Thursday morning

Woke up at 5:30 a.m. (nightmare, stuffed up head, earache, headache, blah, blah, blah) so I got up to turn on the heat --temp. gauge said 34 outside- and then I crawled back under the covers for about a minute.  Decided the headache was one of those that needed me to sleep in the recliner for the rest of my dozing or get up altogether.  Or is it all together?  I never know.

I walked through the house doing my usual little chores of opening blinds, feeding the fish, brewing the coffee, booting up the computer, turning on the Xmas lights, soaking the dishes, etc.  After all that, I thought I might as well just stay up.  Fixed some hashbrowns and toast after getting dressed and curling my hair--- so I don't scare anybody too much that comes upon me today.

Hunter had asked me what the 12 days of Christmas were and I realized I didn't actually know. I thought the 12th day of Christmas was Dec. 25.  Looked it up this morning and found out I was wrong.  Interesting article, by the way so I put the link here.

http://www.crivoice.org/cy12days.html

Today I'm heading back up to the library again. Gotta return the audio books I got and get some more. None of those I got on my last trip were all that good. Sometimes it's hit or miss. Gotta order a tray of sandwiches at Subway for pick up tomorrow and think I'll make a quick run over to the bread store too. 

Kids will come with the dog after their dental appointments and I'm betting I'm going to need a nap at some point before they go home again.  5:30 is way too early to be up and about.

Here Johnny Cash & Anne Murray

Mid week activities

Sitting here having a cup of tea.  Am scheduled to get a stress test at 11 at the hospital. They suggested no caffeine before so I bypassed my morning cup of coffee for tomato juice and a bagel.  That just wasn't working for me so I made a cup of tea and had a piece of divinity.  Yeah, that's right. Candy for breakfast.  I never did claim to be all that bright.

I decided to take a stab at making divinity after I saw on Facebook that Vernie Colt had done up her recipe.  Vernie, by the way, is not someone I especially care for right now.   We play scrabble on Facebook and in the game just started, she used all her tiles TWICE giving her 140 points.  It's hard enough catching up when she manages to use all 7 tiles once but when she does it twice, I'm doomed.

I couldn't recall if I'd ever made divinity before.  I must have at some point because I love the stuff!  My aunt Lillian used to make it every Xmas and we looked forward to digging into it.  I went online to look for an easy recipe and while it whipped up okay for me, I never could find a candy thermometer so I guessed at what I was doing and hoped for the best.  Not the easiest dessert to make.  I stirred in a few walnuts and crushed candy cane and set them out on the utility porch overnight hoping they'd get a little stiff.

I poured half the batter in a pan and cut in squares (much easier) and I have them in the fridge for now.  They taste pretty darn good but are a tad sticky.  I'm satisfied, though.

I stopped at McDonalds and treated the kids to chicken sandwiches yesterday at noontime.  I ordered a diet Coke along with my sandwich.  Knew I shouldn't have as I'm trying to avoid cola altogether but it's been a rough week emotionally and I need all the comfort I can get.  I knew it was probably going to cause calf cramps in bed and sure enough, right on schedule.....they hit about 6:30 a.m.  I knew there had to be some reason why those cramps would leave me alone for weeks on end and then bother me several nights in a row.  I honestly think it's cola drinks.

Jenni sent me a picture she had taken of Sammy and Santa a while back.  I printed it off so I could send a copy to my sister, Janie.

Janie, by the way, got a few orders for her bags and I thank those of you who sent in your request. Many liked the ones with a chicken and eggs on it so she went to buy more of that material while she could still get her hands on it.  She's also sold one of her backpack type bags.

If you want to place an order, she'd sure appreciate it. Write her at janieandnewman@yahoo.com for details.

Looked a little frosty outside this morning. I usually plug in the Xmas lights if it's still dark. I caught the birds feeding when I went to unplug them again.

My favorite picture on Facebook this morning was this one of pets catching a nap in the sun.

Last night I watched a couple episodes from that DVD I bought of 'Lost TV Shows'. Groucho Marx was hilarious on You Bet your Life.  And do you remember Jeff and Porky Brockway on the original 1954 Lassie series?  It starred Tommy Rettig, Jan Clayton,and George Cleveland as Gramps.  Also starring was Jeff's friend (Joey Viera in real life).

Here's a picture of Jeff & Porky on a publicity tour and another shot of Porky today.  You can read about him on IMDB.COM

Well, I guess I'll wash up a few dishes before I leave and then I can start right in to sewing quilt pieces when I get back.

 Only ten more days and we'll begin 2012.  It was a great year up until the past few days when things took a fast downward spiral which left our family in shock, despair, and utter sadness.
My daughter and her husband were in the process of adopting the cutest little girl you've ever seen.  They got her in March and celebrated her 3rd birthday this past September with a big party.  While waiting for the legal system to play its game with slow baby steps, the birth mother suddenly decided to change the rules and nullify the arrangement she'd already signed her name to.  Great legal system we have in this country to keep children safe and happy.  You read about stories like this but when you experience it yourself, the injustice of it all takes on a life of its own.

