Thursday, December 31, 2009

Too many pics!

I hate putting pics up... I never get it quite right!

Why on earth is it underlined?! Oh well... so this is my sis, "son #3", and son #2, setting up the tree, which came out beautiful again.
Even Rub-a-dub- dolly is geared up for the season!
These are the snowflakes I was working on. I love them! I want to make them every year now!

I have SO many pics, and I guess I'll just go in order... Next time, "A kitty Christmas" Stay tuned! LOL!

I hope you all had an awesome Holiday season! I know I did.

Goodbye 2009, hello 2010! May all the best things happen for you this year!

And as always...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Just a quickie, I swear I haven't forgotten you, and there'll be a ton of pics later, But I'm workin' my fingers to the bone to finish off these gifts!
I have more stars, snowflakes, hats and scarves, (I gave up hope on finishing sweaters this year!)

So please don't give up on me!

Holiday stress _AWAYYYYYYYY_!

Thanks for Noticing me!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Another Kitty Post

Okay, I admit it, I'm obsessed with my girls! But they're so damn ODD!!! Ddasha Ddarlin' has this new issue, where she can't touch the floor, unless it's to eat, and even then she hopes for a scrap of paper, or a dust bunny... She also has to find the oddest place to sit that she can find...
The salad bowl... A doily someone knocked down... (We suspect Myste!)


A cookie platter, _and_ she allowed son #1 to carry her through the house on it! And my personal favorite... The fruit bowl.

ISSUES!!!

My demented kitty... *sigh* Enjoy and protect your pets! And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Thursday, November 26, 2009






I can never seem to get the picture layout quite right!

Oh well. I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving day! We started with cheese and crackers, and a relish tray (pickles and olives) around noon.

We set such a pretty table....

The bird was _beautiful_! (Thanks mom!) and then the rest of the food was served up, FEAST!

Left us all feeling like fat happy cats!

A few things I'm thankful for this year...

My healthy, beautiful, children...
My near and far family and friends...
facebook, because it reconnected me with people I once loved, and now love again, those I never got the chance to know before, new friends to stay in touch with, and old and dear friends that we don't get to see as often as we like...
Even though it's crappy, I still have a job...
My girls, that keep my spirits up, and bring smiles every day of my life...
The roof over my head, the food in my fridge, and the fact that in just a few short weeks, the holiday season will be over and the madness can end!

Count your blessings everyday, and as usual,

Thanks for Noticing me!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

That time again





They don't look terribly impressive, but they're really cute in real life.

So this time of year, I like to give as many handmade gifts as possible... To me, it shows I care enough to put my heart and time into the receiver. Don't get me wrong, I'm as consumerist as the next guy, but for the people nearest and dearest to me, this is my way of showing them how much they mean to me.

This year, little star ornaments, and they glow in the dark! Too cool! There are a few different variations, and I haven't decided if I want to give them in sets of the same, or mixed up, but thankfully, I have a month or so to figure it out. I'm _hoping_ to get some sweaters done that I've started, but I'm such a facebook addict, that I'm not sure I'll make it.

Thankfully, there's always insomnia. I don't recommend it as a life choice, but hey, as long as I'm afflicted, I might as well let it work for me right?

So get creative! Have fun, and whatever you celebrate, may it be bright and happy for you!
As usual,
Thanks for Noticing me!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Kvetching...

Holy Hells!

For those that say this is the happiest season of the year, you obviously don't work retail!

Rude, stupid, lazy, people abound this time of year, and they take it out on us!

Newsflash; the machine does NOT work simply because you are standing in front of it! If you're in a rush, and you've never used the self check out before, go to a regular check out line and don't think simply because I have 4 registers you'll get out faster.

It's called a _self_ check out, not a carry your stuff over and demand I "help" you by doing it all for you!

When you ask me a question, LISTEN to the answer, and if I tell you to push the green button, tell me if you're color blind! (Not that anyone _has_ been yet... but...) I will never understand why you need to have your finger hover between the red and green buttons when I say "push the green button" 5 times!

I. Am. Not. A. Mind reader! If you have a question, you need to ask it out loud. If my monitor does not register a problem, then I don't know there's a problem on your end.

The register gives you instructions in a slow, measured tone, and _shows_ you on a monitor how to work it. LISTEN! LOOK! Don't rush ahead of the computer, then stand there looking when it won't continue, and yell at me to make it work.

