Homecooking and Whatnot

Today was a busy day. Michelle had made plans to see a movie with her friend, Katie, and we had to drive them up to the theatre. We did some things around the house this morning, then had to get ready to go.

Michelle had risen early today, as she had some laundry to do.....She called me over to look at this particular load...does it go in the whites and lights, or darks?

After dropping the girls off, we went over to WalMart, as I needed to pick up a few things. As I was looking at meat, I noticed they had several packages that were marked down about 30%. I picked up some packages of chicken breast for only $2.36 a pound, a boneless leg of lamb, and some chuck roast. These aren't things I normally buy, but as I mentioned in my last post, I am going to begin cooking for the Scotties once again. I have decided it really wouldn't be that hard to make them fresh food. I also grabbed some sweet potatoes.

Upon returning home later in the day, I immediately put on a large sweet potato to cook. Then, I heated a skillet and added some olive oil and sauteed a clove of garlic in it. I added two chicken breasts and cooked them just until they were white all the way through. I mashed the sweet potatoes and shredded the chicken. I then mixed them together, adding a few blueberries and cranberries and ultra-finely shredded raw carrot. After everything was well-blended, I added a fish oil capsule.

As soon as I set this bowl on a carpet to take a picture, Murphy went bonkers, trying to get at it. While Angus has eaten homecooked before, Murphy has never had food like this before. I had to let it cool before serving, but Murphy was totally psyched. He followed me all around like a starving hound!

As I tried to get Murphy's opinion on homecookin', he just ignored me.....entirely! Perhaps Angus would have a few words to say regarding this meal?

Hmmm.....both boys were eating with gusto! And, after finishing their own food, they traded places just to make sure their "udderbrudder" had cleaned his bowl clean! Angus was kind of disappointed to see that Murphy's bowl looked cleaner than usual after eating.

I am so glad the boys are both illiterate....I would hate for them to read the bottom of this bowl. They have never been called "d*gs" before.....they think they are "little boys"!

And, for the photo du jour, I had to giggle and laugh over this. When I was in my knitting mode a few years ago after we first got Angus, I decided to use my skill to make Angus a nice little Aran sweater. I had no pattern and not much of an idea how to fashion a sweater for a Scottie. So, I made it up as I went. Well, the little Aran sweater never really looked that great on Angus. It just looked "wrong".

This morning, Michelle brought the little Aran sweater down and put it on Murphy......

What a Pretty Crescent Moon

When I took the boys out for their final evening "constitution" tonight, I was in awe of the wonderful celestial display. How beautiful all the stars...shining in all their glory. And the crescent moon is so pretty! So, I did something I could not do with my Olympus camera!

Yes, there is the moon shining through tree branches!

It was a relatively quiet day here in the Bristolwood. I did what seemed like tons of laundry today and cooked and cleaned. It was nice to not feel totally wiped out early in the day. And, I even cooked steaks out on the grill tonight!

This afternoon, I got a piece of very good news....Carly's husband, Jeff got the job in Buffalo! I am so happy for them, as he will be doing much better at this job than he did in his previous job! The only "downside" to the good news is that I suppose Carly and Jeff and the kids will be moving in the not-too-distant future. It isn't that far away, but I will miss doing things together. I am just so pleased that Jeff was able to find himself a good job!

I have been following the stories about the "tainted" pet foods. It was announced today that the cause was rat poison in the components the company bought from China. This is so awful, and in reading an article that was sent to one of my Scottie lists, the damage to pets might be long term for some of those not yet showing symptoms. It would have been so much more "palatable" to learn that the food was ruined because of bacteria. This new information just makes me question the wisdom of importing food stuff from abroad.....

Addendum to Feeling Good!

How could I have possibly forgotten about the little "glitch" last night?

Mark and Ben and I arrived at Wegman's a few minutes before Carly. We looked around at all the food (and they certainly have a wide variety) and decided the subs looked good. When Carly arrived, Ben went off into the store to pick up a bag of potato chips to go along with the sub.

Carly works at another Wegman's as an overnight baker, so I asked her if she wanted to check out the bakery while we kept an eye out for Ben. Well, along the way, *something* felt like it landed in the back of my throat. It was one of those "featherduster-tickling" feelings. I suddenly (after being totally cough-free ALL day) broke out into a coughing rampage. You know the kind...where it feels as though you are gagging and choking all at once?

