Christmas Eve and Christmas day

Christmas Eve

People never cease to amaze me this time of year. Have you heard on the news of all the angels paying off people’s always. I am not a recipient of a pay off, I didn’t have a layaway. But the idea of 1000 plus layaways being paid off by strangers is just incredible. What a way to share the love of Jesus.

Slow week at work. It is that time of year where everything is slowing down for the year, I expect the 4 days I will spend at the office next week will be equally slow. But that is ok, I have to get the Fry’s calendar done next week so I will have plenty of distraction free work time for it.

One of my co-workers loaned me her carpet scrubber, so I was able to make my carpet in my front room look tons better, it was pretty bad right in front of the door, but the carpet now looks and smells better.

I wasn’t able to do Christmas for my boy the way I wanted too, a couple of people knew there wasn’t going to be a Christmas really. Well that is not true, my son will probably make out like a bandit tomorrow at his Dad’s house. But here I wasn’t able to shop for him. At first I felt bad, but thanks to a couple girl friends, and a great aunt and a co-worker and a the world’s Best Friend, my son is getting a great Christmas anyways. Plus he got my time, even if I am a little cranky since I am fighting his cold now, my throat is a little raspy and I have a cough. I will survive.

My son this week went to Urgent care and we found out he has Bronchitis. Joy! Some anti-biotics and a little cough meds and 3 days later he is feeling loads better, he even sounds loads better.

Like I said I don’t feel bad now that I couldn’t spoil him rotten like I wanted to and am prone to do. He got my time, we mixed cookie dough up. We were going to make cookie star trees. My Avon Lady gave me the 10 piece star cookie cutter set, I had them all washed up and ready to use. The dough would not get firm enough to roll out. So we made drop cookies instead, just as yummy but not as fun as making the trees would have been. I promised him when he came back from his Dad’s we would try again.

So one of my co-workers got my son a Christmas gift. Pokémon cards. Nice little booster pack set, he got several great cards out of the pack that he was so excited about. They had to be moved right into his collection. So yes he was thrilled.

My Aunt also gave him a Pokémon card set too. He got Green Tornado I think it is called with several more cards that just made him thrilled. He couldn’t wait to get them out of the pack to look at.

So yes my boy is into Pokémon. This game amazingly has been around since 1995 when I was working as an after school day care leader. My kids (the ones I watched) were so into Pokémon, so much so they where banded from the school, they became such a distraction. I watched the show so I could be familiar with what the kids where talking about. But I never dreamed my 11 year old son would get into Pokémon. Or at 32 my son would get me into Pokémon. I have always like Pikachu, but he was yellow and cute. I have a stuff animal, a key chain and a piggy bank that I have had for years. That is as far as I ever went. I now have a collection of cards all my own. I am building 4 battle decks of my own. One Electric, one Fire, one Leaf, and one Water. I started out building them for my son he kept bring me cards from the original series, and he kept talking about how to play the game. Something sounded fishy, so I started reading the rule book and I have taught my son the correct way to play the game.

My Mom made my son a beautiful quilt for Christmas. Red, white and black with a couple of “grandma” squares in it (purple pieces). The quilt qoes great with his Red and black curtains in his room.



Did I mention that I have the world’s very best friend. He showed up today, with cookies and presents. Since today is my son’s Christmas with me he was allowed to open his present. My best friend gave my son a lap top for Christmas. Wow! A lap top. I am impressed. I was blown away I did not expect something so expensive. My son is thrilled of course. He wanted his own computer. It isn’t brand new it is refurbished, but it is exactly what my son wanted.

My best friend also brought presents for the dogs, a bag of dog cookies, cans of cat food for the cats, 2 hand dipped candles, I will have to get some candle holders now, and a plate full of homemade cookies. Yummy. Oh yeah and a really cool bag made from Capri sun pouches. It is so cool.



My best friend didn’t stick around long, with my boy being sick and my fighting this cold they split so to stay healthy, but not before his sister gave some loves to some of my cats, at least the ones that would allow her too.



Kudos to my best friend for graduating college with his PH.D in a computer related study. I am so proud of him. I know he worked hard for his DR. Title. Congratulations to my best friend.



I got a beautiful photo shopped picture of my cousins, each of them when they where 19. My Aunt did an incredible job on that. Looks like the girls were standing together. My cousins are 6 years apart, but it makes for a great photo.



My Grandmother gave me some NECCO Wafers, my favorite candies and my Aunt also got me a book. Encyclopedia of North American Reptiles and Amphibians. The perfect book for me. I have already gotten lost in it twice today. I will have it read in no time for sure.



I read through 2 more books again this week. Evidence of Mercy and Justifiable Means too more great books by Terri Blackstock. I highly recommend any book by Terri Blackstock, they are great reads. They would make great made for TV movies too.



Today I spent some time stitching and got Gingerbread Puppy finished up. I have Gingerbread Kitty to do, and 2 San Man Snowman pieces to finish. And this fabric will be all stitched up. I need to get something for his eyes.







I stitched up a cute little felt reindeer, 2 actually 1 for me and 1 for my step-mother. I also made a potato, I don’t know why I just had the felt so I made one. Complete with eyes.








Reindeer cubes – I didn’t stitch these I just turned them into cubs.






Finished Peace Cube







Christmas

Couldn’t sleep last night. I don’t know what time it was when I laid down, but around 2 I was still up. I must of feel asleep because at 3ish I was jerked out of my sleep by a crash, never did find the source of said crash, maybe it was in my dream.

Finally gave up trying to go back to sleep about 6. Got up and when a worked on some more stitching. Woke the boy about 8:30 so he could get ready to go to his Dad’s house at 10. Bonnie came and sat next to me on the couch. Not unusual. She spends a great deal of time at my side. Except this time there was a huge gash in Bonnie’s underbelly area near her right leg.

So I spent the morning in the ER for pets. She went in for surgery to close it up. Came through with flying colors and now looks like frankenkitty. She has shaved patches of hair all over and stitches, but hair will grow back and her wounds will heal and she will be back to my sweet Bonnie in no time at all.

Sometime during the night Bonnie was attacked by Indiana. This is not the first time he has attacked her this is just the first time that it has ever been so severe. Bonnie is not the only cat that Indy goes after. I really need to find him a home where he can be the only kitty or maybe he can go with his Mother and be a pair. He just doesn’t do well with other cats. Just his Momma.

