YUCK...... Well, he did until one time when he called, not knowing LC was home and hubby got on the phone and read him the riot act. ***MY HERO*** Stupid neighbor never called again. But he did leave his wife for their teenage babysitter. MEN, SCHMEN!!!

Sadly, I've never had any "normal" secret admirers. *sigh* I'm afraid it's too late now...

4. What’s your favorite movie to watch on Valentine’s Day?

I'm so burnt out on movies, it would probably be watching You've Got Mail again. I did love that movie, or maybe The African Queen...

5. If someone were to serenade you, what song would you want them to sing?

Okay, don't laugh, I'm serious - When the red red robbin comes bob bob bobbin' along... That just popped into my addled brain...

6. What would you write on a candy conversation heart?

I Luv my M&M's

7. If you were to write a message in the sky to your Valentine, what would it say?

Visit me online at munchiebusiness.com... haaaa, I would, I really would...


8. Instead of a dozen roses, I’d like to get a dozen_________

Plump, chewy, soft, oatmeal cookies, studded with pecans and raisins... Or an assortment of Cadbury Eggs, mostly Caramel ones, oh that's Easter, sorry...

9. If I could spend Valentine’s Day anywhere in the world _____________

It would be with hubby in a bed and breakfast at Carmel by the Sea, cozy fireplace, a gadzillion thread count sheets, fresh flowers everywhere, room service breakfast with a pot of steaming hot coffee, brewed from freshly ground gourmet beans, fresh scones AND croissants AND an assortment of warm blueberry, bran, yes, BRAN, I like bran, banana and morning glory muffins, AND soft, creamy unsalted butter AND boysenberry jam with whole boysenberries, AND a fruit and cheese plate, sharp wisconsin cheddar, baby swiss, and a wedge of brie, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, red grapes, watermelon and fresh 'squoze' orange juice, with pulp, California oranges, of course.

The M&M's would be curled up by the fire, there would be a stack of morning papers to read, smooth jazz on the stereo and shopping and lunch later in the village with a prepaid, unlimited charge card. Maggie Moo would be tucked into my purse for everybody to ooh and ahh over (oh, she would be freshly bathed and groomed and having a really good fur day, too, in designer doggie duds, Munchie would be trotting by my side on a rhinestone studded leash with a hot pink Chanel collar, her shiny coat glistening in the sun, and hubby would be ferrying all my purchases to the car and not complaining... AND, did I say that I wouldn't gain a pound from all that food and that I would slide into size 10 clothes, no make that size 8, and I wouldn't look a day over 50 40 35. AND, I would be having a really good hair day, my makeup would be perfect, and I would have this GREAT trendy outfit, and a KILLER Hermes bag WITH matching wallet, and a FANTASTIC pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes... ahhhhhhhhh...... And since it is pure fantasy, I would LOVE to drop in later on Doris Day, and show her my dogs, and Betty White would be visiting her, and we would all have tea, with all of our dogs by our feet, and talk about their old movies... Well, actually Doris Day does have an Inn in Carmel that is dog friendly, maybe I would just want to say there instead of the bed and breakfast, but I would want to visit her at her house.. We would stay in the Honeymoon suite, of course... Ocean view.... Red rental car... convertible... top down...

10. Who is the most romantic couple in history?

Bacall and Bogart, Hepburn and Tracy, Lucy and Ricky, even Fred and Ethel had their moments... Omg, all these people are DEAD, except for Bacall.... Yikes...

Am I the only one having problems finding books???

Well, today was library day. I usually have a reserved books to pick up, but not today. Today it was strictly go through the shelves, browse the aisles, see what I can find day... And what did I find??? A bazillion books for young women, not teenagers, YOUNG WOMAN. All the titles on the covers were written in various squirly fonts, showing 20 something women in various stages of dress undress. And while I have no problem with this, I'm glad that younger women are reading, and even I occasionally enjoy these books, usually ones suggested by Lindsay.

But, I don't want to read these on an ongoing basis. I'm long past my twenties, but I'm having a REALLY hard time finding books that interest me. Trisher gave me one of her books to read, a Charlotte LaRue mystery by Barbara Colley, but I just couldn't get into it. I've exhausted my favorite authors, read everything they've ever written - if you look at my Library Books in the right side bar (scroll down a bit) YES, I finally updated the list, you will see a bunch of nonsense. I'm even rereading my favorite LaVerle Spencer, even though I've read everything she ever wrote, I'm now reduced to rereading.

So if ANY of you have a great author, somebody that will interest women of a "certain" age, PLEASE, leave me a comment or email me. I would really like some input. And what do I read? Trash, light romance, light mystery, hopefully with a heroine over the age of 30. Some of my favorite authors are Barbara Delinsky, Nora Roberts, and Jude Devereaux. I also like contemporary novels, I'm not a fan of historicals.

HELP, PLEASE...

Mrs. Hullings Banana Coconut Cream Pie...

I scrapped and posted the recipe for this great pie in Milly Scraps. You can access it from the Pies and Cakes Index HERE.

~ jan

Think Spring....

Bake a lemon-upside-down cake... I just posted the recipe on Jan CAN Cook. I had read about it last month in the L.A. Food Times, and wanted to get it on the site before they deleted the file.

CLICK HERE

~ jan

I'm getting really tired of all this valentine stuff....

All these XOXOXOXO's are grating on my last nerve. I said I wouldn't redo this page before Valentine's Day, but egads, this is wearing a little thin...