As I stood gasping for air, Carly asked if I was all right to which I responded, NO! I suddenly remembered that I had placed a can of Pepsi into my purse.....As I grabbed the can, I could "hear" the strains of the theme to the old Popeye cartoons when Popeye grabbed for his spinach can and poured it down his throat! (WHY do such GOOFY things happen when you feel like you are about to breathe your very last breath???)

I downed a small amount of the carbonated delight and let it "sit" in the back of my throat. It helped until I tried to say "it helped" and I began choking and gagging once again! By this time, tears (certainly NOT of JOY!) were streaming from my right eye and I felt so ridiculous. I downed a larger swig and this time, it did the trick. I walked around, not speaking, tears streaming from my right eye, feeling like such a basket case. Fortunately the only people nearby were Carly and Mark. If anyone else came near, I merely turned my back and walked away.

I guess each day as we count our blessings, we need to thank God that we do not choke on a regular basis!!! Perhaps even better, we must thank Him that we ARE fearfully and wonderfully made!

Oh, It Feels SO Good!

Yes, I am finally cough and cold FREE! Told you I wanted to be there by Thursday!

And, life is good! I am so happy that the Buffalo Sabres won last night! We were unable to watch the game...something seemed to be "hosed up" with our RoadRunner, but everything is working now. In fact, I was unable to get online last night as well.

Yesterday, I got up, feeling so much better than I have in quite a long time. I was able to stay "on my feet" the entire day without wandering off to lie down for awhile! What a huge thing that is!

Last night was Michelle's Bible study night, and Mark and Ben went along with me. We met Carly at Wegman's. We bought a couple of subs and a bag of chips and were able to just sit and chat for a long time. That was so refreshing.

Carly's husband, Jeff, lost his job due to downsizing of a very small company...this happened right at the same time that he was suffering from a terrible case of bronchitis-on-the-verge-of-pneumonia! Carly has been anxious over this, as you can imagine. He was offered a job in Amherst, just north of Buffalo, and Carly is more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She would love to have him take the job, as one of her heart's desires would be to move to Buffalo. She loves it there.

Last night as I plopped onto the bed to call it a night, the wind was blowing so hard! The trees were swaying and the temperature was almost 40! What a change! This morning, when I got up with the boys, the winds were still blowing (QUITE briskly) and the lid of the hot tub was lying on the back deck. No one was inside the tub, so it looks like those winds blew the cover off! This has happened before, but at least it wasn't sub-freezing temps this time! The water had gone from 102 degrees to 98, so apparently, the lid hadn't been off for too long!

As I walked the boys, I could actually hear birds singing in the midst of the wind blowing. What a cheerful sound that is! I could hear two phoebes off in the distance.....one would call out, then another would answer from another area. And, as I listened, my memory went back to so many years ago when Michelle was just a baby......I remember one day Mark and I walked out on the front porch on a spring day. Mark suddenly stopped and listened...."Listen, the birds are calling out to Michelle. Hear them? Swee-tie, swee-tie!" I will never forget that, as I thought that had to be one of the cutest things I had ever heard. Mark had NO idea *what* a phoebe even was!

Wow, That Was Easy!

Yesterday, I posted that I needed to just get *over* the cold thing. And, I think I HAVE! The coughing actually subsided today to the point that I am rarely coughing at all! I am so happy!

I had to run Michelle to the library this morning to pick up a book for language arts. As we scurried out the door, I thought it wasn't too bad temperature wise. But, it was chilly and windy most of the day, requiring a fire in the stove.

Tomorrow, the weatherman is promising temperatures much higher than today! It is supposed to be in the 40's and perhaps even reaching into the 50's. I am so glad to be feeling better, but I am still kind of weak and lacking energy.

Today, when I was walking between the garage and house, I had to stop for a minute to look! The snow had piled up pretty deep in that last bout we had, but next to the house, it had begun "sagging"... apparently because of the warmth of the house. Look at my brave little tulip plants, peeking out from the snow!

If you are familiar with snow, you can see this is the "crunchy" variety!

After Ben finished his schoolwork this afternoon, he and Murphy settled down to watch a movie. I love this picture! Murphy could care less about what is on TV. Angus, on the other hand, watches intently. He loves seeing shows about animals, and gets very disturbed when watching shows with any form of violence. Murphy is just happy to be near someone he loves!

And, sorry...but I just had to include a picture of my silly cactus. I have finally come to the conclusion that it is....(drumroll.....) actually nothing other than a Holiday Cactus! It's primary goal is to merely celebrate any and all holidays within reason! I wonder if it will bloom for the 4th of July?

Get Over It, Already!