After getting Bonnie home I sat down and finally got some stitching done. I stitched up Candy Canes. This is a San Man Original, thinking I am going to turn it into a no-sew-cube.



I was waiting for Bonnie to make an appearance so I wouldn’t have to stress her out and drag her from under the bed, she finally came out and bee lined for the kitty box then I took her to my room with a small can of soft cat food and her medicine and gave her tonight’s dose. She went back to under my son’s bed after eating the wet food, but at least she got her meds for the night. Poor girl.

So my Christmas turned out to be nothing like I thought it would be.

Merry Christmas

A little Flakey work, books, and a Happy Birthday wish‏

This weekend was a busy one. Friday night I had a few stops on my way home. I had to pick up a few groceries, and some crickets and mice for the reptiles in my life. I bought 5 dozen crickets. Nothing overly exciting.


Friday night I did stay up a little late finishing a books I was reading. Last Light by Terri Blackstock. I Love her books, I have a whole list of them I need to find. Not sure which series I will read next.

Last Light/Night Light has me thinking, what is something like this really did happen like in it did in this book or like the movie with Kevin Costner -The Postman. I started thinking about what I think I would need if I had to totally live off what I had or could collect. What would I need if survival was a full time job. I would have to provide for the boy and myself, then I had a cat jump in my lap, and I thought I would have to provide for my animals too. I would have to plan for them. I had to think what I would need for them. How much I might need and how long would it last. I think I would have to learn to make dry kibble, can’t store it, it would turn rancid from the oils in the food. The can stuff would store well.

I am recommending LAST LIGHT and NIGHT LIGHT by Terri Blackstock, suspense, mystery, Christian principals, even a little romance.

Saturday I did a little stitching. Started work on Snow by San-Man originals. I changed the snow man from DMC 415 to E4743, a metallic light blue. I think it makes the piece wintery. The Grey made the snow man look like he had been playing in a fire place.


The boy and I also did a lot of work on the house. We got his room clean, again, my room this time, the bathroom, I vacuumed the house, he picked up and moved things in my path and the laundry wash before my back couldn’t take anymore standing.

We watched a couple of movies, this weekend it was Santa Claus is coming to town, Santa Clause 3, and the Polar Express. We don’t have TV so we watch a lot of movies. The Boy misses TV, I do a little, but in all reality, we really don’t need it. There is so much on movies to watch now. I do miss the news though.

The boy and I also went out with my Mom on Saturday. She needed to go to Walgreens and get some kitty food. So we went over to Metro Center Mall area. I need some more white Monaco and some Modge Podge, so I went in a very dangerous store, Michael’s, I can get into serious trouble there. I got 2 tubes of white fabric and a bottle of glue. We went into Petco and Dollar Tree too. I needed some new scrub brushes for cleaning the bathroom.

Pet stores are by far the most dangerous place for me. So many animals and supplies to look at and buy. I can get into real trouble there. I have before. This time it was my son, I was trying to have tunnel vision at the pet store, get the few items I needed for the animals.

Petco my son wanted this gray kitten pair. I said no, I have 8 cats. Last thing I needed was to bring home numbers 9 and 10. I wouldn’t even go over and look at them. Last time I did a kitty made me cry and I almost took her home. I remember her all to well, her name was Jenny, a cute Tabby, about 3 or 4, she was abandoned by her owners when they moved. How Cruel, animals are for a lifetime they are not something you can just leave behind, if you can’t keep them find them a good home. Ok off my soap box, animal abandonment really gets me, that is how I got several of my animals, because some let them go or decided they were too much trouble. So this kitty Jenny was talking to me and wanted nothing more that to be out of her cage and be petted, she was trying to touch me through the class barrier. She seemed so sweet and loving, I am crying again as I write this remembering her. I prayed her that her new forever family would come and get her and take her home. I couldn’t go back and check. It just broke my heart to walk away from her. I try to avoid that area of the store now and do everything in my power to stay out of Petco on Saturday.

I did find a few amazing deals at Petco in their clearance shelf. My favorite area of the store. I always check the shelves, you never know what you will find, this weekend I got a little picture frame to put a picture of my lab in, for only 20 cents. I got a 2 pound bag of rocks for 70 cents for the boys Betta raffle at his school in January. I only needed a bottle of cage cleaner, but I did get the crabs a fresh bottle of salt water and some new food. Something fresh and different. They like variety.

We had lunch at Soup or Salad. Had 2 big plates of salad, 1 small piece of gingerbread bread, 2 bowls of New England Clam Chowder and a bowl of Strawberry Shortcake. My Mom treated me, so I only had to pay for the boy. Salad places are fun. Salads are just, you can make your salad anyway you want it, and have a world of flavors open to you. Cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, kidney beans, olives, the choices are endless.

I woke to a surprise for Sunday morning, the cats had knocked over the cricket keeper, and spilled 5 dozen crickets all over my living room floor and of coarse I didn’t know about it until I got up in the morning. I had to replace the crickets as that is the only food I have for the frogs right now and Toothless eats them too.



Sunday I got a little more stitching down, 2 snowflake ornaments, I have 1 left and I am done with my 12. Yeah. I just have the last 4 squares and the Froggy Mario Bookmark stripe to finish up on this piece of fabric.


Snowflake Day 10



Snowflake Day 11



Sunday I wasn’t feeling great, I am catching the boy’s cold. The one that kept him home Thursday and Friday from school. So nothing I wanted to get done actually got done on Sunday. I did however get a lot of reading down, stitch some more and I write out a couple of recipes from some cookbooks I picked up at the library. The boy and I played Mario All Stars- Mario Bros 3. I gave up part way through world 2. My video game attention span is limited.

I finished a second book this weekend. – Night Light. So I am starting book 3 today at lunch, I will read through it this week during my lunches and on the weekend finish it. I think I need to work on get the next set of books so I have them handy when I finish the last book in the set, there are a total of 4 books.

I use to be unable to read more than 1 book at time and keep them straight, but I am reading 3 right now. True Light, When Santa Fell to Earth and Tree Frogs. When Santa Fell to Earth is a youth chapter book. It is by Cornelia Funke. Tree Frogs is a pet series educational type book. I am reading up all the reptile stuff I can get my hands on. Some of my reading is telling me NO, this is not a pet I should have and some is saying yeah I could provide the care for this creature if I had one. My list of reptiles I would like changes with the completion of each book I read.

