The last 24 hours have NOT been fun….

I got up yesterday morning, my computer crashed!!!!!  Couldn’t get it to boot, FINALLY it did, so I spent entire day backing up files to the harddrive, because OF COURSE, I wasn’t backed up like I should have been.

Now I’m getting ready to reinstall wndows, that’s why no blogging, no time…

Thought you would all like to see Lisa Marie Presly’s tummy, OMG, she’s about to EXPLODE!!!!!  Those bebes must be due like, yesterday!

Hopefully, I’ll be back tomorrow – this is a royal pain i the patootie…  I’ve driven poor Hooterville NUTS!!!  Whatever would I do without her, though – the woman knows EVERYTHING about computers, she’s a wonder…

Me, not so much, I play with my little doodads, blog, surf, do I do the technical crap, of course not, then disaster strikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Poor pitiful me…

I’ve never heard of peanut butter cupcakes, have you?

I was intrigued with the fork crosshatches on the top of this recipe.  It eminds me of rolling balls of peanut butter cookie dough when the boys were little, and letting them take the fork, dip it in water first to keep it from sticking, and then marking the cookies. 

I posted this recipe over on Jan Can Cook, you might want to check it out, it looks wonderful.  Here’s the quick CLICK…

Peace ….

I’ve always been one to strive for peace, not necessarily happiness as a lot of people seem to do.  I’ve found through the years, that happiness is borne of peace.  Happiness is elusive, a few fleeting fragmented moments of time, but oh, when your soul is at peace, it’s lasting and it’s perfect.

I found it this morning.  It’s a warm, very breezy fall day in Heavensville.  Hubby is working, and I made myself a late breakfast, eggwhite omelet, freshly ground and brewed coffee, and a bowl of fresh peaches and yogurt.  I ate outside on the patio, with freshly cut herbs sprinkled on my omelet, and cherry tomatoes plucked from the vine, feeding the M&M’s bites of peaches as I ate. Afterwards I took them for their late morning potty run. I was sitting in the golf cart in the shade by the rocks, the fur kids were scampering in the grass, the wind was blowing in my face, the sun dappling thru the trees, a dove was cooing in the distance, and I was at peace.  Wonderful, blissful peace.

I have defining moments in my life when I remember such feelings.  The most binding ones were when the boys were born.  After both births, as I held those little red faced, ten fingered, ten toed baby boys in my arms, I have never felt such peace.  They were healthy, beautiful little babies, and it was the happiest moments of my life.

Not surprising, one of the other vivid memories is of home.  Hubby and I had been married a few years, the boys were small at the time, and we were visiting Mother.  It was a day not unlike today, a warm day with a brisk wind, and Mother had her windows open.  There is nothing like freshly laundered curtains billowing at the windows, and because she lived in a valley surrounded by trees, she always had great cross-thru ventilation, so it was a wonderful breeze.

Hubby had taken Mother and the boys somewhere, but I stayed behind.  I took a pillow from her bed, with the same pillowcase that I had slept on as a child, one she had made years before, and I laid down sideways on the foot of her bed, my head on that pillow, and my face to the window.

I’ll never forget that afternoon, the way the birds I remembered from my childhood were singing in the trees by my ditch, the sound of the tassel on her raised window shade as it flapped against the blind, and I went to sleep.

I’ve never slept as soundly, or as well as I did that afternoon, with the breeze blowing over my body, in the house where I grew up.  It was comfort, and it was warmth, and it was memories, and it was totally perfect.

I awoke refreshed, and I can still remember the imprint of her chenille bedspread on my arm.  It’s a much cherished memory, one that will stay with me always.

So when I have a peaceful moment, like I did today, I treasure it, and I remember other moments as well.  I hope you do, too.  It’s a wonderful thing.

~ jan

This is it, this is the pillowcase I slept on that long ago afternoon!!!  I have it saved in a drawer in the guest room.   A few years before Mother died, I was visiting her, and I told her I wanted it someday.  She went right then, found it in her drawer, and gave it to me. I seldom asked her for her things, and I’m sure she wanted to be sure I got it.  It used to be one of a pair, but she didn’t have other one, I was just glad that she had saved this

After I made this entry, I thought you might all like to see it, so I got it from the drawer and took this picture. Isn’t it wonderful?

I still have the pattern Mother used to make this, too.  This old case dates back to the late 40’s.

It’s made from a feedsack, and she appliqued the lady with the bonnet, and added a ruffle at the bottom. It’s so worn, and a bit yellowed from where many heads have lain,  as you can see, but I bet if I handwashed it, put it outside to dry, starched it a bit and ironed it, that it would be PERFECT to take a nap on again.  And what do I have for my boys to remember of their childhood?

Well, somewhere, stored away I still have their Ronald McDonald pillowcases…  I’m such a sentimental schmuck!

It’s those simple things, ladies…

The potato chips are a hit…

I’ve received several emails praising the potato chip recipe I posted on Tuesday.  It’s a big hit, ladies, if you haven’t made it, you’re missing out on a good one….

You can access it quickly HERE.

~ jan

An exciting morning, it’s going to be Sarah Palin…..

Huge news this morning, McCain’s camp just announced that he is running Sarah Palin for his veep. 

Time will tell what kind of candidate she will be, but you have to admit, McCain sure pulled a rabbit out of the hat with this one.  I bet Obama is scrambling over this news!  He just had the rug pulled out from under him.