I've been working on Milly Scraps - the first two pages are brand new, and totally different than what I had before - Check the first page out HERE and then click on thru to the next page to see my new index page. Now I don't like my other index pages. This stuff NEVER ends..... It's a good winter project, though... keeps me outta the looney bin.... Well, that's debatable...

I found John's favorite boyhood pie, Mrs. Hulling's Banana Coconut Cream Pie, and it's in Mother's handwriting, that's the next thing to scrap, check back later and I'll post the link. Oh, and is it ever GOOD, ladies, OMG, this pie is nectar of the gods...

And speaking of Banana Coconut Cream Pies, I just posted a recipe on Jan CAN Cook, it's not Mrs. Hulling's, but it's an amazing pie - this one has a coconut crust - it's really different, and if you aren't good at making pie crust, this one is a no brainer. It's from the L.A. Food Times, from a few years ago, it's good, too. Oh, would I love a piece of pie.... But oh no, I'm TRYING to be good... My life sux....

A lazy Saturday afternoon...

The M&M's woke up from their naps, and I gave them each a "tweetie." You should have seen them, girlfriends, they were so excited, Maggie was just hopping and skipping thru the air, she was so thrilled. Here they sit, both of them munching on their goodies.

It's those simple things, gets me every time....

A couple of pages for you to look at..

I've been having a great time playing with my scrapbooking.

This first page is for Ryan. I took these pictures of him last weekend, and added a storyline.

You can access the page HERE.


And I made this page for John and Tonia last night. This picture was taken last fall, and the archway is an edited photograph from a house they are restoring in Heavensville.

You can access this page HERE.

You can also go directly to MillyScraps and access these pages from the Family section of the Index.

Wowza...

This Cheesy Garlic bread looks amazing. I thought you all might want to check it out for your Super Bowl Sunday.

I posted the recipe over on the Jan Can Cook Board.

Here's the CLICK...

Ker-choo......

I've done really well this wintter, so far, no major bugs, but poor Hooterville is miserable right now, and I talked to Cousin Phyllis last night, and she is battling strep throat and a sinus infection.

I read about a home remedy a few weeks ago that said if you put Vicks Salve on your feet, and put on socks, it will control your coughing. Now, that makes no sense, I know, but people swear by it. Of course I'm intrigued by this, probably because I don't have feet to smear it on...

Could I talk either one of them into trying it, of course not. Both of them detest the smell of Vicks because they were all greased up by their Mothers' when they were kids. Well, I too, wore the detested flannel rag on my Vicks smeared chest, but for some reason I find the smell comforting, not nauseating....

Surely SOME of you don't mind the smell, and will try this next time you are having a coughing fit, and if, by chance, it actually WORKS, let me know....

~ jan

LC and the girls, watching the debate....

I'm having such a good time....

It's winter, I'm all tucked in with hubby and my sweet little M&M's, the fireplace is warming the sun room, it's spitting snow outside, and I'm scrapping. I've been working a lot in my recipe sections, redoing my individual indexes, and today I scrapped the recipe for the Cranberry Bliss Bars that Lindsay loves so much. It turned out pretty cute, so click on my Bars & Cookies Index, then click on the Cranberry Bliss Bars, and give it a look... Oh, that great butterscotch brownie recipe is right there, too. A lot more coming soon, I'm really enjoying this. ~ jan

Here's the CLICK...

If you haven't visited Milly Scraps, you can access the entire site HERE!!!

YouTube

I'm a YouTube addict, I spend hours, mostly midnight hours watching old clips and laughing at the great old shows...

Check out this Adorn Commercial - I posted it on GirlTalk - oh I remember that commercial, and tried to duplicate that style!!!

Here's the CLICK...

Vintage Goldie

One Ringy Dingy....

We're having W-E-A-T-H-E-R!!!

A rainy night in Georgia, such a rainy night in Georgia

Lord, I believe it's rainin' all over the world

I feel like it's rainin' all over the world

I don't know about Georgia, but Jeez Louise, has it ever been storming in Heavensville... Everybody threw such a hissy a few weeks back when I took the M&M's to the car in the garage during a storm, that I didn't do that again.

Instead we sat in the bathroom, Maggie shaking on my lap, Munchie whining on the floor. Oh, it was a really good time.... There I sat, on the throne, with my flashlight in hand, just waiting for the lights to go off and us to blow away....

But we didn't, and we didn't lose power, but Hooterville did... Thank goodness for cellphones, and communicating with friends...

It wasn't a fun night, sports fans...

The Spaghetti Sauce Recipe I promised....

I scrapped a page using the recipe for that great spaghetti sauce we had Sunday. You can access it by going to millyscraps.com, then clicking on recipes, then clicking on sauces and stews, and finally clicking on Christine's Original Spaghetti Sauce Recipe.

Or, if you're lazy - here's the CLICK...

~ jan

Here's how it turned out....

It was really good. I'll post the recipe tomorrow.....

What did I do????

I didn't get into the garlic, really I didn't... What makes you think I did??? Do you know something I don't know????

Update., it's pasta now....

Ummmmmm, good...

We are well on our way to eating the best pasta sauce we've ever made.

For real we are. Chef Ry is in the kitchen, so far it's KILLER...



We're making fresh pasta, this pix is of it "resting." We'll be cutting it into fettucine strips in a few....

Garlic cheese bread and this awesome sauce, and I have barely eaten today. How good is this????