Yesterday was my best friend’s birthday, I had wanted to post him a Happy Birthday wish here, but I could not get the internet to behave itself. I did email him though. I just want my Best Friend to know I could never forget his birthday. Of course, I don’t know how often he checks my blog so he may never see this, but, Happy Birthday anyways.

Three Trees

I was sent this poem at work yesterday. I get interesting emails from time to time and I thought this one truly a good one to share. We really don’t know God’s plan, but he does seem to give us what we want even if we don’t know it was how we wanted it.




Once upon a time, three little trees stood in a forest high on a mountain, dreaming of what they would be when they were grown.



The first little tree looked up at the stars twinkling like diamonds in the night sky. “I want to hold treasure,” it said. “I want to be filled with gold and decorated with jewels. I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”



The second little tree looked down the mountainside at the ocean far below. “I want to be a strong sailing ship,” it said. “I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will be the strongest ship in the world!”



The third little tree said, “I don’t want to leave this mountaintop at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me their eyes will raise up to heaven, and they will think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!”



Years passed, and the trees grew. And then one day, three woodcutters climbed the mountain.



One woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful! It is perfect for me.” With a dozen swoops of his axe, the first tree fell.



“Now I shall be made into a beautiful treasure chest,” thought the first tree. “I shall hold marvelous treasures!”



Another woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong! It is perfect for me.” With a dozen swoops of his axe, the second tree fell.



“Now I shall sail mighty waters,” thought the second tree. “I shall be made into a strong ship fit for powerful kings!”



The third tree felt its heart sink as the last woodcutter approached. It stood straight and tall and pointed bravely towards heaven. But the last woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me,” he muttered. With a dozen swoops of his axe, the third tree fell.



The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter took it to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead, he cut and carved the tree into a simple feedbox. The once-beautiful tree was not filled with gold or decorated with jewels. It was covered with dust, and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.



The second tree rejoiced when the woodcutter took it to a shipyard. But the shipbuilder was not thinking about mighty sailing ships. Instead, he hammered and sawed the tree into a simple fishing boat. The once-strong tree was too weak to sail the ocean. It was taken to a little lake, where every day it carried loads of dead, smelly fish.



The third tree was confused when the woodcutter took it to a lumberyard, where it was cut into strong beams and then left alone. “What happened?” the once-tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted to do was stay on the mountaintop, grow tall, and make people think of God.”



Years passed, and the three trees nearly forgot their dreams.



But then one still and silent night, golden starlight poured over the first tree, as a young woman placed a newborn baby into the feedbox.

“I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered.



The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the clean and shining wood. “This manger is beautiful,” she said. And suddenly the first tree knew it was holding the greatest treasure in the world.



And then one humid and cloudy day, a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the small fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree sailed quietly out into the lake. But a thundering storm arose, and the second tree shuddered, knowing that it did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the fierce wind and rain.



The tired traveler awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said with a strong voice, “Peace, be still.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had began. And suddenly the second tree knew it was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

And then one terrible Friday morning, the third tree was startled as its beams were yanked from the old lumberyard. It flinched as it was carried through an angry, jeering, spitting crowd. It shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands and feet to her. It groaned as the man cried out in agony and died. It felt ugly and harsh and cruel.



But at dawn the next Sunday, on the first Easter morning, the earth trembled with joy beneath the third tree, and it knew that God’s love had changed everything.



It had made the first little tree a beautiful treasure chest. It had made the second little tree a strong sailing ship. And every time people looked upon the third little tree, they would think of God.

That was even better than being the tallest tree in the world.

A box really?

Sometimes the simplest thing can entertain even the most difficult to amuse. I thought the box would amuse the cats, I never expected it to amuse my kid.

River's Edge and Break's Reef By Terri Blackstock‏

I finished Breaker’s Reef within 24 hours of starting it after finishing River’s Edge.


I really enjoyed this series. Obviously, considered I stayed up late 2 weekends in a row tearing through the books are record speed, for me anyways. I wish the series did not end here. I want to see what continues on in the lives of Blair, Morgan, Jonathan, Cade, Sadie and Sheila.

I found myself distracted, wanting to pick up my book and get back into it. Even reading sometimes while at my desk. Finding it hard to concentrate on work when I was not reading my book. If you like suspense you will not be disappointed by these books.

River's Edge by Terri Blackstock



Book Description from Amazon and off the back cover of the books.

Publication Date: August 17, 2004
The man Lisa Jackson loved most may have betrayed her. Another used deception to manipulate her. But did one of them kill her? Ben Jackson is sure to defeat Jonathan Cleary in Cape Refuge's mayoral race, until his wife turns up missing the day before a major debate. Suspecting foul play, Police Chief Cade launches an island-wide search. But it takes a psychic's 'vision' to point police to the riverside---and Lisa's body. The evidence implicating Ben in his wife's murder is convincing. But as a local scandal escalates into a national media circus, Cade's instincts tell him to dig deeper. And he's not the only one. Blair Owens of the Cape Refuge Journal is using her investigative skills to uncover a rat's nest of dirty secrets---and more than one person with a motive for murder. But Blair's methods are jeopardizing her relationship with Cade, and an unsolicited prediction from the psychic only adds to her troubles. Is the man's so-called gift truly from God, as he claims? Did Lisa's murder have anything to do with the mayoral race, her husband's alleged affair, or her decade-long struggle with infertility? Whoever the killer is, he's about to take his evasion of justice to the next, lethal level. And someone else is going to die.

Breaker's Reef by Terri Blackstock

Book Description from Amazon.com and the back cover of the book

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Murder and mystery continue in Book Four of the Cape Refuge series A famous mystery writer has just moved to Cape Refuge when a teenage girl is found murdered. Sheila Caruso--ex-con, mother to Sadie and Caleb, and resident of Hanover House--is working for the writer when she discovers that a scene in one of his novels matches the crime scene. When Police Chief Cade and Blair Owens discover a second dead teenager--mirroring a murder in another of the eccentric writer's books--Cade is drawn into a web of trickery and deceit. Evidence turns up in Cade's own truck, and suddenly he becomes the number-one suspect. Cade tries to clear his name, but when eighteen-year-old Sadie Caruso disappears, tensions mount to a fever pitch. Can Cade find the real killer before Sadie winds up dead? Is the novelist a demented killer, or a hapless victim? And what does Sadie's own mother have to do with the crimes? Secrets are uncovered, while lessons are learned about the sins of the father being visited upon his children. Will the consequences of Sheila's life be fatal, or is there redemption and mercy for her and her children? 'Chief Matthew Cade rarely considered another line of work, but news of the dead teenage girl made him long for a job as an accountant or electrician---some benign vocation that didn't require him to look into the eyes of grieving parents.'