I haven’t been this excited about politics in a long time.

She is 44 years old, had a Downs Syndrome baby just last spring.  No abortion for this woman governor of Alaska, she’s definitely pro-life.  A conservative,  mother of five, and a former 2nd place contestant in the Miss Alaska contest.  Hot damn, this election just caught fire!!!!!!

Lots of information about her on Wikipedia – here’s the quick click!

Signs of fall…

I took the M&M’s out for a potty run, and snapped the leaves behind the condo.  There is nothing like fall, as my friend, Mary said today, she can’t wait for soups and chili's, crisp apples, art shows, fall color and warm sweaters.  I so agree, I can’t wait either!

 

Aloha Daisy…

The internet is a wonderful thing, it truly is.  Years ago, I used to belong to a Yorkie web ring, and thru that site I connected with this wonderful woman and fellow Yorkie lover, Daisy, from Hawaii.  Well years went by, computers were updated, email addresses changed, and Daisy and I lost touch.

Yesterday, I thought of her, and quickly typed “Daisy Hawaii Yorkie” into Google.  Lo and behold, her email address popped right up.  So I contacted her, we’ve reconnected, she has a new Yorkie, Marla, of course I no longer have the Munchkin, and she no longer has her Jolie, but now I have the M&M’s and a friendship is rekindled.  So Aloha, Daisy, welcome to the crazy world of Jan in Heavensville…

And speaking of crazy, yesterday when I was posting the entry about Mother and the green beans, I had put my crockpot liner on the stove (yes, I can do that, it’s aluminum) to get my beans hot before I put them in the crock, and I promptly forgot all about them.

I’m in the sunroom, just typing away, and hubby comes thru the kitchen and says, “Jan something’s going on with these beans.”  CRAP, I forgot them, they were, ummmmm, carmelized – hey, really they were fine, another two minutes and they would have been TOAST!!!!  Geezy Pete I’m such a ditz! 

So I added more water, cooked them all afternoon, and they were sublime…  Yeah, they really were, they were NOT burnt!!  Not even a little bit, not even a smidge.  I lucked out… this time, anyway…

So this morning I was reading about how this woman puts sweet potatoes in the crockpot.  She just washes them, gets them drippy wet, pierces them, puts them in the crock with no water for 4-6 hours.  So I’m trying that.   Of course hubby is working today, so if they start to burn in the crock, I’m on my own. 

I’ll let you know how this all works out for me…

All tucked in…

Recorded by The Spaniels, 1954

Wow….

I just posted the most amazing sounding salad over on Jan CAN Cook.  It’s from Splendid Table, and it looks absolutely to die for!!!

Check it out HERE, gang….

Your daily dose of cuteness….

Now, before you all freak because the fur kidz are in the sink, they’re in the GARAGE UTILITY SINK, not the house!!!

Hubby and I are working in the garage today, and since we all are FAM-I-LY, heaven forbid we leave the M&M’s in the house.  Oh no, they want to be where we are.  The garage door was up, I didn’t want to have to worry about them scampering out into the wild blue yonder, so I just put a clean piddle pad in the sink, and plopped them in it.  They’re content, they could care less that they are napping in the sink, they’re just happy to be with us.

Sweet little dogs…

 

Memories of Mother…

Those of you who have lost someone close to you will be nodding your head at this entry…

I can be going along with my life, having a perfectly normal day, and all of a sudden a memory of Mother will pop into my head and it will be so vivid that it takes me aback.  Sometimes it makes me tearful, sometimes it makes me smile, and oftentimes, for me, it’s working in the kitchen that triggers it…

I bought fresh green beans at the market, and this morning I was stemming them, wondering if it was really necessary to take off the tails, and for a brief moment, I thought, “I’ll ask Mom, she’ll know.”  And then reality hits me and once again, I realized that I will never ask those questions again, ever.

I was putting the green beans in her stainless steel bowl, by far my favorite thing in my kitchen.  Me with all my fancy gadgets and state of the art equipment, me, who constantly devours every issue of Williams-Sonoma catalog looking for new goodies that I “must have,” me who throws away things that aren’t up to my standards, simply adores that old bowl.  I actually have two of them, they were a set, a large, a medium and a small.  Somehow the medium is gone, I’m surprised as she never threw away anything, but I drag the large one out every single day and use it for something.  The little one, not so much, but it’s there, every time I open the cupboard I see it, and I smile.

And this morning, the memories brought a few tears, but they were brief, like a cloud drifting along in the sky, and then the sun popped thru and I smiled as I remembered how she used to work alongside me, helping me snap the beans, offering suggestions, giving good advice.

So we’ll have them for dinner tonight, and they will be wonderful because they are fresh, but, I’m sure, not as wonderful as hers…  She always loved green beans, picked from her garden, and nobody cooked them better than she did, so these are for you, Mom, I’ll enjoy them and think of you…

Guilt Free Homemade Potato Chips????

Ahhhhhhh, these aren’t just any old potato chips.  I made wonderful, hot, yummy, totally crispy, NO FAT potato chips.  They are absolutely to die for, and you can make a plate of them for pennies and in just a few minutes. Unlike the Lays Light ones that you pay $3.89 for, these cost you practically nothing and taste LOTS better, too because they are hot and fresh.  Click on this picture and enlarge it, they look even better up close and personal.