Update later, and recipe.....


See what I mean, doesn't this look awesome. You should smell it, ladies, DI-VINE....

My friend, Mary Lee sent me this tonight, I thought you all might enjoy...

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.
They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important
things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and
understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.


I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

Doesn't this sound like something a man would say??? It does, doesn't it, can't you just hear them... Stupid men....

THE MIRACLE OF TOILET PAPER
Fresh from my shower, I stand in front of the mirror complaining to my
husband that my breasts are too small. Instead of characteristically
telling me it's not so, he uncharacteristically comes up with a
suggestion.

"If you want your breasts to grow, then every day take a piece of toilet
paper and rub it between them for a few seconds." Willing to try
anything, I fetch a piece of toilet paper and stand in front of the
mirror, rubbing it between my breasts. How long will this take?" I
asked. "They will grow larger over a period of years," my husband
replies. I stopped. "Do you really think rubbing a piece of toilet paper
between my breasts every day will make my breasts larger over the
years?" Without missing a beat he says, "Worked for your butt, didn't
it?" He's still alive, and with a great deal of therapy, he may even
walk again, stupid, stupid man.

I just had to blog about this....

Lindsay and Ryan are in for the weekend. We all decided it was a movie night, since LC wasn't working, and Linds and I had been wanting to see Atonement for like FOREVER, and the guys could have cared less about seeing it, they wanted to see Rambo.

So we were off to the movies, the girls to see Atonement, the guys to see an aging Sylvester Stallone with steroid infused muscles. We settled in with our popcorn and our diet cokes, thrilled to be seeing a great love story, it started a bit lame, we kept waiting for it to get better, and waiting, and waiting... It never did. It was literally the worst piece of shit movie we have both ever seen in our lives. It was totally discombobulated, it jumped around all over the place, it was TOTALLY dark, TOTALLY depressing. Oh, don't waste your time on this stinker, girlfriends, the only, and I mean the ONLY good part of the movie was Keira Knightley's green dress and her good eye makeup. That's pretty bad, when that's the only good thing you can say about a movie...

After we got out of the show, I was waiting for Linds to come out of the ladies room, and these four older people were coming out of the show headed straight toward me, and so I said to them, "What did you think of that movie?" And this old geezer said he thought it was delightful, so intelligent. And his wife said, I'm not sure I liked that movie." And me, I said to that old fart, "Well, I thought it was just STUPID." Pompous old man, trying to impress that couple they were with, guys are such idiots.... That movie was a dud, I'm tellin' ya, a DUD!!!

But of course we couldn't tell the guys that. Of course not, we couldn't let them know what a stinker we picked, so after we got out of the movie, they said that Rambo was, okay, they would give it about a 4, since our family rates EVERYTHING on a 1-10 basis. Lindsay said that our movie was "emotional" and the guys wouldn't have "understood" it... I said I would give Atonement a 10, Linds said she would give it an 8, what we DIDN'T tell them, was that I gave it a 10, with the 10 being the worst review possible, she soft pedaled it with the 8!

So here I am blogging about it, and you better read this fast, because I can feel the DELETE key on this entry happening tomorrow before the guys decide to read my blog...

Oh, it was so bad, so bad, so bad, it was just such a waste, you have no idea..... STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE!!!!!

It's not a real good idea to take a dog thru a carwash....

Poor little Maggie, today was grooming day - I spent HOURS, detangling, bathing, blow drying, and giving her bits of cheese to keep her happy. Then for a "special treat" she got to go in the car with us to do errands after the torture was finished.

AND, hubby, despite my saying it wasn't a good idea, just HAD to go thru the carwash. HAD TO... That car couldn't wait another day. OMG, it was awful, my poor little dog was terrified, and I was so pissed. Men just don't have that sensitive gene, it is just missing!!!! He STILL doesn't think it was a big deal... It wasn't a good trip, if you get my drift.

Men Schmen!!!!

An old cowboy sat down at the Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee.

As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the cowboy and asked, 'Are you a real cowboy?' He replied, 'Well, I've spent my whole life breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves,bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs,

So I guess I am a cowboy.'

She said, 'I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat.It seems that everything makes me think of women.'

The two sat sipping in silence.

A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboy and asked, 'Are you a real cowboy?'He replied, 'I always thought I was, but I just found out that I'm a lesbian.'

Not bad for an old guy...

Ringo was on Letterman last night - not a great song, but he sure looks better than Jagger in his senior years. SENIOR YEARS, OMG, SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!!

Wanna see a Hill-Billy???

John sent me this today, just too funny not to share. And speaking of politics, which I never do, I've been reading quite a bit about Oprah and how she's having a lot of backlash from women because she is in Obama's camp, when a woman has a shot at the White House for the first time in history. It seems that her "fans" are not happy with her for backing her race instead of her gender and she has been getting slammed for it.

She has been pretty silent since New Hampshire, it will be interesting to see if she backs away from him. And if she DOES, yours truly who doesn't venture into the political arena, believes, strongly, that she should have kept her mouth shut in the first place and stuck with "entertainment" instead of politics. It just frosts my cake when these celebrities feel the need to jump on the black bandwagon.

Even Whoopi, whom you know I love, was talking about Martin Luther King holiday this morning on the view and said "thank you" as if she was thanking people for making it a holiday.