Now I am moving on to a new series also by Terri Blackstock, the Restoration series. A series of books about what life would be like; if all of a sudden we were back in the age before electricity, digital watches and cameras, before cars, and planes. How could we possibly survive without internet and cell phones?

SOME OF THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON

“A COLD AIR-MASS WILL SETTLE OVER THE REGION THROUGH MIDWEEK...BRINGING SOME OF THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON TO THE LOWER DESERTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA.”

This came from my AccuWeather.com email alert this morning at 5:45 am. I get these 2x a day so when Michelangelo is outside I can keep an eye on the weather, so I know when I need to have her brought back in. She is in right now, it is too cold and I don’t have a proper run for her out in the yard. She is camping out under my coffee table.

So I wonder just how cold “some of the coldest temperatures of the season” actually means.

My 5 day forecast says

Monday: Cold with intervals of clouds and sunshine High of 55. Night Clear and Chilly Low 36.

Tuesday: Bright and Sunny, but cold. High 55 and low of 36.

Wednesday: Plenty of Sun. High 59 and Low 38

Thursday: Bright Sunshine High of 64 and low of 42

Friday: to partly cloudy High of 64 and low of 44.

This doesn’t seem all that cold to me actually. Nights are cold, but nothing new there. But 50s and 60s that isn’t really all that bad. Sorry to those of you experiencing the day time lows of the 20s and lower. Come to Phoenix and thaw out in January when it really gets cold.

*******************************************************
Update on how cold it is going to get this came in at 4:45 Arizona time

"AN EXITING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL LEAVE BEHIND COLD AIR ACROSS THE


DESERT SOUTHWEST. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES OVER THE PHOENIX AREA AND THE

LOWER DESERTS OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER

VALLEY WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 30S TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

HOWEVER...SOME SPOTS WITHIN THOSE AREAS WILL DIP BELOW FREEZING SUCH

AS THE OUTER SUBURBS OF PHOENIX AND THE IMPERIAL VALLEY.



LOWER DESERT AREAS BETWEEN PHOENIX AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER

VALLEY WILL BE COLDER AND THUS A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LOW

TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 23-29 DEGREES"

Keep in mind Arizona this time of the year most years I can remember, we have still running around in Sandles and shorts in enjoying 60s and 70s still. So 30 degrees and below is COLD!

WOL and Peace

I did get a little stitching done this morning.


I put the head on WOL. This is the Great Escape by Abi Gurden of the Stitch Specialist. The fabric is Belfast Crystal Dawn, my first time using black. Kind of fun, but has to be done during the day. The owl is being stitched in Weeks Dye Works – White Lighting. His beak is Charcoal.



And this is Peach by San Man Originals. I need to find an ornament that says Peace, when I got this kit, it had one, a blue glittery one, but it was broken and I wasn’t able to get it back together. I think I have seen them at the Dollar Tree, I will see if the have one again this year and then I can finish the piece.

The fabric is actually white, not off white

A bottle Bacardi Select Puerto Rico Rum and it is Saturday… what should I do?

Just got back from making my rounds, I took goodies to my neighbors. I baked this weekend. I made Cherry Rum Balls, Truffles, and Holiday Chocolate Rum Balls. I also made 6 small loaves of Beer bread. 4 with Heineken and 2 with Pumpkin Ale and Molasses Butter Rum cookies. I will share the recipes with you.


It took me all day to do all this and part of today. But it was so much fun.



I made a huge mess while baking, I always do. But your not really having fun if you don’t make a mess.

Molasses Butter Rum Cookies



1 cup of butter, softened

¼ c Molasses

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt (I omit salt when I bake)

2 ½ teaspoons rum

Powdered sugar

Cream the first three ingredients, sift in the flour and salt. Blend in rum. Shape into balls – grape size (my grapes where pretty big). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. sprinkle on powered sugar to coat while still warm. – Makes 6 dozen

Beer Bread



3 cups plus 2 teaspoons self-rising flour, divided

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 –(12 oz) can or bottle of beer

Coat 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and lightly coat with 2 teaspoons of flour. Set aside

Combine flour and butter in a bowl, stir well, and make a well in the center of the mixture. Add the melted butter and beer, stir in just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cook 5 minutes in the pan before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 8 slices.

I love mine with a hot bowl of chili. So yummy.

Holiday Chocolate Rum Balls



3 – (9”) layers chocolate cake

½ cup of fudge sauce

¾ cup rum (mine needed more it wasn’t mixing well, I added a full cup)

24 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I would have 36 oz, I ran out of chocolate, I half a batch in my freezer still.)

Chocolate Sprinkles

Crumble cake into bowl. Mix in Fudge and rum. Mix into a paste. Roll into balls and freeze. (They won’t freeze solid because of the liquor, mine spend 4 hours in the freezer today and where firm but not stiff). Melt Chocolate chips, follow directions on package (I did mine in a fondue pot) Dip Balls in Chocolate and roll in sprinkles.

Can keep Frozen.

I want to try this recipe with Red Velvet cake and Cream cheese instead of Fudge and white chocolate chips. With the Rum can you imagine the richness?

Let me know if you try a different cake with this. What do you think? I bet carrot cake and cream cheese might make a good combo too. For those of use that can’t do chocolate.

Truffles

Approximately 4 cups of powdered sugar

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened

5 (1 oz) squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon of rum

Topping of choose – sugar, powered sugar, coconut, nuts, ect…

Slowly mix sugar and cream cheese, add chocolate and rum. Mix Well. Chill several hours. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in topping of choose.

Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 4 dozen

Cherry Rum Balls



2 lbs plus 8 oz of vanilla wafers (40 oz), (4 boxes will be needed)

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups of coconut

½ cup corn syrup

1 cup sweet cherries

1 cup rum (again I needed a little more the cookies soaked up the rum fast. I ended up and 1 ¼ cups)

Drain cherries and chop. Mix all ingredients, except powdered sugar well. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar.