I found this recipe a couple of days ago, and last night I made them for hubby.  The man is a potato chip addict, and he was TOTALLY impressed.  He said they tasted like kettle chips, only thinner!  You would never know they weren’t deep fried…

Here’s the scoop on how you make them.  I have a mandoline, the nifty little slicer that you have to be careful when you use that you don’t slice off your fingers, anyhoo, I got mine at Williams-Sonoma, my favorite store of stores, and I use it all the time.  Williams-Sonoma now carries a cheaper version by Oxo since I purchased mine, I’m sure it would work great, and it’s under $40. You just dial it to very thin, so that when you slice your potatoes they come out like, duh, CHIPS!  If you don’t have a mandoline, you can slice them by hand, good luck with that, I’m not really that skilled with the knife, myself.

So, after you slice your potato, don’t peel it, leave the peeling on, and btw, one potato makes a nice pile of chips, you spray either a plate or a piece of parchment or even waxed paper with Pam.  Spray it thoroughly so that the chips won’t stick.  Then you lay one layer of chips on the paper or the plate, spray the chips again with Pam, and lightly sprinkle on salt.  My first batch I sprinkled too much salt, it’s easy to overdo it, just a dusting of salt works perfectly.

Then you put them in the microwave, uncovered,  until they are golden brown and crispy, mine took five minutes.  That’s all there is to it.  Some people do a couple of layers at once, putting paper between the layers, I personally think they come out better if you just take your time and do one layer at a time.  Mine weren’t soggy at all, they were totally crispy.  And the fact that you eat them warm makes them even better…  Just be sure to spray whatever you lay them on thoroughly so that they don’t stick…

So go grab a potato, try this, you will be amazed, I pinkie swear…  You can all thank me later, you’re gonna love these, girlfriends!!! 

No guilt, cheap chips – WHOHOOOOOO!!!  Doesn’t get better than this…

~ jan

Whirlwind and an agitated little yorkie....

It's a hot, dusty day in Heavensville, but the dried leaves are falling, making it seem almost fall like.

I just took the M&M's out for their afternoon break, it was really windy, the leaves were blowing in whirlwinds, and they were blowing up against Maggie's butt when she was trying to potty.  It happened once, she jumped up, it happened again, and then again, and by this time she was one mad little dog.

She jumped in the air, whirled around and started biting at the leaves and barking at them.  What a site that was. 

It's the simple things....

Geezy Pete, whatever was she THINKING???

I thought you all would like to know that Miss Maggie Moo has turned into a little brat! She has spent the entire evening bugging poor Mollie, biting her, chasing her, barking, running laps around the house, jumping on the sofa and then trying to jump off onto Mollie's back.

And she's gaining weight! She's starved all he time, I can't fill her up. Something is definitely going on in that little Yorkie body... Hubby wanted to reprimand her tonight, she was so naughty. I told him, "Not on your life." "This is what we've been waiting for, a normal, healthy little dog." Well I've got one, now..."

Guess I should be careful what I wish for...
Seriously, I don't ever remember her ever having this much energy! It's a beautiful thing....

Nursery rhymes you WON’T want to teach your grandchildren…

Mary had a little pig, She kept it fat and plastered; And when the price of pork went up, She shot the little bastard.	Jack & Jill went up the hill To have a little fun. Stupid Jill forgot the pill And now they have a son.
Simple Simon met a Pie man going to the fair. Said Simple Simon to the Pie man, 'What have you got there?' Said the Pie man unto Simon, 'Pies, you Dumb Ass'.	Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the kings' horses, And all the kings' men. Had scrambled eggs, For breakfast again.
Hey diddle, diddle the cat took a piddle, All over the bedside clock. The little dog laughed to see such fun. Then died of electric shock.	Georgie porgy pudding and pie, Kissed the girls and made them cry. And when the boys came out to play, He kissed them too 'cause he was gay.

Those little yellow packets of Splenda Mini’s…

I’m a Splenda girl, Dilly, too, hate the pinks, tolerate the blues, but I prefer the yellows.

Nothing is more irritating than going into a restaurant and all they have are the pinks and the blues, no Splenda!!!!

I try to keep packets in my purse, but it’s a pain, they’re bulky, I spill them, BUT, now they have Splenda mini’s.  They’re great, they come in a little packet like tic-tacs, they self dispense, each little tablet is equal to half a packet of Splenda.  200 for $4.95 in the Splenda aisle at the grocery store.

They’re a good thing, look for them if you are a yellow girl like Linds and I…

OMG, another GIRL movie, “THE WOMEN” – couple this one with “NIGHTS IN RONDANTHE” and that’s TWO for us to look forward to this fall!!! Wow, it’s been a long time since we’ve had two chix flix that look like something we can really get excited about!!!

Oh does this one look good,as a matter of fact it looks GREAT!!!!  Coming soon to theaters near us is “The Women,” a remake of a 1939 film starring Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell and Norma Shearer.. 

This one stars Meg Ryan, Debi Mazar, one of my favorite actresses, Annette Benning, and Eva Mendes. They are a group of friends that all  begin questioning their own relationships after Ryan’s character discovers her husband’s infidelity.  It’s due in theaters September 12th!   Look at the rest of this cast, gang – Bette, Midler, Debra Messing, Candice Bergen, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cloris Leachman, Carrie Fisher, Lynn Whitfield  and Joanna Gleason.  Does this sound like our kind of movie, or WHAT???