You sure as hell don't hear anybody "thanking people" for George Washington's birthday holiday. WHAT A CROCK!!!!

hmmmmm

Some interesting facts and myths about Diet Coke, my drink of choice, btw, this sunny Monday morning.

Here's the CLICK...

Our former house made the paper....

Twelve years ago we bought a house in the historic section of Heavensville. We always called it the "Gingerbread House", also known as "Hansel and Gretel's Cottage." I always loved the house, it was really magical looking, and when the elderly owner's husband passed away, I wrote her a letter, telling her that we were interested in it.

She called us, hubby and I went over to see it, she wouldn't let us inside, said it was a mess, but we walked the perimeter, and it was so quirky and unusal looking - the brick was all uneven and had greek insignia's designed into the bricks, and the garage was a duplicate of the house. There was an outdoor fireplace by the garage and a waterfall and fishpond came out of the front of the garage wall, all original.

We bought it on the spot, without ever looking inside, and NO, it was NOT a deal, I just wanted the house and LC said he didn't care about the inside, he would redo it anyway.

And so we bought it, and it WAS a mess inside, but he redid all of it, and it was just wonderfull It was surrounded by big oak trees, that have since died and been cut down, so it doesn't have the charm it once did.

And why am I telling you this? Because it was featured in the Sunday paper as a "Storybook Home." I thought you all might like to read the article.

We sold it five years ago when we bought our Condo. At the time we bought it, I thought I would live in it forever, but it's tough living on three different levels when you have no feet. Everything was either upstairs, or in the basement, and I was going up and down stairs many times daily. Plus, the neighborhood was deteriorating, as it does with older homes, so we sold it.

Am I sad? No, not really, I had wonderful years living there, and good memories, but it was time to move on. And now, even though I live in a condo, I'm in the country, and my front yard overlooks a horse pasture, and there is a creek that I can visit daily on Milly (golf cart).

Our condo seems like a house to me, and it's peaceful and quiet, and everything is really convenient.

And if you would like to see what it used to look like on the inside, I have interior pictures on an old Tripod account that I found for you. I hope you enjoy it, and if you think it was as special as I did, drop me an email or leave a comment.

~ jan

Here's the CLICK to all the pictures, they re all thumbnails just click on them to bring them to a large size..

Here is the article from the paper, scroll down to the 7th house, that was ours... Here's the CLICK.

enjoy...

I'm such a lazy bum.... AGAIN TODAY...

Maggie's having a bad hair day, Munchie and I are having a WORSE one.....

I haven't had such a lazy weekend since... well, the last one.

I scrapped more pages again today. They are listed on the front of the Milly Scraps page.

One is my recipe for CranApple pie, the other is a thank you note I got from Tonia this week. The card was so pretty, it was a shame to just put it in a drawer, so I scrapped a page using it. It's pretty and fresh, reminds me of her...

You can see both these pages at Milly Scraps. Here's the CLICK...

She was only 70...

Suzanne Pleshette died this morning of lung cancer. I always liked her, and not for the reasons you probably think. Oh sure, she was great with Newhart, she was a stunning beauty, but I liked her for a little obscure Disney movie that she made with Dean Jones in 1966 called The Ugly Dachshund.

It was a really hokey film, but she was adorable, she had the cutest clothes and she had three "girls" she called them - the cutest little Doxie's you've ever seen. Now you all know I've never been known for liking the "great" movies, I go for the clothes, the sets, etc., I just go for the visual and this was a cute one. Catch it on the tube sometime and watch it...



CNN has a nice article about her this morning, if you would like to read it, you can access it HERE.

Such a lazy day...

It's a cold, blustery day in Heavensville. I've been sitting at the computer, playing with scrapbooking pages. I finally dragged myself out to the grocery store this afternoon, messy hair, minimal makeup, I even went to an out of the way store that I don't regularly frequent, hoping not to be recognized, and I wasn't... Egads, a few years ago I wouldn't have thought of leaving the house without full warpaint, hair and "outfitted."

It's just not that important these days, especially today. Iwould rather scrap. Well, I did make a pot of chili, I wasn't totally worthless..

You can see Maggie's new pages at Milly Scraps -

Or you can access them HERE and HERE...

Baby Boomers, heads up....

Okay, if you are under 55, just ignore this post. All the rest, I was watching ABC news tonight on social security and whether you retire at 62 or wait until 65, yadayadayada - It's really informative, girlfriends - a must read... ~ jan

Here's the click...

It will always be home to me...

Today I went "home," meaning childhood "home." It's so different now, the exterior has been altered, and not for the better I might add, what we once nurtured is so neglected now, so many of the trees of my youth are no longer there, the tacky outbuildings that the last owner erected are unfamiliar to me, spoiling the view of the acreage behind the house. Gone is the wooden railed porch with it's wonderful old creaky porch swing, the soft dove gray wood siding has been replaced by vinyl, the paned wooden "front door" with it's big brown porcelain knob that opened using a skeleton key is long gone as well... So many things have changed... except for the lay of the land.

That's the one thing that doesn't change, the turns in the road, the way my beloved ditch snakes its way alongside the property, the hills and valleys of the nearby fields, and finally the very best part, the one constant thing I can depend on, the country sounds. As always, I asked LC to stop near the house, turn off the engine, roll down the windows and then I just sat and listened to the quiet. Those old familiar sounds envelop me like a soothing balm, the chirping of the birds, the smell of the earth, the wind rustling in the trees. That's the best part, the rest of it just isn't the same anymore, but then neither am I.