That is how I feel about this hacking, nagging, driving me crazy cough. I suppose I could have gone to the doctor, but I really would rather let nature take its course.

This weekend was totally non-eventful. We worked in the garage a little yesterday, as Mark needed a hand with his workbench.

This morning, I was coughing stuff up and not feeling so wonderful. I had thought I read that the temps were going to be near 40. Guess I must have been hallucinating, but, I have been sick, so that is my excuse, and I am sticking with it!

Even though I felt sorry, errrr.....*sick* this morning, the show must go on, so I somehow managed to pack six orders! I actually dispatched the help of Michelle, who made the workload much lighter. She works well, and rarely says anything. Makes the job seem easy!

The temperature never made it up past 30 outside, much to my dismay. When I did go outside, the winds were whipping about, making it feel terribly chilly.

After our packing, I made my way back up to the bed, where I rested. This coughing is much more miserable than anything, but it really is getting better. As in it is now much "higher" up in my chest instead of from the bottoms of my feet!

Michelle came upstairs shortly before dinner time. She asked me if I had been thinking about dinner. UGH! I have been cooking, sorta, since this thing overcame me. In between, the kids have been making a few things, and Mark has bought out a couple of times. So, I tried not to growl at Michelle, thinking she wanted me to arise and cook. But NO! She used my laptop to find a recipe for Ziti and she made it, along with brussel sprouts. And, it was DELICIOUS! Hurrah for Michelle!

One of my cyberfriends is concerned about the death of her Scottie a couple of weeks ago. He had been eating canned Nutro food, one of the tainted foods from the Menu Foods Income Fund,
and now, she and her husband are feeling as though they poisoned their little boy...My heart goes out to this couple, as they have been nothing but loving and caring pet owners. This is such a sad situation....one of the suspected "culprits" in the mess is a new source of wheat gluten for the company. The shame of it all is that dogs cannot even process gluten.

In looking through the whole mess with canned foods and kibble, it makes me rethink making my own food for the boys. I did "cook" for Angus previously, and although any food could be contaminated at any time, I felt good giving him food that I knew exactly what the ingredients were. It really isn't that hard making food for pets. I have a friend in Canada who cooks for her three Scotties and has for quite some time. She said there are cookbooks for dogs.....guess I need to grab out the list.

I hope I am not hallucinating once again, but I am sure I heard the weatherman say it is going to be 60 degrees on Thursday. I am going to try to be OVER this thing by Thursday. I so want to breathe in fresh air without choking!

Snow and Disappointment

How disappointed the kids were that they couldn't go to Splash Lagoon last night, as they had been anticipating this outing since last November. We heard on the radio that the outing was being postponed because of the threat of a winter storm. Since folks would be traveling from all over New York and Pennsylvania, safety was more important than anything. We received a call later in the day to verify that the event was truly postponed.

In all honesty, I was relieved, as I now am in the final stages of this cold....coughing and causing my head to throb with each outbreak! For the past three mornings, the first thing I did upon getting out of bed was go to the medicine chest to get some ibuprophen. What a terrible way to arise!

The weatherman predicted a winter storm, and as of about 3 o'clock yesterday, we were wondering if the storm would take a turn and go elsewhere. Well, shortly thereafter, it began snowing and it never stopped! The snow was very dry and pellet-like. By this morning, when the boys and I went outside, the snow was up over their shoulders. Angus "hopped" through the snow, blazing a path for Murphy and me to follow.

It was just so gray and dismal outside the entire day. It is hard to imagine all of this snow after enjoying balmy temperatures in the 60's just days ago. But, that is weather for you!!!

As the gloomy day unfolded, Mark and Michelle were cozy inside the garage! That third bay on the right goes all the way to the back of the garage, then turns to the left, forming a huge "L" shape. The back of the garage houses a year's supply of firewood for both the house, and garage.

The remaining part of the garage is the "old" part that Mark built about 11 years ago. Last March, Michelle and I worked for three days, insulating the downstairs of this part. This now houses Mark's emerging woodshop.

Mark had taken apart an old workbench he slapped together years ago. He and Ben then remilled the old boards on the planer, causing them to look just like new! He then redesigned the workbench so it will be comfortable working at it seated. In the middle of building the bench, he needed to build the base for his bandsaw. And, we had to disassemble the bandsaw and carry it down, piece by piece! (it has some very heavy cast iron parts!)