Here’s their official website, you can watch a trailer HERE…

People Magazine has a different trailer, you can follow this link and watch a clip from it HERE!!!

Sign me up and mark me down…… I’ll SO be there opening weekend!!!

Sometimes trying to grow a new do is as slow as… MOLASSES!!!

Family…

a

Peach Cobbler…

Simply Recipes is one of my very favorite food blogs.  I checked her site this morning, and she has a recipe for peach cobbler posted.  I snagged her picture, and am showing all of you her link for the recipe.  You might want to try it.  In fact, check her whole site, she has wonderful recipes.

Here’s the CLICK…

I’m posting Nisha’s recipe over on Jan Can Cook for peach cobbler.  It’s a recipe she got years ago from her friend, Suki Vaughn, don’t you love that name, Suki?  Anyhoo, it’s Tried and True, her family loves it, and yours truly is going to make it for hubby as soon as the friggin’ peaches ripen.  They’re still hard as rocks!!!!

Access Nisha’s recipe HERE.  I’ll post a picture when I make it…

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…. random thoughts on a Monday night…

BLT’s for dinner tonight, the first time this summer. Oh my, nothing like thick slices of bacon, fresh tomatoes, leaf lettuce on Bunny Bread with Miracle Whip. Oh yeah, gotta get the white trash element going in the BLT’s. No Hellman’s for this ole’ southern girl, nope, no way, gotta be Miracle Whip and gummy white bread, FRESH, gummy white bread, that is…. It was awesome!!!

I’m cautiously optimistic that the Mewster Brewster is on the mend and that her surgery was successful. She has so much spunk, she’s just a little doggie dynamo. She's starving all the time, her little eyes sparkle and she doesn't sleep her days away like she used to. Some evenings, I take her and Mollie over to Trisher’s on the golf cart, because she has this shady area by the rocks where the grass is so thick and lush it’s like carpet. The dogs love to romp and play there, and of course I keep forgetting my movie camera. One of these days soon, I’ll get some footage and post it for you. My two Yorkies, and Trish’s Yorkie, London, all romp and play. It’s too cute for words…

We made our last visit of the season to the peach orchard today. Hubby wanted a cobbler, but they aren’t ripe enough yet. Perhaps tomorrow. Nisha gave me her favorite peach cobbler recipe, I’m sure it’s a goodie, Nish is a great cook. I’ll share it with all of you later…

I’m also cautiously optimistic that the super Vitamin B12 pills are giving me more energy. Either that or I’m just rested. Whatever the reason, energy level is way up for me. No side effects from the vitamins except that now I pee Gatorade neon yellow…. If Ry hadn’t told me to expect that I would have been in a panic…

We were leaving the house for the peach orchard, I had both dogs tucked under one arm, my phone in my hand, and I had just poured myself a glass of fruit tea in my favorite Starbucks clear plastic glass, with a lid and straw. Ry bought it for me this spring, and I’ve loved it, the glass not the tea.... Well, the damned lid flew off, the entire contents of the glass spilled all over the utility room floor, it was so sticky, syrupy, egads, you have no idea of what a mess I had. I put the dogs down, they were having a blast, lapping up the sweet tea, thank goodness hubby was home – I yelled for him, he cleaned it up. And I cracked my Starbucks glass, it’s ruined, had to throw it in the trash. Even that didn’t upset me. Has to be the vitamins, has to be…. Normally I would have been in a tiz…. Oh well, at least I didn’t drop my dogs or my phone, it could have been worse, but I’m sure they’ve sold all those nifty glasses at Starbucks by now. *sigh*

And that’s it from Heavensville, tonight. I’m off to bed with the dogs and Nicholas Sparks, Nights in Rondathe. Fun evening, huh?

A girl can never have too much good jewelry…..

Ok, is this not the cutest doggie jewelry you’ve ever seen?  Is Maggie just absolutely adorable or what???? 

Next, Angie is making the M&M’s fall daisies, similar to these but in burnt orange with brown tiger eye centers, maybe even a little leaf hanging on the dangle….

She custom makes ALL this jewelry.  If you think it’s as cute as I do, and want her to make something for your fur kid, just send me an email, and I’ll set you up with her…

Mollie, of course, has a matching scrungie, but she can’t have a bath until mid-week because of her surgery, and she wasn’t camera ready…. But, of course, Mags hammed it up really well…. 

This stuff is even cuter in person, than it is in the picture….  Such fun!!!

Grilled Salad…

I’ve told all of you about Ryan’s great grilled salad before, but it’s worth repeating for those of you who are new to the site.

It’s the most wonderful thing, but then I grew up on wilted lettuce, and thought it was the greatest thing, ever. 

Ryan first made it for me a couple of years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since.  It’s similar to wilted lettuce, because it’s warm, and has a vinaigrette, but that’s where the comparison stops.  Grilled salad has a smoother, more refined taste, great presentation, it’s just amazing.  So easy, too – here’s how you make it…

Take a bunch of romaine lettuce and cut it in half, VERTICALLY.  You cut it lengthwise and leave the core attached so that it holds together on the gril.  Then drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle on some coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, and put it on a hot grill.  Cook it just until the edges start to char, then turn it and finish it off.