I got out of the car, with my sweet little Maggie scampering at my feet, and I watched her for awhile, standing next to the road of my childhood, and then I snapped this picture of her, took a cleansing breath, scooped her up, got back into the car, rolled up the window, and as we drove away, I was smiling.

I'm grateful, this Friday evening in January, for my simple, country childhood, for family and friends and sweet little dogs and for being able to revisit my roots, however briefly, even if it isn't the same...

Whazzup.....

Well, I took time yesterday and posted a new munchiebusiness.com page. It's a big box of valentine candy, pretty cute page, too, sez me, tooting my own horn.

Most of you probably link directly to this page, but it is fun to visit my original index page to see what I'm doing with it.... So check it out - here's the CLICK...

Jean is still visiting, I'm outta here, gotta poke my head in the fridge, see what's in there....

Later 'gators...

Check this out....

Jenny sent me the FUNNIEST letter about a "Happy Period." I posted it to GirlTalk - it's a must read, if you want a big smile....

Here's the Click...

~ jan

Remember this???

Our day yesterday.....

Click on the picture collage to enlarge it,

Now you would think that two old women out taking pictures would go somewhere picturesque, get lovely shots, boring, ordinary places, boring ordinary pictures. Right??? Heck no...

We hotfooted it right down to Shantytown, a river camp in Heavensville. Oh, it was a rock road, full of potholes and big mudholes and Hooterville was yellin' at me "don't slow down, don't slow down, you'll get stuck", "WATCH OUT FOR THAT HOLE, HO", yep, she was just a frettin, and I was yellin' right back at her, saying, "I was raised on a dirt road, and I know how to drive in mud so just SHUT UP!" And I DID, I didn't even come close to getting us stuck. Not even once. I executed those mudholes perfectly...

And she had her arm hung out the window, snappin' those pictures as fast as she could and all of a sudden she heard this huge WOOF, and you never saw a woman yank her arm back in a car and roll up a window so fast in your life. She was just sure that river camp was full of drug dealers and that their dog was gonna get us. I was laughing til' tears ran down my cheeks.

It was a HOOT, I tell ya, a HOOT!!!

One of my alltime favorite movies, The Egg and I, 1947, Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray

What we've been up to...

Dinner last night was Jambalaya, peas, a baguette and Andrea's Garlic Salad. That salad is so good, Hooterville adored it.. I posted the recipe for you on Jan Can Cook - give it a try, ladies - it's wonderful. ~ jan

Here's the CLICK...

What happens when a childhood buddy since we were toddlers visits...

You go out for the day and fuss about everything from bad driving (mine) to stupidity (me) to politics (her) to celebrities, (both) all in good fun...

You buy multiple bags of candy, rip open the licorice in the car and stuff your face all the way home, ruining your appetite for dinner...

You sit in the living room by the fireplace, pet your dogs and totally crack up, laughing so much you are rolling on the furniture with tears streaming down your face...

Yep that's what happens when two old friends way on the wrong side of 50 55 get together... Hooterville is visiting and it's pretty much a laugh a minute, wish you could all could be here with us....

Butterscotch Brownies

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE

A big giggle for all of you this morning...

Hooterville sent me this picture first thing this morning. This could be Munchie, it looks just like her. Oh how cute is this. The Hoot is on her way over today to hang out with me for a few days. Should be an interesting week....

A bucket list... things you want to do before you kick the "bucket"...

Raising Sand...

Thinking about buying a good album this weekend. Check out this clip about Raising Sand by Allison Krauss and Robert Plant. It looks like a winner.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss share the stage performing their own classics as well as songs from their new album, Raising Sand in the next all-new episode of CMT Crossroads: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss premiering Monday, February 11 at 8:00pm (EST)/7:00pm (CST).

You can listen to the album HERE.

Source: http://www.thurbroeders.nl/wordpress/

Rona Barrett from Hollywood...

Three things old people need to remember...

• Never pass up a bathroom
• Never waste a hard-on
• Never trust a fart

Those were was the funniest lines of the movie we saw this evening, The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Oh my, I haven't seen so many 60 something people in a movie theater in years. They came in droves, which only goes to show that baby boomers really love going to the movies, they just need a reason to go.

The critics weren't too kind to this movie, and while it was a bit cheesy, it was an absolute treat. Of course, Nicholson is always the self-parody, but Morgan Freeman was mesmerizing to watch. He was so handsome and so polished, he's one of our great actors and just seeing him on the big screen was worth the price of the senior citizen ticket.

And the most profound line of the movie...

The measure of a life is when others measures their lives to yours...

A goodie for you, tonight...

I grew up watching Amos 'n' Andy. They weren't racist, they were just funny... Oh, this brings back memories... I wish the quality were better, it's scratchy, but it's a good anyway, girlfriends...

Camera Info...

My camera that I told you about last night is a Canon Powershot A720 IS. It's an 8 MegaPixel with a 6X Zoom for under $200. Hooterville held my hand and walked me thru setting it up. She absolutely detests when people set their camera on "Auto" so she helped me program mine, and of course she's right, the pictures I take with it on the "P" setting, are a vast improvement over the "Auto" setting.

My favorite thing about this camera, other than it is ridiculously easy to operate, is the LCD screen. I always take pictures using the "Brownie Finder" but no more. The LCD screen is really large, and really clear. It's great.