Mark was getting ready to assemble his "new" workbench when I suggested he poly it. He hadn't really planned to do this, so he thought about it, and agreed it would preserve it and help keep it nicer. So, this morning, Michelle and I lifted the bottom onto sawhorses and she and Mark spent the better part of the day sanding and poly-ing the bench.

Mark was very surprised to learn that I had kept the fire burning through the night in the garage! When he came out this morning, it was a toasty 55 degrees! After stoking the stove a bit, it was as warm as the house! He and Michelle worked in total comfort.

After seeing just how nice the new workbench looks in its poly coat, Mark told me he is going to place it in the living room as a piece of furniture!

This little Jotul stove first served in the house for a few years. It really didn't keep the house toasty warm, so when we bought a larger model, this little guy went out to the garage! It does a terrific job of keeping the temps warm inside when winds howl and snow blows outside!

All in all, it was a rather non-momentous day. Mark and Ben ran to Circut City after finishing up in the garage. Michelle and I remained home, and I had corned beef and cabbage awaiting when the guys returned.

Much snow moving was done today, and after this, I think I wouldn't mind if it doesn't snow any more this year. Even though our "winter" seemed short, there was a lot of shoveling and moving snow about. I think perhaps it is time now for some warmer weather!

Happy St Patty's...Just a Wee Bit Early

Every now and then, I like to take a trip down memory lane and look at pictures. I had to giggle over last year's St Patty's pictures. Here is Angus wishing you a Happy St. Patty's Day....I am not sure exactly what Angus had in mind, but he sure looks funny! Murphy made ***sure*** he and Angus would never have to wear those ridiculous hats EVER again...I think he demolished the very last one just a month or two ago. I am not even sure where he found them!

Tomorrow morning, I will start preparing the corned beef for the traditional corned beef and cabbage. Mark had never even heard of it before, and now he looks forward to it every year. So, whether you choose to celebrate St. Patty's any way you see fit (green bagels, green beer, corned beef and cabbage) or not, here's to the Irish!

And yes, I do indeed have a wee bit o' the Irish in me. My maternal great grandmother happened to be Irish! She was a wee little woman whom I remember precious little about. She passed away when I was only 11.

For those experiencing the wild winter storm on the east coast, please stay safe and warm!

Shadows....

As I was feeling sick the past few days ago, one of the most comforting things was lying on my bed, or in it. I have a set of flannel sheets that are so snug and cozy and they were also a great comfort as I rested.

Some of the time when I wasn't feeling really weak or tired, I would lie on my back with the laptop propped up on my knees. I had to make sure there were no blankets underneath, or the poor laptop would have overheated! When I used the laptop, I couldn't stand having the lights on in the room, so I used a small nightlight in an outlet to my right side.

The above shadow appeared on my ceiling from the nightlight. It is my silly St. Patrick's Day cactus, er...Christmas cactus that keeps on blooming. (is that where the expression "bloomin' idiot" comes from?) Anyway, this is just kind of a silly entry that shows my shadow on the ceiling that just made me feel like all was right in the Bristolwood during my beleaguered stay in bed!

Snow, Snow Go Away?

Well, most of it has in about a period of three days!

After struggling today to get my last entry uploaded, I went outside and was amazed at how much the terrain has changed since yesterday! Almost all of the snow was gone this morning!

Here are two pictures of the woods in front of the house.

The camper is free of snow on its roof, and there is little left near it, either!

The only snow that remains near the house is from shoveling, or where Mark piled it pretty high with the plow on the ATV.

I just happened to show this little guy's eye and nose peeking out through the snow yesterday. I was simply ecstatic to see his whole being this morning. And, look at the daffodils coming up right behind him! I think some of my tulips are also coming up in this little garden on the side of the house.

And....these are the daffodils I showed in my last entry. They were peeking up through the snow. In looking at them, I think they actually grew about an inch since yesterday! And, near them are my Columbines, shooting out new leaves of green!

Michelle had to be at the Bible study at about 4 this afternoon. She was rehearsing with the worship group. So...I had a lot of time to spend just hanging out. So, I went to Aldi...then wandered over to WalMart, then, lastly went to Wegman's where I had some Chinese for dinner. Since Wegman's has WIFI, I took my laptop along. The only problem was that shortly after booting the computer up, I got the "change to electric power" message. I was bummed, so I asked an employee if they had electic available.....but, of COURSE! They are Wegman's, after all!

So, I ordered a Chai Latte and sat and relaxed with my laptop for some time. I then shopped for a while before picking Michelle up.