Remove to a cutting board, take out the core, rough shop it in large pieces, put in a bowl, and either drizzle it with some balsamic vinegar, or, as Ry prefers, squeeze fresh lemon juice over it.  Then grate fresh parmesan cheese, reggiano, if you have it, on top and serve.  That’s it, easy, easy, and it’s TO DIE FOR!!!!! Trust me, if you are a vinaigrette lover, you will like this.  It’s so different….

I’m off to give Maggie a bath, I’ll be back later with that doggie jewelry…

Oops, I totally goofed.  Linds cal led to tell me that Ryan doesn’t use balsalmic vinegar, after he takes it off the grill, he tosses it with caesar salad dressing, and squeezes on lemon juice.  Sorry guys, I totally spaced out on that one….  So, if anybody made this today and is thinking, what’s the big deal, it’s cause’ I screwed up the recipe….

Ohhhhhh, wait til’ you see what I’ve got….

I went to dinner tonight with Veronica and her daughter, Angie.  Angie makes jewelry and sells it.  Not boring, ordinary jewelry, but really unique one-of-a-kind jewelry using semi-precious stones.

We were talking a few weeks ago, and I told her that I would love scrungie jewelry for the M&M’s topknot.

She made turquoise daisies for them, not just one daisy, but a cluster of them that dangle on their little foreheads.  Wait til you see how adorable they look!

Pictures coming tomorrow…  talk about a daily dose of cuteness, just wait til’ you all see what she made!!!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, it’s only a day away…

Your daily dose of cuteness…

Well, if this isn’t the damndest thing you’ve ever seen. Gotta watch this one, ladies….

Thanks for sending me this, Jean...

Finally, a movie that looks like something we would enjoy….

Nights in Rodanthe, starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane – Not opening until October 3rd, but the trailers looked great.

I’m picking up the book by Nicholas Sparks at the library tomorrow. 

If you want to see the trailer, CLICK HERE. And, a little trivia for you, I just read that the beach house where it was filmed two summers ago, is unusable now, due to soil erosion.  Hmmmmmm, wonder what took so long for it to get released.  I hope it’s as good as I think it’s going to be, and not a stinker!.  Here’s some info about the movie for you -

Who's in it? James Franco , Richard Gere , Viola Davis , Diane Lane

What's it about? In the romantic drama "Nights in Rodanthe," based on the Nicholas Sparks best-selling novel, Diane Lane stars as Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, who retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her-a wayward husband who has asked to come home, and a teenaged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere) arrives. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

It’s hubby’s birthday…

Today’s the day, he’s counting down to retirement, just two more years to go…

Ry and Linds are here, meat loaf and all that goes with it is in the oven, a warm apple pie is sitting on the stove, it’s a late dinner for us tonight, but all is well in my world…

Summer’s bounty…

 

We visited Boyd Orchards in Versailles yesterday and they had just picked the first of their Early Golden Delicious apples. 

I wish you all could have been here to enjoy them with me this afternoon.  I cut thin slices of apples and ate them with a wedge of cheese on a bagel crisp. It was a wonderful snack this afternoon.It’s those simple things again, ladies…

 

 

They had a great assortment of fresh fruits and veggies.  I thought you would enjoy some of the pictures I took. There is nothing like local, home grown produce in the summertime..

 

 

Okay, I admit it, I really enjoy Martha’s blog….

Martha Stewart has a blog.  It’s homey, it’s personal, I think it’s really great!  She lost her much loved dog, PawPaw last month, and now she’s trying to choose a new pup.

If you want to see some cuties, check them out HERE…

Okay, go ahead, roll your eyes….

I know you are all TIRED of hearing about my dogs, TIRED of seeing pictures of my dogs, oh well, it’s not gonna change, you all know I’m obsessed.  Just smile, and ignore me….

I have to tell you all about Mollie’s name.  First of all, I want my dogs to have proper names.  We have our birth names, and many of us have nicknames, so dogs should have them, too.  You all know that Maggie Moo’s proper name is really Margaret MooLatte, but poor little Mollie had none, well until last weekend she didn’t.

When we brought Mollie home her name was Tok’n.  But I wanted to carry on with the M&M’s, Maggie and Munchie were so cute together, that when I brought this new fur kid home, I wanted a new generation of M&M’s.  So it was bye-bye Tok’n, hello Mollie.

And, if you are unfortunate enough to know me personally, you know how I AGONIZE over names.  I drove you all crazy with a badzillion different dog names before settling on one.  Actually, it was Hooterville that named Mollie, because she liked the idea of saying “Good Gollie Miss Mollie.”  So Mollie it was, Maggie & Mollie, my new M”&M’s.  Then on to the middle name, since I had Maggie Moo, I named Mollie, Mollie Mae, but I didn’t really like that, so I decided to change that to Mollie Mo, naming her after my favorite online scrapbook person, MoJackson.  So she became Mollie Mo, but she didn’t have a “proper” name yet.

Last weekend, I was telling Lindsay that I really liked the way Mollie Maybelline sounded, and faster than a New Yawk minute, Dilly spat out the perfect name for her….  It’s funny, it’s quirky, it’s cute, are you ready for this………………

Drum roll please……………….

INTRODUCING………   MISS MOLASSES MAYBELLINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perfect, huh?  Yeah, it’s Mollie for short, but you have to admit, Molasses Maybellline is a Heavensville original….

And now for the REAL original, here ya go,ladies….. CHUCK BERRY!!!!!!!

