Life is What Happens When You're Making Other Plans

Well, it's been over year since I posted anything at all here. 

Let's see, in August of last year I was still tending to my mother and arguing with my father about my Mother's care because my mom had been taking many turns for the worse as she had been in the nursing home near me.  My father kept telling me because he lived out of town that I was in charge,  but that wasn't the case, he had a lot of trouble not being in control.  

Consequently, that in combination with just life in general my world became one of dealing with my mother's illness, arguing with my father, and trying to stay sane all at the same time.

My mother passed in late February of this year and so I have now had some time to get myself together, calm down and move on.

Since I tend to be rather anxious and have an ADD afflicted personality even in my old age, I become overwhelmed pretty easily and  just haven't  had the motivation to come to this and deal with trying to be entertaining and informative at the same time.

So, by way of this looooonnnngg explanation, I just wanted to say that I sort of lost track and I've now decided that my life is at the point that I am able to pick this back up and hopefully make it interesting for those who read it. Although sometimes I don't know, it feels as if I am talking to myself.

Hopefully, with some much-needed exposure through other blogs and video logs that I have become interested in and have read or watched on a regular basis this past few months and new interests I have picked up lately I can make it interesting enough to pick up a few followers, get to know some new people and get it back on a road to  becoming what I intended it to be.  Wow, that was one big sentence! 

I've actually been posting here I believe since 2000 if you care to go back that far. 

So, I'm going to pick it back up  and give it a shot.  I want to thank those that are out there that encouraged me to get it restarted  (I think you know who you are) so here goes.

Let's get this party started!

Simon is on the Fireplace

Ever since Simon came to live with us he seems to been extremely aware of himself and reflections etc. To me this is unusual and shows quite a bit of a sign of intelligence because None of the dogs I have had in the past seem to have any idea of self-awareness. He sees himself in the reflection in the French doors in the foyer in the dishwasher cover, in the television on a regular basis Particularly if there are animals on it and now has discovered himself in the fireplace screen.

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Location:Home

Dinner with the Crew

Last night we had dinner with the Casa crew, usually a really good time every good company. Actually, last night they were great company but I wasn't.

Even know I've been having the back issue all week I decided I need to go ahead and go because my really wanted to and I just didn't want them to have to go by himself. But, I hadn't taken a second pain pill from the day earlier because the ones I was taking just didn't seem to agree with me. So consequently my night was pretty miserable and we ended up leaving about 8:30 I'm sure considerably before everybody else did.




This was my main entrée but I didn't end up getting to eat a lot of it because just had a muddy taste to it. I'm sure that it was the prawns and the actual type that they were but the sauce and the pasta itself was pretty good.

This is not a restaurant that I would go out of my way to return to. If I lived in the neighborhood I believe I would probably go there occasionally however, it is extremely noisy and there are at least 1 million restaurants in Dallas that are as good or better.

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Sunday Morning Dog Butt Bath

After having fallen a few days ago and not being a whole lot better I had to give Simon a butt bath this morning all by myself.

At this point Simon weighs about 18 pounds maybe 17 he hasn't been weighed in a couple of weeks. Anyway, he's also still a very squiggly wriggling puppy of 10 months so he's not wild about butt baths. But, we had gone out for his morning constitutional. Before he was finished he saw a couple of other dogs and in the process of me trying to stop him from paying attention to them he sat down on his butt before he was done. OMG! Do you have any idea how much hair is on the back end of the sheltie dog? Let's just say I would kill to have hair that fit.

So, in order for him to be able to come back in the house and not be a total wreck and make everything extremely unsanitary there was no choice but to give him a Butt shower in the sink in the kitchen and he is really heavy at this point. After this I was absolutely trembling with pain and in tears.

What a lovely way to start the morning.


It's a good thing he's cute.

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Lunch with My Sister

Today was the day we did our birthday munch for my sister. We went to George Biersch. It was very good.

Do wish I had felt better though. My back is still really sore.












Yummy!

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Baby must sleep

In order for Simon to be a dog at this point still the puppy that you can actually live with he gets a daily nap when he doesn't go to daycare.


That's him the blob on the bottom. Isn't he cute!

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Mothers birthday

For Mothers birthday this year she's in a nursing home in Richardson.

Sandy, Ann, Daddy and I decided to bring up some flowers and Balloons and a cake to her room to have somewhat of a birthday celebration.

Actually, daddy had decided at the last minute to show up. But it seems as if it was a good idea because she was very excited to see him.












She really seemed to enjoy the gesture and it was really a very pleasant time.

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Simon, the dog I thought I'd never get

Simon-my Fur Baby



Here is Simon, and Bailey.
He's 10 months old in this video.

I can't believe I haven't put something on here about him but as I said I sort of forgot that I had this.

He is the canine Love of my life. It scares me actually how much I love this dog.