Makes 100-125 balls.

Store in covered container. These cookies age well.

Hope you enjoy my treats. My neighbors sure seemed to enjoy them. This is what I did with my bottle of rum, sure I could have drank it, but then I wouldn’t have felt so good today, would have felt great yesterday though. I think this was more fun, and I still have about a 1/3 a bottle of rum left. Move over Coke I found another use for rum.

Neo

Neo




Neo is my 2 year old Yorkshire Terrier. He is such an awesome little dog. I have never been big on little dogs. I have always had big dogs. Border Collies, Gordon Setter, Labrador, etc… big dogs well dogs that where at least 40 lbs.

This is a picture of Neo fresh from the bath, I just towled dried him and I am was about to start combing his hair out. So he looks a little fluffed.

While I have a Jack Russell Terrier she didn’t do much to change my thinking when it came to little dogs. She is cranky, stubborn, and really not the most pleasant dog there is.

Then along came Neo and he very quickly changed my thinking on the small dogs. I thought I would never be a Yorkie owner or rather owned by a Yorkie. They just didn’t thrill me, in fact it was just the opposite. I was disgusted by these little dogs and the people they owned. Dressing them up in clothing and dresses, and costumes. Really they are dogs not children. I thought the only practical thing for dogs to where were sweaters for warmth. I hated that they were being toted around as fashion symbols. I thought dogs should be big and cool, something the neighbor’s cat couldn’t eat.

 I tried treating him like a dog, making him walk around. Do dog things. He wasn’t having any of that. He actually begs to be picked up. He wants to be in my lap sleeping. He wants me to carry him around. He wants to be every where I am all the time. He hates to be left behind.

He sleeps with me at night time, dances for me when I come home from work. Throws a fit when I leave to go to work, take out the trash or go to my parents for a quick minute. I find myself carrying him to my parents house, taking him to pick up my son on Sundays. If I  go out in the back yard her is right there beside me. I even turn around in the shower and find him sitting at my feet getting wet.

Now I want to get one of those tote bags and carry him around where ever I go. I am turning into one of those people. I want to take him shopping at Goodwill on Saturdays, or Michael’s. His little head sticking out of the pocket in the bag. I want to take him everywhere I go, wish I could take him to work. Train him to lay under my desk in a little bed while I worked and follow me about the office as I go about.

I guess Neo has stolen my heart. I am proud to be owned by a Yorkie. I may have to get another one now. On the note of small dogs, I had my heart teased by a Chihuahua today, my friends little Chihuahua Suzy, again not a typical breed of dog I would consider, but Suzy was funny, chasing my fingers like a kitten would. She was cute. Amazing how one little dog can turn your world upside down.

Southern Storm

Well I did it again, I finished another book and true to the other three  by Terri Blackstock I have read, it is a book I don’t want to put down. I want to know what will happen next. The book is so exciting. I wanted to know what happen next so bad that from midnight to 4:30 Am on Saturday morning. I kept saying, I would stop after this chapter and finish tomorrow morning. I couldn’t I kept going. 4:30 am I finally finished Southern Storm. I knew where Cade was the whole time, I wanted to find out who would find him and how.




Another good read, but read Cape Refuge first. This book just a few months after the that book, you get to know the characters better that way, see what the author Terri Blackstock is referring to in this book.



See if you can catch the typo in the book, I had to go back and look again to make sure I saw it right. You might miss it, if you book is a corrected edition.



Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2003

Sequel to the #1 best-selling Cape Refuge First a dead stranger. Now a missing Police Chief. Did Chief Cade run off to elope . . . or has he met with foul play? The body in the morgue had no ID. No one knew who he was or where he came from when he walked out in front of Cade's car. And when Cade learns he had a gunshot wound before he was struck, finding his identity becomes even more urgent. Then Cade vanishes. Authorities discover the victim's name, and the woman Cade was last seen with turns out to have been the dead man's wife. Speculation abounds about Cade's relationship to the woman and his part in the victim's death. His disappearance makes him look even more suspicious. But Blair Owens doesn't believe the rumors. Something has happened to Cade, and she's determined to find him. Saving Cade's life will take faith in a God whom Blair has always doubted---but he may be her only hope.

Saturday and the Flat Tire

I stayed up late on Friday night into Saturday morning reading Southern Storm. I finally finished the book at 4:30. I went to bed about then. Woke at 7, fed the cats, put the dogs out and brought them back in and stumbled off to bed again, finally woke just after 9. My Mom came down just after that. She doesn’t knock real load so the dogs didn’t bark, they didn’t know she was there.


So we left about 10:30 to do some running around. Mom wanted to take some things to the Goodwill and go to Staples and the Avenue. I just wanted a coffee. So I took her to Goodwill, I had a few things of my own to drop off. I cleaned out some of the stuff that doesn’t fit my boy any longer. At Staples I got my son some fancy duct tape, he wants to use it to cover a butter tub to make a raffle ticket container. I also got a cute little note pad for my purse, lord knows how many times I have written on my hand or arm to take a note and a pen that writes in pink ink so my purse is set now. I also got some command Velcro packs so I can hang some Christmas pictures up on the walls. I took my Mom to the Avenue and just sat in the car, I didn’t need anything in there and I would have spent money on something.

Afterwards we hit the drive through at Starbucks and I got a Egg Nog Frappuccino. It was really good. I usually do the Caramel Frappuccino. So this was nice. I think I like this one better then the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.



We were heading to my Grandmother today to help my Mom finish her quilts. We were going to yarn tie the quilts today. Almost there, we are ¼ mile from the exit when my tire blows. Full out Blows, the back is shredded. I get the car off the freeway onto the Access road. I pull it all the way over, but mind you I am still sitting in a street lane. I call my Grandparents, they send my Aunt to come and pick my Mom and I call my Dad wanting him to come to my rescue, take me to the bank so I can get money out to get my tire fixed, that turned into an argument. I wanted him to come get me and was going to have AAA take the car to Discount Tire I would meet it there. Pay for the replacement tire. $26 not a bad deal.

AAA put on the spare tire for me and I took myself to the bank and then to Discount. I dropped the car off and my Dad calls just as I am handing over the keys. The wait time is and hour so he comes and gets me and we wait for them to call me come and pick up the car.