Warning: This silly little song may get stuck in your head all day…

Coming home from Lexington, of course I caved and put them both on my lap… I’m such a sucker…

Okay, I’ll see how this works…

If you’re around my age, you know the symptoms, tired, no energy, just pooped most of the time to put it mildly.

I had a great time at Ryan and Lindsays, but I was just exhausted!  I was talking to Ryan about being so fatigued, and he suggested that I take a Super B vitamin Complex.  He said Vitamin B12 would help increase my red blood cells, and give me more energy.  He also said the Super B-Complex was similar to the B12 shots physicians sometimes give.  Well, that’s all it took for me, I hotfooted it right down to CVS last night, picked up their store brand, buy one get one free this week – 300 caplets for $14.99 – and I’m going to give it a whirl.  I was researching it a bit online this morning, and another study said that older women benefit from a daily dose of Biotin.  SURPRISE, this has Biotin, also folic acid.  Has to be a good thing, has to, right????  We’ll see, but right now I could take a nap and it’s only 11am.

Lots to see in Versailles…

This old abandoned distillery was awesome.  We drove the countryside this morning, I got lots of great pictures, just too tired to post them.  We’re back in Heavensville tonight, I’m off to a bubble bath and bed… Tomorrow, ladies, tomorrow…

From the cow pasture....

It's 59 degrees this morning, blue skies, no humidity, it's just a perfect morning in the country! We're visiting Ryan and Lindsay in Versailles, and I'm writing from the back deck. I have a mug of Sumatra coffee, the M&M's are sitting by my side, both well on their way to recovery, and I'm just..... basking...

It's idyllic, I can hear the cows mooing in the distance, the neighbor's fat tabby cat is stetched out, sunning itself in the back yard, birds are singing, the crow is cawing, As Time Goes By is playing softly from somewhere in the house... Ahhhh, it's just perfect, girlfriends.

Flashback to childhood, staying overnight with Aunt Idalene in the country. Up at dawn, a dash to the outhouse, then off to the barn to watch them milk the cows, slop the pigs, for real they did slop those pigs with leftover milk and food they didn't eat, then on to the chicken house to gather eggs.... Breakfast was usually fried pork shoulder and country cured ham, freshly gathered eggs, cow's milk, fresh out of the separator, homemade jam, and baking powder buttermilk biscuits. Some of you are probably thinking, a separator??? A separator is an electric machine that you put the cow's milk in and it spins the milk and separates the cream from the milk. Fresh cow's milk is really foamy, and the taste.... It's GODAWFUL, ladies. HORRID. OMG, I detest fresh cow's milk, you would, too, I imagine. It tastes nothing like a carton of milk from the grocery store, it has a really strong, raw taste before it's pasturized. Fresh churned butter, however, is amazing...

The difference between then and now, that was work, HARD WORK, this is just FUN!!! Works for me...

We'll be on our way back to Heavensville soon, but this was a great little getaway. Hands down best morning of the summer for me, well except for that early Starbuck's run to downtown Franklin in John's convertible, that was pretty great, too...

I'll be in touch...

Your daily dose of cuteness…

Mamma Mia…

It was girl’s night out yesterday, Janet, Aggie and I went to see Mamma Mia, and then to dinner. 

Okay, where do I start.  First of all I’ve always been a Meryl Streep fan.  Several of my friends are turned off of her now because of her political beliefs, but I don’t know enough about that to even comment..  I just think she’s a huge talent, and whether you liked this movie or you didn’t, the woman did a pretty darned good job at singing and dancing, considering that’s not her forte,

She’s my age, and I would KILL to look half as good as she does.  If she’s had work done, its been subtle, her aging process seems pretty much on target for somebody in her late 50’s.  And while she isn’t athletic looking at all, she’s toned and fit, and limber.  She had a great bod for an old gal, I thought.  She probably had in hair extensions, but it looked wonderful, but then I love that bohemian look anyway, so maybe I’m prejudiced.  She looked exactly like I would love to look at this age, and dressed exactly like I would like to also. *huge sigh*

There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground with this movie, you either love it or hate it.  Nisha and Mandi saw it, loved it, Lindsay and Jessica saw it, Linds called me just howling with laughter because she thought it was so bad.

Okay, so it wasn’t so great, in fact it was pretty cheesy.  These women are old now, but so what.  It was entertaining, the tunes brought back good memories, the scenery was fantastic, the ocean the loveliest shade of turquoise, ever.  It was an escape, a 90 minute vacation.  I liked it.  I really did…

And I know, I’m shallow, I go to the movies to see the clothes, the hair, the scenery, not the story line.  It had a lot of what I like, the men, however, not so much.  Pierce Brosnan was not good, he couldn’t sing, the other two male leads, B-O-R-I-N-G.  I’m coming to the conclusion that old women are much more fun than old men.

Favorite scene:  Her daughter, dressed adorably, I might add, in her wedding dress, with fleurs in her hair, riding a donkey up the mountainside to a chapel on a candle lit trail. 

They nailed that scene perfectly…

Another blast from the past...

The year was 1965, I was fifteen years old, and I thought Sally Fields was so cool. I loved her hair and wanted mine to look exactly like hers, especially her bangs. I remember drooling over her clothes, too... Oh, this brings back memories for me, I bet it will for you, too…

And here's the original Gidget, Sandra Dee. The quality of this clip isn't the greatest, but oh, Sandra Dee was stunning. She was so fresh faced, so sweet and innocent... Not like today, when actresses look like little hookers by the time they are fifteen...