On our way home, we came down the route that goes through the valley. At one point, we saw flashing yellow lights along the sides of the road....then encountered a sign that said "Road Flooded Ahead". The water wasn't real deep, but you could see it moving swiftly across the road. Michelle was a tad nervous, but I knew it was going to be fine. We were both very happy to just get home!

Tonight's forecast is for rain changing to snow with 1-3" by morning. As much as I love the winter, I think we have seen enough for now! We were also advised we have a "winter storm" that will pass through Friday night. As I looked ahead at the forecast, we are supposed to be back into the 40's next week. Ah, the wonderful weather coaster!

It is all OK....after all, spring is in the air!

Turning the Corner, continued...

Last night was a little sad here, as the Buffalo Sabres lost their FOURTH game in a row. The blow was softened just a bit by the fact that it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who beat them. I used to be a big fan of the Penguins in the late 80's and early 90's, during the time when Mario Lemieux played. He was such a fantastic player, with finesse, and great skill. So, it was quite cool that before the game last night, Mario announced that the city of Pittsburgh has now signed and sealed a contract that will keep the Pens in Pittsburgh with a new stadium for the next 30 years! Hurrah Mario, who worked hard to get this to happen!!!

Carly called me on Monday, asking if I might be interested in going with her to the vet on Tuesday. Well, on Monday, I was feeling less than stellar, so it looked unlikely...Yesterday, when I was feeling pretty chipper, I called and told her I would meet her and Jeff at the vets'.

Carly said that Joe had been licking a certain spot on his rear left leg. He had licked it to the point that it was going to become raw, so she wanted the vet to see him. And, my, oh my, was little Joe a wonderful patient!

Joe immediately stole the heart of the girl behind the desk.

Upon entering the exam room, little Joe sniffed his way around the room.....

Then he patiently sat atop (the REALLY nice) Corian table, awaiting the vet.

As the vet explained that she suspected Joe had licked himself into a skin infection, he listened with great interest! The vet decided that they would have a tech shave the area and then clean it. Carly would have to clean the area each day, and also give Joe an antibiotic. Carly, Jeff, and I sat in the exam room as the vet walked Joe down to another location for his treatment. He came back a short time later, still quite chipper in spite of the fact that the shaven area revealed bright red skin that was inflamed. Thankfully, Joe's skin is as black as his hair, so it really doesn't look too bad.

And, what was Joe's repayment for being such a GOOD boy?

Yes, he must now wear an Elizabethan collar until the wound is thoroughly healed. Poor little Joe! I sure hope he got some cookies when he got back home! His patience really impressed me.

After the vet, I went right home, feeling a little tired.

Everyone was enjoying the warm weather here. Even the Scotties were outside for a while! Ben was having some silly fun sliding around on the snow in the front yard!

He was having a good time, until suddenly, he slid a bit too far, landing right in our little (albeit *turbulent* right now because of massive snow melting!) stream! ALthough the quality of this picture is lacking a bit, you can see Ben's reaction to the....well..........*COLD* water!

Needless to say, he pulled himself outta there....fast!

I even made it out to the garage (first time in a few days) to see the new base Mark made for his bandsaw. I remember when Mark came up with the idea a couple of weeks ago, but now the base is completed. It is really cool, because it has a mobile base so it can move all around.

The little garden toad that we inherited from my father-in-law was beginning to poke his head through the snow in the side yard! He sits in front of the daffodils that I posted the picture of when the weather was soooo frigidly COLD!

And, speaking of daffodils, I looked down from the porch and spotted these in the melting snow!

I snapped this picture as I walked across the front porch. It was so hard for us to go back into the house. It was just one of those days that you want to go on and on and on....

As the sun headed over the mountains to the west, our only regret was that the day was over....

I went upstairs to lie down on the bed for a little while and when I turned to look out the window, I *had* to grab the camera once again. This was so spectacular.....

Red sky at night, sailor's delight....

Turning the Corner!

Hallelujah!

Last night, I went to bed feeling horrible. I was thinking I had a fever, but wasn't real sure. I was sure that I felt like I was on fire! I watched a couple of episodes of House Hunters on HGTV, then went into the bathroom before going to bed. My face was totally bright RED! I thought, ah, just go to bed! So, I did.

This morning, when I awakened, I thought that I was feeling a bit better....I went out and soaked in the hot tub, thinking all the while that I surely would not want that and ice on the roof to come down on top of me! So, I crawled out of the tub and grabbed a hose. I sprayed the snow and a lot of it came down or melted. Then, the gutters were a mess. So, I grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and cleaned them out as far as I could.