There is one downside to the camera, and it's the recovery time after you take a flash picture. There isn't much lag at all when you take the picture, but it takes the camera five seconds to recover before you can take another picture using the flash. Jean explained that since this camera only uses 2AA batteries, that's why it's not faster. But it's such a little thing, and of course if you are shooting outside without the flash pictures are instant.

So anyhoo, take a walk over to Steve's Digicam Website and check this little beauty out. Here's the CLICK.

I ordered mine online from Newegg.com, it came in two days. I also ordered the 2G memory card, and I'm a really happy camper. Here's the CLICK for Newegg.

I learned a few things last night....

I was watching Larry King last night with hubby, and Dr. Laura was on for the last half hour. Now whether you like this woman, or you don't, after watching her, I thought she had some really profound, thought provoking views. Here's part of what she had to say...

On politics:

Women came out in droves in New Hampshire to vote for Hillary Clinton because she is a female, masses of people have been voting for Obama because he is black, and religious people are supporting Mike Huckabee because he is a good Christian. This is HORRIBLY stupid.

When you are electing the leader of the free world you need to look at what the person stands for, what the values are, and what they can do for our country, and not vote for them because of race, gender or religious affiliation.

On relationships:

Marriage in this country is in trouble because people are selfish. It's all about what I need, what I want and how I feel. When you marry someone you are commited to them, and every morning when you open your eyes and look at your spouse lying beside you, you should ask yourself, "what can I do for my partner today to make him/her glad that they married me?." If you do that, focus on what you can do for them instead of yourself, then they will be happy and because of that, you will be happy, too. Everybody wins.

On sex:

One viewer called in and said that they had been married for seven years and wanted to know how often they should be having sex. Dr. Laura said that you should set aside fifteen minutes each and every day, a minimum of fifteen minutes, to kiss and cuddle and hold each other and then see what progresses from there.

That was pretty insightful wasn't it? She has a bestseller, The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage, now out in paperback, and I'm thinking that an old dog like me might just learn a few tricks by reading it, so I'll be checking this out from the library.

And I'll be honest here, you may be thinking just how does what she said affect you? Well, first of all, I'm an only child, and I'm the first to admit that I'm selfish. I want things my way, just ask my kids, they will tell you in a heartbeat that Mom is selfish. I'm goodhearted about it, but I grew up not having to share, and we all know that everything we are is rooted in childhood. LC watched this program with me, and this morning he got up and made me breakfast. He hasn't done that in a long time, he didn't ask, he just did it. And did that make me happy? OF COURSE IT DID, DUH IS A HORSE A HORSE, OF COURSE OF COURSE!! I was absolutely estatic, and even more so when he cleaned up the kitchen. So maybe Dr. Laura has a valid point about this.

And as for the political agenda, I admit that I like the idea of Hillary being President because she is a woman. I remember being a little girl in school and my teachers saying that we would see a woman President in our lifetime. I've also always been a Bill Clinton fan. A certain friend of mine says that it's because I think he is "hot" but that's not entirely true. I have always thought he was attractive and charismatic, but I also happen to believe that he was a good President, despite his dalliances in the Oval Office, and that our country prospered during his terms as President. But that's no reason to vote for Hillary, because I would like to see a woman President in my lifetime or because I like her husband. I'm going to take Dr. Laura's advice and study the candidates and their beliefs and make my decision based on that.

And finally the sex... Well, we're older now, I seriously doubt if you will see us kissing and cuddling for fifteen minutes a day. Hooterville is coming to visit next week, somehow I don't think she would enjoy us snuggled in on the couch every evening for even five minutes. I think I'll leave this portion of Dr. Laura's advice to the younger generation, and settle for him making me breakfast.

You can access Dr. Laura online HERE and you can read about her book HERE. She's been around for years now, maybe that's why what she says lends a little credance. Check her out and see if she gives you any insight...

~ jan

Why the sudden obsession with pictures???

Well, if you must know, Hooterville, the camera/digital queen, bought a nifty little camera recently and she has been raving about it nonstop. John called me in December, saying that Tonia had been wanting a little camera she can put in her purse, and he wanted me to ask Jean aka Hooterville which one was best. She said to get the Canon that she bought, and he did, gave it to her for Christmas, she loved it and I loved it, too. In fact, I loved it SO MUCH that I bought it after the holidays.

I normally don't take a lot of pictures, because cameras are bulky, and awkard and heavy and they have all these little contraptions that you have to slide to make it work, it spoils the moment for me. We have a fairly new digital one, but it's such a hassle that I rarely use it. But this little camera is an amazin' raisin, girlfriends. It's so little and lightweight, I can whip it out, push a button, click the zoom and take a pictures with one hand in a New Yawk minute. I just tuck it into a sock, just a regular sock that I've tied a knot in the end of, and throw it in my purse. Works for me... I'm all set with a 2GB card, those things are so cheap anymore, it's only $14 for that big card. I can take hundreds of pictures, even at a fine setting, without running out of memory.

Of course when I got it, Hooterville wouldn't hear of me using the AUTO setting, she absolutely DETESTS auto settings and says that if you are going to take pictures, you need to set it manually. So she walked me thru it, and I'm actually doing it the RIGHT way, no AUTO for this girl, I'm PROGRAMMED...