After getting my car back I popped into Walgreens on my way home, I got my son a Spongebob Christmas tree, and a Spongebob Santa figure, I went in for one item got it and splurged a whole $7 for the Spongebob items. I think they are sort of cute.







Now my car is back and I am sitting here at home munching cookies my Dad gave me to make me smile. I think he felt bad about making me get all upset. It all worked out though.



• If you know my son’s name and you post a comment please do not post his name. Thank you

Cape Refuse

Well I finished another book by Terri Blackstock. I really enjoy her books. This book doesn’t have the same dark over tones as predator, but it is a good mystery book, who killed Thelma and Wayne?? Yet again another good book to read and enjoy. I am now reading the second in the series, there are four in this set. Second is as riveting as the first.

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002
Mystery and suspense combine in this first book in an exciting new 4-book series by best-selling author Terri Blackstock. Thelma and Wayne Owens run a bed and breakfast in Cape Refuge, Georgia. They minister to the seamen on the nearby docks and prisoners just out of nearby jails, holding services in an old warehouse and taking many of the 'down-and-outers' into their home. They have two daughters: the dutiful Morgan who is married to Jonathan, a fisherman, and helps them out at the B and B, and Blair, the still-single town librarian, who would be beautiful if it weren't for the serious scar on the side of her face. After a heated, public argument with his in-laws, Jonathan discovers Thelma and Wayne murdered in the warehouse where they held their church services. Considered the prime suspect, Jonathan is arrested. Grief-stricken, Morgan and Blair launch their own investigation to help Matthew Cade, the town's young police chief, find the real killer. Shady characters and a raft of suspects keep the plot twisting and the suspense building as we learn not only who murdered Thelma and Wayne, but also the secrets about their family's past and the true reason for Blair's disfigurement.

THANKSGIVING DAY‏

Thanksgiving was pretty much uneventful. I stayed home, played Pioneer Trail, go a couple of things organized, and bathed Neo for the second time this week. The Sprinklers came on Wednesday night and made some mud under my back fence and Neo played in it, laid in it and dragged half of it back into the house on his belly and legs. I had to wash my bed sheets yesterday as well as there was a Yorkie shaped spot of dried mud.


My Dad did the cooking, made a really good turkey, it came out really moist. The rolls where a little crispy, I like my bread soft and warm, so I ate the middles out of my rolls. He made his yummy sweet potato soufflé and stuffing, but he gave credit to Stove Top for the stuffing. There was mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Yum. My Mom and I hate Green Bean Casserole so he doesn’t make it.

I finished up my Mom’s ladybug Cube. She wanted me to make her lady bug cross-stitch that I made her into a no-sew-cube so I had all the materials so I went ahead and made up the little cube. I will post pictures this weekend, I gave it to my Mom and forgot to take pictures.

With a heavy heart I have decided I have to find Indiana a new home. He has been brutally attacking Bonnie and Rhett, and he fights with SkippyJon all the time too. He has injured Bonnie twice now and he goes after her with teeth and claws, it is way too much. Right now he is locked in my son’s bedroom, I hate to isolate him, but I have to protect the other cats in the house too. I have 8 and he is just too much of a bully. So I am actively looking for a new forever home for him, where he can be the only cat. He does great with dogs and children, so he doesn’t have to be a complete loaner.
 

Busy Weekend

I spent Saturday out at my Grandparents house. We did an arts and crafts project. We made the pumpkins my friend taught me on my visit to Utah. My Mom made a red one for an apple, my Aunt, my Grandmother and myself each made a pumpkin, and my Aunt also made a Christmas tree. My Mom liked my Aunt Christmas tree so much she took the parts home with her to make one too. I have the left over parts that I am going to make into apples and trees.




After crafting we played card games. We played Five Crowns and Shanghai. Shanghai is a version of Rummy and Five Crowns is a card game invented by a couple in Fountain Hills, Arizona. You can find the game in most game shops and on Amazon.com.



Sunday I must have got a burr under my saddle or something. Got my kitchen and living room super clean. I cleared off shelves, I got the vacuum out and moved furniture around so I could get under and behind it. I usually only do what you can see, I spent a good 45 minutes running the vacuum.

I also moved around a couple of the animals. Slyther got a bigger cage and the mice got Slyther’s old cage. Mikey is unhappy, I moved the dresser she lived under to the other side of the room. I can’t convince her that she can move over to the other side of the room and still live under the dresser. She has been storming about the living room ticked off looking for her dresser.

I got the valance in the bathroom hung up, so it hides the window when the curtains are open and I hung up the curtains in my son’s room. Much better than the before. I still need to do my bedroom,  and the kitchen.

Before


After


before


after

I did get a little stitching done this weekend between my frequent trips to Pioneer Trail and getting lost in my books. I am behind on my Great Escape Owl. I need to finish putting the head on my owl. I am waiting for part 6 so I can print the next set of instructions and I think that is his face.
 

Wow – is the first word that comes to mind about this book. It is powerful. Made me think about my Facebook page and even my blog here. You probably noticed my time and again request not to mention my son’s names at the end of my posts. I now know what drove me to make that request, even before reading this book.

From Amazon Book Description(this also appears on the back cover of the book).

Publication Date: May 24, 2010

Bestselling author Terri Blackstock presents another stand-alone novel, Predator. The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome? Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line. Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.

Read this book. It had me scared from chapter one. This is one of the books I stole from my Mom so I can read them. She’ll get them back when I am done with them, but if all of Terri Blackstock’s books are like Shadow in Serenity and Predator, I will be going through these books quickly. They leave me wanting to know what is going to happen next, not being able to wait. I think about reading the book as I sit at my desk working, can’t wait to get home and get my chores done so I can curl up with my book and get lost.

Twenty-Seven of Forty-One

No this isn’t some Borg identification number. Yep I can be a bit of a geek sometimes. This is the chapter I am on in a new book. This book wasn’t recommended. It was left for me to find it. In the break room at my office we have a book shelf where you can find a new book to read or leave one you have read. I found Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock. This is a Christian suspense novel. Stand alone there is no others to make this one a series. But she does have several series and this is book has me wanting to find them so I can read them next.


If you are looking for a good, you like suspense then I suggest you checking this one out.