And then in 1969, Karen Valentine did a Gidget remake. She just didn't have it like the other two, in my opinion, but if you are on a totally Gidget trip down memory lane by now, you might enjoy giving this a watch, also...

My little bedheads….

This picture proves that we aren’t the only ones that look rough in the morning….  My usually cute little fur kid are looking like they had a hard night… Check out the tongues, for some reason, both of them usually have them lolling out of their mouths….

And this was my day….

My favorite scrapbook doodad designer, Mo Jackson, released a new set of elements this week, so I bought them, played with them, and made a new index page for munchiebusiness.com, I wanted it to look really vintage, like a late summer card.

It didn't look quite right, so I sent the work in progress to to my buddy V, and she helped me fine tune it, and guess what, I like it, I really like it… Click on it and it will enlarge or you can visit all of my pages by going to munchiebusiness.com and clicking on all the vintage vertical tabs on the right….
~ jan

Lots of cuddling going on here…

Lil’ Cheddar Meat Loaves

Okay, ladies, Judy sent me this recipe today, she says they are amazing, and since I adore meat loaves of any kind, as does Ryan, and Nisha, and I’m sure a whole lot more of you, this is a must try.

I posted the recipe on Jan Can Cook – you can access it by clicking HERE…

Enjoy ~ jan

We’re back…

Mags was such a trooper, there were a lot of stitches to pull out of that little tummy… But she handled it like a champ.

Today was Mollie’s surgery, also and we picked her up and brought her home. She’s groggy and whimpering, but as long as I have my hand on her she’s quiet. Guess what I’ll be doing all evening??? You got it, sitting in a chair, reading, with her bed in my lap....

Ahhhh, Yorkie love…

Only one more trip to Dr. Laura, I promise, Maggie….

Lucky Jeans and Chanel ballet flats… AND Cindy McCain...

I just read an article about Cindy McCain driving around a NASCAR track in a Corvette convertible going 100mph+! She said she wouldn't say exactly how fast she was going because she didn't want her husband to know, but that it was triple digets. YOU GO GIRL!!! AND, she did this wearing a pair of white Lucky Jeans and a pair of Chanel ballet flats…

Now that’s my kinda woman. A trendy first lady, wouldn’t that be fun?????

Wait, wait, don't get in an uproar because I mentioned the "F" word... She's also philanthropic, a savvy business woman, and she seems like a compassionate caring mother and a genuinely nice person. Fun is a bonus...

And since we're in the middle of this, am I a McCain supporter, not really, but consider the alternative.... So yeah, I guess this democrat is a McCain supporter...

It’s been a good day….

Today is our anniversary, 37 years now, hubby wasn’t scheduled to work, we went to breakfast, then to my favorite chinese restaurant, Yen Ching, for a late lunch, then to a matinee.

There wasn’t much to chose from, nothing at the Cinemaplex that rang our chimes, so we went to the second run movie theater and saw It Happened In Vegas.  It was perfect, a silly little comedy that made us laugh, and me, not hubby, drooled over Cameron Diaz’s body.  That girl has the PERFECT shape, she wears great clothes, I have always loved her boyish, no boobs, look…  She looks exactly like I would have liked to have looked at her age, and she is the exact opposite of how I really looked. 

And what was the big anniversary present???  We bought a windshield for Milly.  Yep, worked for us…  Well, actually I also got a new comforter for our bedroom to coordinate with the quilt and pillows I bought this spring.  Yeah, I know, pictures…. Later, gator’s…

Julie Andrews Turns 69, this is hysterical

 

To commemorate her birthday , actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a       
special appearance at Manhattan 's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit   
of the AARP.   One of the musical numbers she performed was 'My Favorite   
Things'  from the legendary movie 'Sound Of Music'.   Here are the lyrics 
she used:                    

                                           
  (Sing It!)  - If you sing it, its especially hysterical!!!      

        
Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,                             
Walkers and  handrails and new dental fittings,                           
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,                                   
   These are a few of my favorite things.

                                  
Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,                         
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,                         
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,                           
   These are a few of my favorite things.  

                                
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,                                 
  When the knees go bad,                                                   
I simply remember my favorite things,                                     
      And then I don't feel so bad.   

                                     
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,                           
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,                             
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,                       
     These are a few of my favorite things.     

                           
Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin',                       
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',                       
And we won't mention our short shrunken frames,                           
   When we remember our favorite things.  

                                
When the joints ache, When the hips break,                                 
      When the eyes grow dim,                                               
  Then I remember the great life I've had,                                 
       And then I don't feel so bad.                                       
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >             
Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd                     
that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores

This pretty much says it all…

Electile Dysfunction: the inability to become aroused over any of the choices for President put forth by either party in the 2008 election year.

Couldn’t resist, another Maggie post…

Here I go again, talking about Maggie.  I can’t help myself.  Miss Maggie Moo is full of spit and vinegar, she’s actually skipping thru the house, she’s eating well, her liver biopsy came back great.  The doctors do, however, want me to keep her quiet for eight weeks until the vein closes, oh my, not an easy feat, when she’s feeling so good.

And that’s my life, this warm Sunday in August.  It’s going to a hot one in Heavensville, upper 90’s for the next couple of days,  Hubby’s off, maybe we’ll beat the heat in a theater.