So, if you're in the market for a new camera, I'll tell you all about this one tomorrow. I'm snapping pix like crazy, mostly of Maggie, because she's so darned cute... Here's one more for you, taken just five minutes ago while she was playing with her toys. Now if I can just figure out how to get rid of that pet red eye, I will be a happy camper. Poor Munchie, she has green eye shine, so when I take pictures of her, both her eyes have these big green circles, she looks like a little alien. I'm working on it though, there has to be a way to remove it, normal red eye removal in Photoshop doesn't work on puppy dogs like it does on people...

Some green in January...

I'm a big fan of jade trees. They thrive on neglect, needing little water, and if you can provide them with a bright sunny location, you're in business.

Jade Trees can last for decades, in fact Veronica and I were nosing around in a greenhouse a couple of years ago, and they had one, it was ancient, it was HUGE, and it was wonderful.

I bought mine at Lowes that same year for under ten dollars. They usually have them in the spring in the tropical section.

I take it outside in the summer, then bring it into the sunroom in the fall, throw some water on it occasionally and it's doing really well. They are known for being slow growers, but I think mine has gotten much larger since I bought it. It probably measures three feet tall now, sitting in it's pot. They flower, late winter, but so far I haven't seen that happen, who knows, maybe this is the year.

It was in an plain, terra cotta pot, so today I enlisted Trisher's aid, and we repotted it this afternoon. It was a warm, sunny day in Heavensville and we both had a touch of spring fever as we worked on the patio, playing in the potting soil.

So, if you are lacking a green thumb, but want something green and alive in your house this winter, try a jade tree. Buy the largest one you can find, and take it home and neglect it. It will thrive. ~ jan

I'm linking you to a site with a wonderful specimen, after you link to the page, click on the tree so that you can view it full size. The shape of it is amazing. No doubt it's had some pruning over the years, something I need to do more of, I'm always skeptical about cutting on a healthy plant.

Click here for the site...

Today....

Hi, bank teller, I'll have a Milkbone dog biscuit please, and not one of the green ones, I only eat natural foods, could you please give me one with no artificial coloring? That's okay, I have plenty of time, dig thru your stash til' you find one...




Do you like my purse? I think it's called French Tapestry. It has lots of paisleys on it, plenty of pockets, too. I'm stylin'..... oh wait...

It's not really a purse. It's my Sherpa tote. I zip Maggie Moo up in it, it has mesh around the zipper to ventilate it, and we go all over Heavensville. Mags has been in all my fave restaurants, in the grocery stores, you name it, she's been there, and since she's such a nester, she just snuggles down and goes to sleep. She never makes a peep... Nobody has a clue that there is a dog in there, even though the devil on my shoulder wants to tell them. What a good dog she is...

Finally, someone with common sense...

It always seems like the hollywood set flaunts their bodies, regardless of how old, how fat, how saggy they are. They wear tight, provocative clothes when they are YEARS past their prime, and look downright stupid in them.

Here is a pix of Kim Cattrell on the beach this week in Malibu. Hey, she's older now, and at least she's wearing something "age appropriate" - I think she looks pretty damned good.. You can click the pix if you want it bigger so you can see all the, ummm details. Well, she does look like she has some duck lips going on, but I'll forgive her those because she actually wore something that looks nice on her.

And check out her her dog - it's a YORKIE!!! Smart woman, sensible bathing suit and the world's greatest breed of dog...

It's a beautiful thing...

I'm such a fan...

I just think Whoopi Goldberg is 'da bomb' - I really do. I always enjoyed her work, but after watching many episodes of her now on The View, I enjoy her maturity, her wit, her intelligence and ability to stay sane and take control of the situation when the rest of the women on the show are acting bat shit crazy.

Myself, among others, are not so much fans of that rude Elisabeth Hasselbeck with her smug little know-it-all smirks , and her inability to see anyone else's opinions other than her own. But Whoopi is able to put Elizabeth gracefully in her place when she starts her babbling, she's a wonder to watch in action...

She's on equal footing with Joy when they good naturedly spar back and forth, she's respectful to Barbara, and interacts well with Sherri, she's just so much fun to watch, I'm actually enjoying morning television because of her....

I've got just a bit of Whoopie trivia for you this rainy Tuesday evening -

She was born in the Chelsea section of Manhattan in 1955 as Caryn Elaine Johnson and Her stage name was taken from "whoopee cushion", which she initially used as her stage name; she stated that "If you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go. So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."

I love the fact that, now in her mid 50's, Whoopie beats to her own drummer, and lives life on her own terms. In her jeans and her sneakers, with her trademark dreadlocks and gravelly voice, she is like a breath of fresh air on that show and a delight to watch. She's a jewel, that Whoopi, I enjoy her "Views" thoroughly...

~ jan

I'm seriously warped...

We had toronado warnings this afternoon in Heavensville. The sirens were going off, local weather type people cut in on television programming to say that the "toronado" could touch down within 1/2 mile from where we live.

So, it's time to go somewhere safe. Now my idea, and hubby's idea of somewhere safe is vastly different. My theory is the backseat of the car, in the garage is safest, because you are surrounded by steel, and if windows are shattered, it would more than likely be the front seat that would take the impact, whereas if I were in a closet, surrounded by 2x4's, duh, there wouldn't be a lot of protection... We have had many arguments about this, he insists that the closest is safest, so if he were home, no doubt he would have been in the closet and the dogs and I would be in the car... Yeah, the dogs go where I go.... They don't know any better...