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Whoops, I forgot I had this

Obviously, haven't made many entries lately. Somehow I actually forgot that I was doing this.

Yep I'm getting old.


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My back hurts

Last Saturday as I was coming in from walking the dog to go to the bathroom my shoe caught on the edge of my patio and down I went.

I really figured that I would be awfully sore the next day but incredibly I wasn't. However beginning on Sunday that was a whole different story.

My back is been hurting since Sunday mostly on the right side it's my lower back. It's hard to sit, it's hard to lay down, it's hard to bend stretch or move.


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Merry Christmas?

Since I've been really sick DH decided to make a sort of the Christmas dinner for us.








Reading the directions




The finished product.




It was a pretty good day. Thanks DH.

The Aerogarden Adventure Begins

Planted the new Aerogarden today finally. Had it for about two weeks but I was waiting for all my seeds I wanted to use to get in so finally they are here and I got it started.

I planted Chives, Basil, Tarragon, Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro and Dill. Lots of plants for such a small area, but it's a start and I am really anxious to see how it goes. This thing has all the built in bells and whistles, light timing automatically, tells you when to add nutrients, when to add water, (it's hydroponic) and when to change the bulbs based on what type of plants you are growing. I have it obviously set to Herbs right now so we will see how this goes.

Day One - All the little pods and set and the growing should commence.

Lori's Birthday Dinner-35

We had Dinner at The Bavarian Grill. I think they were actually surprised by what it was. It was loud and crowded, but everybody enjoyed it.

HAD A FENDER-BENDER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO

Well I didn't exactly have it, he ran into me and it didn't really even bend, it just sort of scratched it a little. But it was still $700.00 worth of damage.

In N Out Cheeseburger-Animal Style, YUM!!!!!

New In N Out Burger in town. This one is the one in Fairview at Stacy. Waited a whole week after opening, went on a weekday after 1:00 pm and there were still police directing traffic and a mob.


Fortunately, I decided to do the drive through and it only took about ten minutes.

Arboretum 2011

We went to the Arboretum this year for the first time in a long while.









We didn't stay very long but it was nice getting out.

PAPPAS STEAKHOUSE FOR 29TH ANNIVERSARY

Had our Anniversary Dinner at Pappas Steakhouse with good friends last night.  It was a good time.  

We sat in this room.  It's called the Wine Room.  It's supposed to be really quiet and intimate, but it was REALLY LOUD!

It was good, but I really have been to better restaurants for the price.
However,
There were a couple of really good and unexpected surprises.

Hubbie's Birthday Present

Finally bringing him into the real world, besides we are running out of space to store books.

EARLY VALENTINES FLOWERS

Just because he thought I could use them right now.  He's right and they are really pretty ones.  Yay husband!!!!!!!!

MAILBOX MOWDOWN

A guy knocked on my door this morning.  He had to tell me he had done this:

That used to be my mailbox and it used to be about ten foot to the left in the grass.  

So we called the police to get a report and then the policeman, tow truck driver and the guy that hit the box and his wife proceeded to try to move all the debris off the driveway.  I didn't help.

We have to have a temporary box until the insurance and the Brick Doctor can get this one replaced.  So DH and Daddy who by this time was here with Mother for tomorrow's Attorney's appointment had to make concrete, assembly the new temporary one and get it up for the next day's mail.

Actually all said and done I'm sort of excited that he did this because now I get a new one that is going to be a lot better and prettier :)

FROZEN, BUT VERY PRETTY

This is the fountain at an outdoor Shopping Mall around here.  I really think it is pretty.  Also, it's quite the testament to how cold it really has been around here for so long.

Not sure why they didn't turn it off, but I'm sort of glad they didn't.  I like it this way :)

PECAN PIE MUFFINS by Amy

OMG!!! Make these, eat them very warm, almost right out of the oven, (with butter, it's the South and Pecans, you must have butter)

This is when you add Butter to the hot muffin :)   YUM!

The Recipe: 
Ingredients

• 1 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
• ½ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans
• ⅔ cups Softened Butter
• 2 whole Eggs Beaten

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven 350 F.

Grease your muffin pan (whatever size) or use the silicone cups. I grease my silicone muffin cups with Crisco or lard.

In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and pecans. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and eggs together until smooth. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Cups should be about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks when done.

Option: when you take them out of the oven, place a slice of butter on top and eat warm. You may also use walnuts instead of pecans.

I HAVE BEEN OVER DOMESTIC THIS WEEK, COOKING LIKE I LIKE IT!

Earlier in the week it was Jambalaya, very good and from scratch with Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp, then yesterday I had to cook because I HAD TO MAKE BLACK EYED PEAS so I would have good luck this year.  Like it has made a difference every other year and then today homemade Beef Stew.

Wow it's been a very hardy cooking week.
Next week, Puffed Air and Fried Water all week.