Was it just a week ago????

 

John took me to downtown Franklin last Saturday morning for a Starbucks run…..

 

Guess who’s feeling better…

The past revisited…

I recieved an email from Judy, a family member on Daddy’s side that I hadn’t spoken to in years.  Over the course of conversations, she asked me if I remembered getting her clothes as a child, as she was a few years older than me.

I had totally forgotten that, but now I remember.  When I was a little girl Mother made all of my clothes, and unlike a lot of you who wore hand-me-downs from siblings, when I got clothes from friends or relatives, I had never seen them before, so to me it was a treat.  Oh, pretty store-bought clothes.  How exciting they were.

I remember, as a teenager, getting a white long sleeved blouse, with ruffles at the neck and the bottom of the sleeves from Mother’s friend, Helen.  I wore that blouse with a wool camel “straight skirt”, and I had this really long, skinny black clutch purse.  Those purses were a big fad in the 60’s, but I can’t remember the name of it.  It was really long, though, probably 18 inches, soft leather not a tall purse, just a long one.  Do any of you remember having one?

I wore that outfit to a ballgame, climbing high in the bleachers in that straight skirt, which was not easy, because in the 60’s, you did NOT hike it up, you just kind of climbed sideways.  Well, I thought I was SO hot in that outfit.  Oh my, what a memory…. In those days we actually dressed up for school events.  Can you imagine a teenager today dressing like that for a game?  When I was in school we coudn’t even wear pants, except on St. Patrick’s Day.  That was the only time we were allowed to go to school in anything except skirts and dresses.

And speaking of hot, I haven’t thought I looked "hot” in years and years. Remember those days, girlfriends, when you put on a outfit and actually liked the way you looked? Oh this getting old really sux!!! The only hot I have had for years is hot flashes, which, by the way subsided briefly, only to come back with a vengance. I guess Mother Nature just isn’t finished with my hormones. 

Hooterville is here for a few days, we’re trying to beat the heat.  Today we beat it by going for an ice cream cone.  Worked for us…

Another milestone...

Dr. Durant called from UT this afternoon with the results of Maggie's liver biopsy.  Other than the shunt,  no further problems with her liver were detected.

That's one more hurdle crossed, now if the surgery was successful, we're home free.  Keep thinking good thoughts for her...

One week post-op…

It’s been seven days now since Maggie’s liver shunt surgery. Every day she’s a bit better. She hasn’t rebounded from this like she did her bladder surgery, two operations in less than two months are a lot for a little dog to handle…

She’s been pretty shaky, weak when she walks, we’ve dealt with nausea, until today she trembled after she ate, even though I warmed her food, in other words, my poor little fur child has been really sick.

Yesterday evening, she barked when hubby came home, that seemed to be her turning point, she ran to meet him, he brought chinese, and she always gets a bit of the fortune cookie, little imp, she sniffs that chinese food out like a bloodhound. Today she’s been more lively, eating well, no more nausea. Of course I watch her like a hawk, analyzing every move she makes, I need to just relax a bit...

I live my life on the 1-10 scale, 10 being highest. When we picked her up she was a 3, when we got her home, still a 3, then she went to a 4, and today I would give her a solid 5, no I think I would give her a 6, so it’s getting better.

Stitches come out next Wednesday, I’m hopefully that she will be feeling pretty frisky by then. BUT, when I take her to get stitches out, I have to leave Mollie for them to spay her and clean her teeth.

Will it ever end????? I sure hope this is our last vet visit for awhile. We all need a break from this, we just want to ride around on Milly, visit with the neighbors, go to our favorite dog friendly stores and enjoy the rest of our summer.

Patience, patience…

A couple of Nashville favorites, Fruit Tea and Banana Split Dessert…

Southern food is just the best, in my opinion, I grew up on fried chicken, fresh shelled crowder peas from the garden, fresh tomatoes, cornbread, home grown everything, and to me it’s total comfort food.

Last week at Johns, I had a couple of things that I want to share with you. The first is this Banana Split Dessert, low calorie version.

We ate at a little restaurant in Franklin called H.R.H. Dumplin’s. It’s a great lunch place, I’ve known about it for years, thanks to my friend, Inez who adores their fruit tea. On their menu was this 150 calorie banana split dessert. I took a picture, does this look like 150 calories to you? It doesn’t to me, it was too good to be true, but whatever the calories, it was amazing. I’m posting the recipe for it on my Eating Right blog if some of you want to try it. It was absoluely amazing, ladies, this has to be the ultimate in comfort food…

And, now about that fruit tea. Fruit tea seems to be a Nashville favorite, I found it in several restaurants. It was a combination of orange juice, pineapple juice and brewed tea. Totally not low calorie, but oh so good. I’m posting a recipe for it on Jan Can Cook. You could substitute Splenda for the sugar to cut out some of the calories. Fruit Tea is so refreshing, it's a must try on a hot day...

Both of these are great summertime treats, hope you make them, think of me, and enjoy them as much as I did last week.

~ jan

Jan, doing the happy dance this morning…

I can see clearly now the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way,
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) sunshiny day.

And all of the bad feelings have disappeared,
Here is the rainbow I've been praying for.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) sunshiny day.

Maggie is much improved today, she’s eating, no upset tummy, she’s clear eyed and actually a little frisky. Oh, you have no idea how glad I am that this is surgery is over!!!!

Day four, post-op