From Amazon - Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2011

Carny Sullivan grew up in the zany world of a traveling carnival. Quaint and peaceful Serenity, Texas, has given her a home, a life, and a child. Logan Brisco is the smoothest, slickest, handsomest man Serenity, Texas has ever seen. But Carny Sullivan knows a con artist when she sees one---and she's seen plenty, starting with her father. As far as Carny Sullivan can tell, she's the only one in town who has his number. Because from his Italian shoes to his movie-actor smile, Logan has the rest of the town snowed. Carny is determined to reveal Brisco's selfish intentions before his promise to the townspeople for a cut in a giant amusement park sucks Serenity dry. Yet, as much as she hates his winning ways, there is a man behind that suave smile, a man who may win her heart against her will. Shadow in Serenity is a modern-day Music Man, penned by a Christy Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author.

The boy and I went to go and visit my Dad in Williams, Arizona again this week. There was snow on the ground and it was cold. We left 75 in Phoenix for 47 in Williams. It was nice though. It is quiet and peaceful at my Dad’s house.


So, the boy and I loaded up in the care in the morning. We stopped at Starbucks on the way north to get drinks. He got his favorite drink, a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and I tried the Iced Gingerbread Latte. Good but not my favorite, I like the Salted Cameral Mocha Frappuccino and the Carmel Frappuccino.

I took 2 of my dogs my dogs with me, my Labrador Bailey and my Yorkie Neo, the Jack Russell does not travel well, she hates strangers and strange dogs and would have been very unhappy, so she stayed with my parents. The lady at the window at Starbucks saw my dogs. “ahh how cute” she gave them a cup of whipped cream, I let the 2 of them eat about half of it. Dairy isn’t the best thing for dogs. But that cup of whipped cream got me thinking. Starbucks should sell yogurt dipped dog biscuits. Other stores sell gourmet dog treats and if you have your dogs with you at the drive in you order a cup of treats. I know I would. I was thinking 2 med/large biscuits or 3 small biscuits would be ideal. My dogs would love it, they love the yogurt dipped treats I pick up for them.

A lot of the drive-ins places are starting to carry treats for pets now, even my bank and the Walgreens I go to have biscuits for the dogs sitting in the back seat starring at them through the window. My Lab has come to expect a treat at drive-ins now. Talk about spoiled.

The drive north is about 2 and half hours. We got into Williams at about 9:30. All my Black Eyed Susans that I am so found of are now dormant, J it is too cold for them right now. I look forward to their return in the spring, the wildflowers in Northern Arizona are beautiful. Well worth a walk in the woods just to see all the colors in bloom.

We went into town with my Dad and his wife Lisa, went to the Family Dollar store. I needed to get new wipers for my car. Had to take Neo with me, he is too little to be trusted left alone with 5 large dogs. He was already attacking a couple of them and he intimidated the Rottweiler the most. So Neo went along for a little ride into town.

The only photo taken on this trip was of the mountains. I should get pictures of the dogs and the house, it is a great house. Small but surprisingly big. So here is another photo of Snowbowl with some clouds hugging the peaks.



Lunch was create, my Dad BBQ pork chops on the grill and we had rice with it. A little BBQ sauce on the chops and mixed into the rice and it was awesome. My Dad is a pretty good cook, I am amazed. He made Chili the last time I visited. I didn’t even know my Dad could cook, let alone well.

We played card games and watched movies, and sat by a fire. We were all still stuffed from lunch so we skipped dinner. Lisa made a cake and we all had a piece late in the evening.

Neo slept with me as usual and Bailey crashed on the floor next to the boy, I don’t know who snored louder the boy or the dog.

In the morning I put the new blades on my car, the boy threw the ball for Bailey and his sister Poppy. My Dad has my dog’s older half sister. She is about half his size too, but twice the drive to fetch that my lab has and my lab will play until he drops. Bailey would get to the ball before Poppy, but Poppy would be the one bringing the ball back.

We had Scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast and played a few more games of cards. I took up Five Crowns to Williams, and my Dad and Lisa both really liked it. So I am going to look for another one, it isn’t an easy to find game, and get it for them.

Found out my Dad and Lisa are heading over to my Aunt Deb’s next weekend, they are bringing my Grandparents things in from New Mexico and the kids and grandkids are going to get to have some of the items. I told them I wanted one of Nanny’s paintings just one. I have two my other Grandmother did, and I have 1 I did and I will probably someday have the one my Mom did so I have a family set and if I have a Granddaughter (or a Grandson) someday I plan to paint with her and she will someday have all the paintings. Maybe I should do one with the boy so the grandchild can have his painting too. There is even a painting my brother did and I think there was one my Grandfather did. We are just painting fools I guess. A lot of the family paints. Anyways Dad and Lisa are going to look for those for me.

Glad I bought the wipers it rained half way home yesterday. I think the rain stopped in Cotton Wood. Got back into the Valley, Neo sleeping in my lap. Not the safest place for him to ride, but I couldn’t fight him. He wouldn’t stay in the back. It was safer to just let him sleep in my lap then to try and fight with him. He drooled in my lap so I had a big wet spot in my leg when we finally pulled into the driveway at home.

I so love road trips, doesn’t matter how long they are, I always have a blast on the road. Will probably head back up again in December some weekend I have the boy.

Back to the Future

Last night my son watched Back to the Future II and Back to the Future III. The third one is my favorite by far. So we decided to watch Back to the Future last night. First time he has seen this great 80’s movie.


You know how Marty McFly’s weakness if being called a chicken, makes him do dumb stuff. Every time he was called yellow or chicken my son would start screaming “don’t do it, don’t do it!” It was so funny. My favorite was the race in the truck at the end, they are revving at the light and my son is screaming at the movie beside me, don’t do it don’t do it. I am laughing and just telling him to watch. Just watch. The light turns green and he groans, nooo, and all of a sudden you see Marty’s truck going backwards and the red truck flying forward. He starts hollering Yes! He loved it.

He couldn’t figure out why the paper the girl had suddenly erased. I had to explain to him, like Doc Brown said honey, they future isn’t written now. it is what they make it. He was sad the time machine was destroyed and thrilled when the time train showed up. He wanted to figure out how he got married and had kids so fast, the few minutes in the movie didn’t add up to him. I told him Doc was left back 100 years ago. So years could have gone by for him and only minutes for Marty since it was a 100 years difference. He was oh I get it.

He wants to know when the next one comes out. I had to tell him there isn’t one but there is a cartoon series. Short lived but I do remember the cartoon.