And now for the warped part, so I watch the news, I hustle off to the backseat of the car with.... are you ready... the M&M's, of course, gotta take my furkids, they are the most important thing, and then did I take family pictures with me, or jewelry, or some of the wonderful mementos in my house that I am so fond of. Hell no, I took the dogs, my cellphone and MY EXTERNAL HARDDRIVE...

See what I mean, my harddrive with my computer's info on it is one of the most important things in my house to me???? Oh, I am SERIOUSLY warped.... For real I am....

Boy, is this appropriate today...

And why am I in such a funky mood.... Well, it's not that I'm lonely or have the blues, it's because I CAN'T PUT A STUPID BORDER ON THIS PAGE, that's why!!!. Holy Schmoly, girlfriends, trying to insert the correct html coding is driving me absolutely NUTS!!! I have done nothing for two days but sit with my face in this screen and accomplish absolutely NOTHING... The laundry is piling up, the bed isn't made, the M&M's haven't been brushed or played with, and hubby is eating leftovers... What a nightmare!!!!!!!

Talking to myself and feeling old
Sometimes Id like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin around, nothing to do but frown
Rainy days and mondays always get me down

What Ive got they used to call the blues
Nothing is really wrong
Feeling like I dont belong
Walking around some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and mondays tuesdays always get me down

x

United States in the Year 2008.

For those of you who would like a choice for President, we have a solution:
It is probably time we have a woman as President.
One choice is a very special lady who has all the answers to our problems .

PLEASE give it a thought when you have a moment...

MAXINE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!

Dinah Shore was always a fave - I remember this car, actually, I've ridden in this car!!! Yikes, this was over 50 years ago!!!

This just doesn't happen...

It's the 7th of January and I still have fresh herbs in the garden. Admittedly, they are a bit ragged, but the thyme, rosemary and parsley are still going strong.

I picked the last of the sage over the weekend to put in a pork roast I cooked yesterday.

I just had to share. It's just unheard of to have fresh herbs in Heavensville this time of the year.

~ jan

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt (On the side of a hill in the deep forest green) Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground) Without no seams nor needlework (Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine (Sleeps unaware of the clarion call)

Tell her to find me an acre of land
(On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Washes the ground with so many tears)
Between the salt water and the sea strand
(A soldier cleans and polishes a gun)
Then she'll be a true love of mine

Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather
(War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)
And to gather it all in a bunch of heather
(And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten)
Then she'll be a true love of mine

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

P. Simon/A. Garfunkel, 1966

It's time to call it a day night...

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

childs bedtime prayer, 18th century


This was the prayer I recited nightly as a child,
we're all Gods children,
it works for puppy dogs, too...

~ jan

arughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The page may look a little squirrelly today, i'm working on it.. having a wonderful time, too. Yeah, sure I am.... Oh, how I hate this coding stuff!!!!!

yes, it was good as it looks...

I baked a pie, well actually Lindsay had made the crust at Christmas and it was in the freezer, so I made a cranapple pie, and since I just had one crust, I didn't try and trim it or crimp it, I just folded it over the top, brushed it with milk and sugar and wahlaa, pie... GREAT RUSTIC PIE - YUM-O...


Want to make one of these this weekend while cranberries are still available? The recipe is on Jan Can Cook - you can access it here

Exercise is a dirty word... Every
time I hear it, I wash my mouth
out with chocolate.

It's been one of those weeks...

I've been working on new webpages, so far my peabrain hasn't produced anything that is even passable, so you are stuck looking at the Christmas background.

Those most productive thing I've done is to try the new Starbucks Sugar Free Skinny Mocha. Now, just hustle right down there and get one, girlfriends, 90 calories for a Grande, and it's not too bad.. Kinda tastes like a hot chocolate coffee with a bit of a whang. It's sugar free, remember...

Kids are coming in for the weekend, stew is on the stove, bread is in the Zo, a cranapple pie going into the oven and me trying to eat healthy. Well, we'll see how that works out...

Later 'gators, I promise I'll get it together here, soon.

~ jan

arughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

It's 2am, I'm in a deep sleep and all of a sudden I hear CLANG, CLANG, CLANG... It's Munchie, her water bowl is apparently empty and she's banging it against the floor. CLANG, CLANG, CLANG. Hubby is growling from his side of the bed, and I'm saying, "maybe she'll give up and come back to bed." OH no, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG. Now Maggie pops her little head from under the covers, and she's off the bed to investigate what's going on in the utility room with her sister. CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

LC is now sitting on the side of the bed, muttering, "those damned dogs are a royal pain in the ass." He trudges off to fill the water bowl, and gives them some fresh kibble while he's out there. I'm about to drift back off to sleep and all of a sudden here comes Maggie, like a little rocket ship, running as fast as she can, leaping on the bed, nosing her head under the covers, then turning around, slamming her little body next to me and thrusting her throat against my throat. I GASP, her beard is just drenched with water and it's COLD. But she's so adorable, so trusting, snuggling up to me, that I suck it up and lay there.

Then here comes Munchie, she jumps on my stomach and lays down for a cuddle. So I pet her for a bit, she gets off my tummy, turns around twice, lays down and lets out a big sigh. She's down for the rest of the night.

I'm still laying there with wet puppy dog throat against me, and of course by now I'm wide awake. Maggie is snoring softly against my ear, LC is already asleep again and me... now I have to pee!!! And that was my night....

Happy New Year!!!!

Instead of reflecting, listing favorite things of the past year, I thought you would all much rather have a smile. Oh, sweet little baby, I bet his Momma just about died right there on the spot!