After that, Mark and the kids were saying they were hungry...and, wouldn't a sandwich like McDonald's' steak ,egg, and cheese bagel be good? So, I grabbed some ribeye steaks I bought the other day (sliced very thin) and grilled them outside. Then, I cut and buttered the bagels and grilled them on my cast iron skillet. I made some scrambled egg to go on each bagel, added a slice of cheese, then topped it with the ribeye. Mark likes his sandwich just like that, but for the kids, I mix mayo and dijon mustard and spread a little on their bagels. The sandwiches were a great hit! AND, I even (still) had enough energy to wash the dishes when everyone was done.

Then, I packed an order for the business. I am still a little bit tired, but it feels so good to feel better!

Sometimes Life is Unfair....

Like today when it is 44 glorious degrees outside, and I am here lying on my bed, head feeling so stuffed!!! When I breathe through my nose, it squawks like a "bad reed" on a clarinet. And, when I breathe through my mouth, I get this little noise that sounds like "effervescence", IE, little "bubbling" noises in the back of my throat. In other words, I feel terrible and somewhat sorry for myself!

Mark is a good husband who has taken great compassion on me. He asked me if there is anything he can do for me, and I told him, YES, there is! In a little while he will drive 16 miles to pick up some Wendy's chili, and then stop by Tim Horton's to grab me a bagel. They sound so good to me.....homemade chili would really be terrific, but that would be pressing the envelope!

My little Murphy has been my constant companion through this misery. He keeps close tabs on me and following me whenever I tread out of the bedroom!

Since I am feeling dreadful and have not too many good things to say, I shall end now, and I pray you and yours will be spared from this! I hate being sick!

Under the Weather....

I spent most of today just feeling miserable. Yesterday, I spent the day lying on the bed and this morning when I got up, I was so sore! I had a pain in my hip that made it hard to walk. After wondering how to alleviate the pain, I decided to hit the hot tub. That did the trick! As soon as I got out, I was totally pain-free and felt fine (well, my hip, at least) the rest of the day. Now, if that tub could just get rid of this cold!

I don't remember having a cold like this before. I was fine until yesterday, and now, I am coughing up crud. Usually, it takes days to get to this point....

Well, since I am miserable, I guess I shouldn't post anything, but I had a rather funny thing happen a short time ago....

I was lying on the bed with the door closed. The sun was setting, and it was beginning to get dark outside. Suddenly, I heard a little scratching noise at the door. Then, it was followed by a funny little cry. I got up and opened the door, and Murphy scurried into the room!

I took this picture of Muphy earlier in the day. I suppose I shouldn't even show it, as the carpet is a mess...just don't have the energy to vacuum at this point in time. Anyway, this picture so exemplifies Murphy.....Here I am...and, what can I do for you?

Sprigtime Harbingers....

Yesterday, the kids had to go to the dentist for cleanings. Afterwards, we decided to stop by Sam's to pick up a few groceries. As I walked into the store, something caught my eye!! Yes, they had a huge cart, filled with beautiful flowers! I bought the bi-color begonias for the porch.


And, for my mother-in-law, I picked up this really pretty Gerbera Daisy.

My mother-in-law absolutely loves these daisies. Mark asked me what the ocassion was for buying the daisy...I told him that I thought about his mom when I saw them! So, I bought one. They had yellow, pink, and orange. I thought the orange was rather unusual and stunning. Each plant is in a plastic pot placed inside a little metal pot. I am pretty sure she will like this orange one. Both the begonia and daisy are HUGE! I considered myself lucky on these finds!

It is kind of funny how when we are confined in a room, we suddenly notice things that we don't usually see...such was the case of my "psycho Christmas Cactus". Yes, it did bloom at Christmas, and I have NO idea WHY it is blooming yet again! I think it has MORE blossoms on it now than it did at Christmas. Silly plant! Oh, and as if that isn't bizarre enough, there is another small Christmas Cactus next to that one that is ALSO producing buds....

Well, we never considered ourselves *normal* here....Yesterday, as Michelle and I were waiting in the truck for Mark and Ben, Michelle told me to "look" at Angus.....

Please Don't Throw Tomatoes!

Yes, I know I have had my camera for a few days, and SHOULD have taken a gadzillion pictures, but....I have been so busy, and now I am not feeling so great. Ben had this "cold" thing, and now I am coughing from time to time, so I am not sure if I picked it up or not, but it is no fun coughing!!!