Sad Good Bye to Lightning

I found lightning this morning, he died during the night, I don’t know what happened. He had heat and food crickets and veggies and tons of water, and I am was heating his water right now too so it was warmer for him to swim in, and it is a big bowl, gallon and a half. He had climbing branches and tunnel to hide in to feel more secure, he used it too, sometimes I would see him scoot down off his branch into the tunnel, the only part of him you would see was the end of his tail. He had lots of plants to make his home feel jungle like for more added security. He even had a sun bulb so he got both UVB and UVA light.


My son doesn’t know yet, he was at his Dad’s last night. I am sadden by the loss of Lightning, he was still young between a year and 2 years. So I just don’t get it. I don’t look forward to having to tell him.
 

2011 to do list to seeing Red

I still have a few more things left to do on my to do list before 2012, but I am making pretty good progress, considering I wrote this list of 10 in mid September.



• I still need to get Toothless into his Castle. I need to secure a couple of points in it first.



• We are going to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and make the curtains for the living room and learn to sew at the same time.

• I am almost done with the Left Behind Series, It is the kids series, I read the adult series years ago and wanted to see how they differed. I am at book 36 of 40 I will finish the series on Friday.



• The previous post has the photos of the new critters ornaments.



• I have stitched 8 of the 12 snowflakes for 12 San Man Snow Flake Ornaments. I am not longer going to use them for the same thing, not sure what I will do with them now. I will figure something out.



• Finished the Tree of Stitches


My flakes












Snowboy



Frosty Finally got a nose




I finally got my tree finished. I just worked almost none stop on it 2 weekends ago. Got it all finished up. I started my Great Escape piece as well. I need to print out 3 and 4 and the instructions so I can get all caught up. Section 4 came out over the weekend so I am only 2 sections behind.

My Tree


My Great Escape






Snow boy, cute isn’t he. Not sure how I am going to finish him, I took the snowman off for now it wiggles all over the place. I am thinking maybe a now sew cube might be cute.


I have had Slyther almost a month now, I got him on Oct 9th. He has not eaten in this time. I have tried a couple of different means to feed him to no avail. This week I am teasing him. I am setting the mice on top of his cage in the evening and leaving them there until bedtime, much to the amusement of my cats. I have to stow the mice away in the bathroom at night, I have cats that would eat them.


Might be at least another week now before Slyther will eat. Slyther is going into the blue. He should shed in the next week. Maybe he will eat after that.


So yes, I now have 3 new mice. I bought these mice as food for Slyther. But like I said Slyther has not eaten for me yet, much to my frustration. One of the mice, the little one Fu was actually in the tank with Slyther, but he was not interested in Fu, or was afraid of her. Fu was pretty active. So she was pardoned and is now living the mouse life of luxury. She has a cage with a wheel and a water bottle, and I am spoiling her with lots of treats and she is getting lots of handling so she is gentle and quiet.


I tried again a few days later with some other mice, I intentionally got one for Fu to have for a friend, another female, I called Zoe but again Slyther wouldn’t eat and I ended up with Oreo too. The boy named her. Zoe’s name was chosen because it eliminates 1 more letter from the alphabet for me. Fu means good fortune in Chinese and the boy named Oreo because of her markings. She is such a cutie. Fu and Oreo take to handling, I can get both out and they are calm, Zoe still totally freaks if you even touch her trying to get Fu or Oreo.


Fu & Zoe



Oreo

Sometime between noon on October 1st and 8 am on October 3rd my Betta, I got in April committed suicide. When I got into the office that morning, I found him on the floor under my desk, all dry and very dead.  It was a sad day, sad week, I had no Sprite to keep me company. I did however get a new Betta after I returned from Utah, a bright red one, about half of Sprite’s size. He is named Red, nothing else has been suitable for him. He is a very pretty fish. I enjoy watching him. He doesn’t hold a grudge like Sprite did.

Red




To get this photo of Red, I had to take photos on 3 different days sort through over 20 shots a from each try and I walked away with like 3 good shots, 1 ok one and a really slow video of Red eating some fish flakes. Fish are not easy to photo graph.


Can you believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are almost upon us? Where did the year go? I spent all summer looking forward to my trip to Utah and it has already come and gone. Like I blink and the year was over. What gives? Now I am looking forward to my friend maybe coming to visit. I told her to come out in February or March when they are ready to thaw out and we Zoni’s are already nice and toasty again. Does any fellow Zoni or Phoenician actually believe that there exists more than two seasons? I believe there is Hot and Hotter, what is your take?


I have to see what exciting places there are to visit here in Arizona. There really is a load of neat places. Rawhide, Tombstone, Jerome, Grand Canyon, Williams, Tucson, Old Tucson Studios, Wild Life World Zoo, Out of Africa, Oatman, Sedona, or Winslow. If you go to Winslow you have to get a picture of yourself standing on the corner, just like in the song by the Eagles – Take it Easy. Wow there are many great options.
Here is my son’s picture for Fall 2011, he is growing up way too fast, there should be a law or something against that. He looks good though, a real-ish smile on his face. I usually get the cheese big teeth boy grin, you mom’s of boys know what I am talking about, I think every boy does it at some point.




Do was the first day of cool weather here in Phoenix. 66 degrees was our high. Took all day to line dry my laundry. In the summer you can hang it up and by the time the last piece goes up the first is ready to come back down.

Neo Pop with scary eyes




Rehash my pet list here as of today I have 31 animals. Unless you want to count crickets, I have 9 dozen of them.

8 – Cats - Nani, Indiana, Anakin, Rhett Butler, Bonnie Blue, SkippyJon Jones, Grump and Emmy (listed in order of how I got them)
3 – Dogs - Bailey, Peaches and Neo (listed in order of how I got them)Bailey spends most of his time at my parents and won’t come home.
4 – Hermit Crabs (George, all 4 of them called George) Trust me it is easier that way.
1 – Red Ear Slider Turtle - Crush
1 – Box Turtle – Michelangelo “Mikey”

1 Bearded Dragon – Toothless

1 Chinese Water Dragon – Lightning

4 – snakes  Hiss, Candy, Outlaw, and Slytherin

4 – Fire Belly Toads - Fire, Lava, DAVE and Kermit

1 – Betta – Red


My girls being naughty, up on the top of my front door.



As always, if you know my son’s name and post a comment, please do not post his name. Thanks