It's a monitor, a glass screen! Pushing harder on it won't make the icon work any better. Tap the screen. No matter how long you hold your finger there, or how hard you push, if it didn't register the first touch, it isn't going to change!

If your child is running around, and leaning where the bags are... That's why it won't let you scan the next item, it's a computer, it can't see that there's a kid there, and thinks you are placing an un-scanned item on the _scale_ , yes, it's a scale.

When it tells you to "Place the item in the bag" It will not go any further until you do so! When you place your purse on the bag scale, it thinks you're stealing, trying to put something un-scanned in the bag.

And now that I have unloaded on you, my poor reader, and consumed mass quantities of dove chocolates, I feel _so_ much better!

Remember next time you're shopping, your cashier is as frustrated as you are by the failabilities of the stupid computer. And we probably want to be there as much as you. When we smile at you and say "Hi", please pretend you're in a pleasant mood and smile back. You never know, it just might be a small bright spot in your day instead of another tedious chore.

As usual,

Thanks for Noticing me!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009




Just a quickie today...

I love this first picture... I opened my window to see a lost cloud in our swamp. By the time I caught it in the picture, it had found the right path and headed for home, it was gone 5 minutes later...

And I need to apologize for the quality of the deer pictures, they were moving fast, and it was raining. This is nearly a daily issue with them, this particular morning I had the camera ready! They really are quite pretty, and moderately used to people...

The first year we lived here... I went in to wake the boys, I opened the blinds on their side window, and this poor startled Doe had been munching on the grass next to the house, she couldn't do anything but stare in terror at the weird creatures in the box! LMAO! I really don't know who was more surprised, her or us! Needless to say, they never came that close to the house ever again, but it was funny enough for us to never forget it.

Well, that's it for today... As usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Halloween...



Just a little late! Halloween was a bust this year for the most part... No plans worked out the way they were supposed to. Such is the nature of plans.

Mona went as part of the carpet, Dasha was a Mexican Hat Danc... Sleeper, son #1 was unwell, and son #2 was hyper!
The movie my Sis and I were supposed to see later that night, never left NYC or LA, But I went to go see a friend play at a local Bar, and made new friends while I was there... So it all worked out in the end.

Son #2 and I went with some of his friends and their families, T.O.T.ing, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! I wish I could've gotten a better shot of this house! It was completely decked out!

Just goes to show, that even when you think everything's gone to hell in a handbasket, things can still work out all right!
As usual folks...

Thanks for Noticing Me!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Chicken Soup Post

LOL! Okay, so I'm a loser that spends all her time on the laptop, and can't be relied upon to remember to update her blog. DUH!


But I'm having a "Day" and am cooking again!



Pot roast for dinner. We don't do the usual Pot Roast, with a ton of veggies in the pot. We don't like our veggies marinated BLEAH!



And chicken soup, for those moments you think to yourself, "Hmmm, I wish there were some Chicken Soup in the house..."
This is the hard part, I take all the big bits out, clean and chop them, and clarify the broth. It's also not so much fun using the spoon to siphon the fat off the top, but it's really the _best_ way.





So there you go, they came out SO tasty!



Go cook up your favorite meal, and as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Birthday Feast


Everything you could need for a birthday feast! and then some!




We also have the makins' for breakfast pizza! A totally yummy idea I never saw or heard of before moving up here.

This was my sis' birthday wish. She wanted me to make her my lasagne using my sauce. That's the jar back there. Every now and then I have this burning desire to cook up a batch. I thought I made plenty, but I ended up having stuff for THREE lasagnes!

And of course, no Birthday feast for my sis could possibly be complete without fudge brownies with dark chocolate frosting!

I cooked for 2 whole days that week! 2 meat, one veggie, lasagne, 2 pans of brownies, and 1 breakfast pizza! *whew*! I barely left the stove!

But it was worth it! Much yumming and over eating!

So there you have it, Breakfast, dinner and dessert! And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Monday, October 26, 2009

I'm a lazy bum!







So it's been _forever_ since I posted! And here I am on the laptop every waking moment I'm home. So to make up for it, here are some terribly cute kitties!