I decided that the easiest pictures to take would be outside, but that would be too easy, right? I do like this one of the little stream out front. It (finally!) found its way out from the snow shroud that covered it these past few bone-chilling weeks!

I decided to set the boys on the table to *try* to get some photos. HA! Angus works well with me and is so good at posing. Murphy, on the other hand, HATES being dressed and doesn't want to do as told! So, I had to be content to photograph each one separately.

I must say that Angus, for one reason or another, refused to look directly into the camera...he looked to one side, then the other. I "think" it was because Murphy was watching. I honestly think Angus doesn't want Murphy to know that he is a good boy!

This photo should be entitled, A Look Behind the Scenes!

My Angus is such a beautiful little fellow!

And, before I upload Murphy pictures, I need to tell you just a little about him. Angus is my "the glass is half-empty" fellow, but Murphy? Well, he could care less HOW much is in the glass, cause he is just HAPPY! Murphy is the little fellow that gets so excited as he plays, that every now and then he bangs into a wall! (who put that wall there, anyway?) Murphy is unlike a "typical" Scottie, in that when called, he bounces up to you, as though saying, "here I am! Here I am!!!"

So......

I did manage to get this one picture of Murphy sitting upright. Can you see the look of dismay on his cute little Scottie-dog face?

Although I didn't catch it, Murphy used that short little front paw of his to remove the silly little St Patty's Day bopper! Enough of THAT! Well, since I *am* the Alpha-dog, I replaced the bopper and poor little Murphy put on his "poor, poor pitiful me" look......

So, these pictures were all taken with the new Nikon camera, and I was pretty pleased with them. I became acutely aware that using a new camera takes some major getting accustomed to it. Every camera is so different, and although I was able to snap a good picture with one hand on the Olympus, this Nikon is much heavier, and one really must steady the camera for a good shot. I also don't have the diaptor adjustment set correctly, so I need to use my glasses, or the pictures are blurry.

So, at least this is a beginnng, eh?

The Music Is Returning!

This morning, I was so happy to see blue skies! After taking the boys out, I grabbed my swimsuit and plopped myself down in the hot tub.

I love sitting in the tub, as it is so soothing. But many times, I go out while it is still dark, because it is fun to turn on the lights in it. This morning, the sky was already blue at 6:30 and I drank in its beauty as I soaked. There were some clouds high in the sky, and it was obvious that the southerly winds that will warm up this day had not yet begun! There was a definite northwesterly flow.

As I sat, I suddenly realized that I was hearing something *different*! Yes, the birds were singing! One of my friends in the Syracuse area said she has been hearing birds for some time now, and I was getting green with jealousy! As I listened, I heard chickadees. I turned to see two pairs, flitting about in the treetops, looking as though they might be courting...I saw nuthatches running up and down the trees, and heard a phoebe, then another answered from afar! A little junco sat on the bank behind the garage.

Today, we are supposed to warm up to freezing or above! Hurrah! Even though I do love the winter and the cold doesn't bother me as much as some others, it sure is nice to see some bright blue skies and sunshine! The stove can breathe a little sigh of relief as well. And, who knows? I might even clean the chimney!

Uncle...Already!

This morning, I awakened about 5:45 to a beautiful morning. I was so psyched! Perhaps I would finally get to the basics and do a little picture-taking with the new camera. NOT!

I got online to download email. One little, two little, three little orders, four little, five little, six big orders....As I looked at all the orders, it became obvious that I was going to be spending a great deal of time working on them. That was no big problem, but in the midst of packing orders, I nearly stumbled and fell on a goofy little piece from Ben's Brio train set! I got so frustrated, I spent about an hour and a half trying to pick things up and straighten them out in my non-work area of the basement.

I worked like a crazy woman (so what is new? hehehe) getting things in order and Michelle got a call from one of the ladies who oversees the Bible study she attends. Michelle has been helping with the worship before the study, and the woman wanted to know if Michelle could come a little early. She asked, and I told her yes.

Yikes! Mark and Michelle went out to the garage to put the little Jotul stove out there back together again. Michelle came into the house and asked if I was ready to take her.....if only I would have had my camera in hand then. She had leaned against the chimney pipe while helping Mark, and she had a big smudge of black around her eye....it was the epitome of the expression, "black eye"! I told her she might consider washing her face before leaving. She traipsed off to the bathroom where hysterical laughter soon followed!

I had just completed packing when she came in, so I was off again, racing about in fast forward! As I sat in the car, I was almost fearful I was going to fall asleep! I didn't, however, and I safely dropped Michelle off.