For months I was "forbidden" to share my new granddaughter's name and picture on my blog. I was allowed to share it privately in emails with friends and I did.  My daughter and her husband felt it was better to keep the matter off the public network until the final paperwork was sealed and filed.  None of us EVER expected this turn of events.  It not only sent waves of heartache through us but we'll all be forever gun-shy of trusting people and what comes out of their mouths.  Unhappy scenerio all around but hopefully time will heal and we'll learn from this experience.  Surely, there's a lesson somewhere in all this but I'll be damned right now if I know what it could possibly be.  Yep!  I'm plenty angry.

For Ruth

Doubt this is what you need but here's a few....

Cartoons, Candy, and Classic TV

Looking hard for things to make me laugh today. These were my favorite Xmas  cartoons that I got in a recent email.

Now for some comfort food. One of my FB friends commented on making divinity so I'm going to hunt around and see if I can't find a halfway easy recipe.  I don't recall ever making it before but I remember my Aunt Lillian did every year and we waited patiently for it to be served.  And if I can't make it presentable enough to eat, I'll go buy the ingredients I need to make a pan of fudge. I do have that down pat.  All you have to do is look at my butt to know that fact!  Ha Ha

I finished another wall hanging yesterday.  My sister had given me four little house cut-outs. I wanted to put the twins in one of the windows (I glued their face on).

Intend to start a new sewing project today too. Have four more audio books to entertain me and I might just plop myself down in the recliner to watch a $2 DVD I picked up at the library gift shop.  It's called Lost TV Shows and has a couple episodes each of Lassie, Life of Riley, You bet your life, I married Joan, Combat, Sea Hunt, Mannix, Burke's Law, Dragnet, Wagon Train, Mr. Ed, and Robin Hood.  I started watching Lassie last night and was tickled that the episode was with Tommy Rettig (the very first Lassie show).

Okay. That's it for now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA!

Just pulled out my calendar to see if there was anything I had written down for this week and noticed that TODAY is Linda Wilson Farina's birthday.  Decided to dig around in my collection and post three pictures of her. (you can click on photos to enlarge)

This first one is Linda in second grade.  She third from the right in the back row.

This next one was when she was a girl scout and helping out during the Kids Parade. That's her on the right.  (this is one of my favorites)

And this last one was taken a few years back at a class reunion.  Linda is sitting next to me and she's got on a blue top and red jacket.

                              HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA GIRL DOWN IN TENNESSEE!

3rd & final bunch of birthday photos

These are some of the table shots I took during the couple hours I was at the Yacht Club yesterday.

2nd batch of pictures

It's a little before 8 a.m. and I'm sitting here with my  first cup of coffee as I browse my "to-do list".  Most of the chores are just quicky little things and some are a bit 'off-the-wall.'  Like reading up on how to rid this room of pesky gnats.  Google told me to try a small bowl of wine to attract them away from the screen.  I assume that's to drown them, not get them drunk.  Course I don't have any wine in the house.  Oh, wait a minute. I might have a wine cooler on the bottom shelf of the fridge door. I wonder if that will work.

Every evening I'd find the gnats coming in and my first thought was "I must have a nest festering somewhere or maybe they're coming out of the cracks of the floor or wall."  Nothing quite so drastic, though. Apparently, they're just attracted to heat and the monitor does radiate some warmth.

I drove into Sequim yesterday morning and picked up Charlotte, a neighbor lady I had when I lived in Green Acres.  We went to Ihop.

After dropping her off, I headed back to Sequim to take advantage of a gift card I'd been holding on to months.  Man, was that ever fun!  And I still have $27 left on it.  Didn't see anybody I knew but usually I see at least one Port Townsend person.  Next I stopped at Penneys to buy a last minute Christmas gift.  Then it was over to my cousin Dale's house to park the car and ride with him into town.

Here's a few pictures I took at the birthday party for Bill Arey.

My cute cute cute cousins (Amber & Tyler Johnson and kids)

George Huntingford and Bill visiting.  Took me back in time to listen to them. Bill sounds just like his dad, Lyall, and I remember George stopping in at Lyall and Elva's house often when we were there.

I think these three are Gerald & Walter Arey and John Stroeder.

Leslie Cole and her brother, Dick Bumgarner. Two of the few people there that I recognized right off the bat.

Took this photo and the two following outside the Yacht Club as Dale and I were leaving. I thought this fireboat was pretty.

I really like this picture of my brother, sister-in-law and cousin. Having the courthouse in the background was a bonus.  Dana looks like an author, don't you think?

Judy Anglin Erickson was walking by as we were standing out there so I said hello and snapped her photo too.

I think I'll post the table photos a little later today.  None of my pictures turned out really great. I was having a bit of a problem understanding the settings on my camera (as usual).  I wish now I had taken the time to have people pose in groups more.  Usually I do that but most folks were sitting at tables or along the window and it's hard to maneuver them "politely" for pictures.

Till later.....