We have Dddasha Dddarlin' doing her "Felix the cat" impersonation... And just to make you LYAO! I caught the luckiest break! We recently got a flat screen monitor for the boys' computer, and hadn't brought the old one to the garage yet, I came into the kitchen, and, well, it was _really_ dark, so when I set the shot, I didn't see what she was doing other than sitting on top of the stupid thing!

Mystique found out that by making short jumps she can make it to the top of our cabinets... Here she is showing my geek off!

And poor underappreciated, Mona. The little lady of our clan. She's so well behaved, if not normal in any way, shape, or form.

And, awfulness! Our back yard path after the first snow of the season... BEFORE Halloween!
Okay, I'll try to get my shit together... I promise!

As usual,
Thanks for Noticing me!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Apple Festival



So, welcome to the Ithaca Apple Festival! This year they added something new, their own version of the Iron Chef Competition. Three Chefs, from local restaurants faced off against one another.
These are the Chefs, the other three were Judges. All the food they used was locally grown or produced. Including water buffalo! Who knew?!?! Don't ask me who won, I didn't stick around. The guy with his back to us was the announcer, a DJ from Ithaca college radio. The short one on the end is the Chef from Cornells dining hall, yes, you read that right.


Look! Little tree! Love this place! Best apple doughnuts in the universe! No surprise they were here!


I swear _everyone_ in Ithaca shows for the apple festival!!
This is just 2 of the 3 arms of the Commons...



As promised, a picture of the princess. She has some rockin' markings!


Well, just a quickie today. Have fun!

And as usual,

Thanks for Noticing me!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Brrrrr!

Okay, no pics yet, but I have too many observations for facebook statuses, so you guys are stuck with them!

I _LOVE_, love, love, love, autumn! Halloween is my favorite holiday of the entire year! Mostly because you can do any kind of celebration, and you _can't_ mess it up. No worrying about a dry turkey and undercooked turnips. No worrying if you got the perfect gift for someone, and if one of your decorations gets lost and rots, well, you have a plant already ready for spring!

So far I have about half my decorations up, and it is a beautiful, overcast, windy, autumn day. I'm wishing I was going to leave the house in a pair of jeans, a warm cozy sweater, and kick-ass boots, instead of dressed for work, but, *sigh*.

The sad thing is, this year, we seem to have gotten fall, before getting autumn, and the leaves are falling faster than they are changing color. RATS!

Well, instead of mourning the passing of the warm weather, celebrate the coming of the slower pace of winter, evenings spent at home, warm, with family. Cozy hot meals of comfort foods, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and as a nod to my buddy Tam... knee socks!!

And again...
Thanks for Noticing me!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Up here by Cornell U., there are a million things to do!







This is "Judys' Day". They pick a theme, and the whole day is devoted to learning about it. This years theme was grass. Rice is a grass, and this is son #2 husking rice. I'm told he spent nearly the whole day doing that little panful. (I had to work.)

They also made grits, out of corn, which apparently is also a grass, who knew?! And for some unknown reason, they made chocolate "grass masks" (African) That would be son #1 in the first pic.

My favorite Judys' day was a few years ago, they took us back 100 years ago. Every one was encouraged to dress in period dress, and they had a schoolhouse, and a bunch of amazing things to do and see!

It's always good to make learning fun, for both kids and kids at heart!

Again, Thanks for Noticing me!

Saturday, October 3, 2009




OMIGOD! I didn't realize I'd put off doing this for _so_ long! Well, back to school year craziness I guess!
So, the Harvest Festival we go to every year, is cheezy, and campy, but a great place to catch up with your neighbors and do silly things in an acceptable venue.

That first pic is the hay ride, a big ole tractor pulling along a flat bed with a bunch of hay bales on it. _Always_ do this last, or you'll have perfect strangers trying to pick pieces of hay off your butt for you!

And the cake wheel of course! they nail down numbered paper plates, you put a quarter or $.50 (depending on what they tell you) and if the wheel lands on your number, you win your choice of donated baked goods from a certain shelf. Silly, but an effective way to get money for your charity.

And the biggest charity money comes from the quilt raffle, and silent auction. I dunno why, but people feel the need to pay good money for a quilt. I just wait for crafty friends to make them for me. (Yes, we've covered this, I don't sew well.) Okay, I've held your attention long enough, once again,
Thanks for Noticing me!