I then decided if I didn't take a break, I WOULD break! So, I dropped into Wegman's and grabbed some Chinese and a Pepsi. I ate a very leasurely dinner all alone at my little table, and it was heavenly! Even in the midst of lots of noise and chaos, I was able to take refuge and just enjoy....I spent about an hour perched at one of those bistro tables and I was just so happy to relax that I nearly forgot to think about what I needed at the store!

After my terrific meal, I shopped a bit, picking up the oh-so-important corned beef round! And cabbage. Heaven forbid I should forget the cabbage!

Upon completing my Wegman's excursion, I meandered my way to TJ Maxx. I found some cool things there....I always do! Then, I hopped over to WalMart to pick up a few more things. While there, I chatted with Carly on my cell for awhile. I dawdled about the store, trying to kill some more time....finally it was time to check out and pick up Michelle and head home.

We got home shortly after 9, then there were groceries to put away, dishes to wash, and I needed to get the fire going again in the stove. I went upstairs at about 10:15, and I am exhausted! My legs hurt from standing so much today! I have no idea what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, but I am hoping that I will finally get some pictures to post!

Tonight's orders...get some sleep!

Bug-Eyed and Headachey!

Is that a word? "headachey"? No, I am not getting the flu, I am overwhelmed by the new camera manual. Yikes! So many new "bells and whistles". And, I never heard of formatting a card before using it in the camera before! And, WHY can I not turn that itty bitty little dioptor adjustment? Ugh....

Yeah, I know, want a little cheese with that *whine*?

As my head began to spin and feel like it was going into overload, I decided to read a little email. As I was reading on one of my Scottie lists, I came across this story about an outstanding dog named Faith and her people. I am always in awe of people who find a mission in life that others would deem foolish and foolhearty.

We spent today running around a little. Mark needed to pick up a new pair of forearm crutches that he ordered from a medical supply business. The pair that he has been using appears to have broken inside one of the shafts. When we think about what could happen if the piece actually broke off, we shudder....Mark uses those crutches, heavily depending on them to help him balance!

Polar Bears *Might* Like This Weather!

When I woke up to the above..........This was the first thing I thought about!

I had to literally pry the lid off, as it was rather frozen on! Our hot tub is a very basic model. It is a Nordic Hot Tub. When we were looking in the autumn of 2002, it was a choice of our tub and a Softub. We decided on the Nordic, as it just seemed more durable. After 4 1/2 years of living with it, I would say we made a good decision. I have never had any problem with chemistry until the fill before this one. For some reason, things got a little goofed up, but water is one of those forgiving substances! You just take in a water sample to any pool and spa sales and they can computer diagnose any imbalances and set you on the correct path. Of course, they sometimes will try to sell other things too, but one learns early on to take a tough stance!

One of the things that really sold Mark on this particular tub was that it didn't have the gel gloss finish that other manufacturers use. It is made from recycled plastics and I wasn't sure what to think about it! However, when tons of ice and snow avalanched down our 12 pitch roof onto the lid of this tub, it left a few scratches in the surface. It we had the high gloss tub, it would have needed to be repaired. Our Nordic tub looks just fine.

Yesterday, the weather was terrible here, with periods of snow falling quite heavily, and the wind blowing wildly. The snowplow would go up the hill, and within an hour, there was no way one could tell they had ever been by. Our road is very steep and can be treacherous if one doesn't know the road well. (there are deep gutters along the road that could "eat" a car!) I had packed two orders to go out for my business, and as the time came for Bob, our UPS man to come, it was looking rather bleak. I carried the telephone upstairs with me as I was sure Bob would call from another business located down the hill....at which point, I would load the boxes into the Explorer and deliver them down there.

Shortly before 5, I heard a knock at the door, and was shocked to see Bob standing there with a big box in hand! I told Bob to come on inside...I think he was happy to get warmed up by the Jotul! Bob had to hike up our driveway as the truck was at the bottom. Our driveway is about 125' long, and although it doesn't appear steep, it is definitely an incline. Bob was off work most of February, as he had an emergency appendectomy. One of our boxes was 51 pounds, so I told Ben to grab his sled! Bob and I followed as Ben went down the driveway, box in front of him!

Now, about that box that Bob delivered.....can you guess what was in it?

Before you jump to the conclusion that I am a spoiled rotten person, let me tell you that photography has been a passion of mine for many years. I especially love the "freedom" to play with the manual settings on an SLR camera.

Am I a little excited? You BETCHA!