Tip of the Iceberg

I Can Relate

2009-09-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

Somebody else posted this, but I could relate to almost all of these...thought you all might get a kick out of it too, enjoy!

1. More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3.I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

4. Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

5. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

6. The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.

7. Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

8. There is a great need for sarcasm font.

9. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f*** was going on when I first saw it.

10. I think everyone has a movie that they love so much; it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

11. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

12. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

13. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

14. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.

15. A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

16. Was learning cursive really necessary?

17. Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

20. My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.

21. Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

22. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

23. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

24. While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

25. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

26. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

27. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

28. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

29. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

30. Bad decisions make good stories

31. Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

32. Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

33. If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

34. Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from; this shouldn't be a problem....

35. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

36. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

37. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

38. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

39. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

40. I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

41. While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don't win, they are executed.

42. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

43. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

44. I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

45. Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

46. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

47. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

48. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

49. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

50. I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.

51. Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

52. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my a$$ everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

53. It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

54. I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

55. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay

40th Class Reunion

2009-09-01T08:31:00.002-05:00

Last month I returned to Onawa for my 40th high school class reunion. It's almost unbelievable that it's been 40 years since I went through the hell known as "high school". Strangely, it was soothing to be able to visit with people I hadn't spoken to, or even thought about, since 1969. It was good to see that the years hadn't really changed them all that much. Through all the love and hate; births and deaths; the achievements and set-backs; the sorrow and joy of living for 50 some-odd years, they were still the kids I knew way back when. There were the nerds, the partiers, the goofballs and the watchers all laughing and crying and talking at once. It was almost too much to take in.

My class was defined by the war in Viet Nam, hippies, sex, drugs and rock and roll. We questioned everything - and every one. Especially authority. We were wild and wildly inspired. We partied hard and studied harder. We were driven to greatness by our need to change the world. And we succeeded. Boy! Did we succeed.

Our class produced engineers, artists, entrepreneurs, nurses, college professors, teachers (ho-boy, were there teachers!), business owners and even an admiral (ret.) in the navy. We've traveled the world and now we're home again. Mostly retired, but still active in the every day business of making this world a better place.

I had an epiphany during this weekend. These people were my friends - had always been my friends. They'd been there for me, even through all the angst of teenage yearnings and fears. They knew me and accepted me for what I was and what I've become. That's one of the good things about attending a small school. You literally know everyone in your class - there is no hiding in a sea of nameless faces, known only to your clique. All your classmates know your good points, and your bad. But it's nice to know that they still liked me even then.

Here's some of the pictures taken during that weekend. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

New Raised Flower Bed

2009-07-10T06:43:00.004-05:00

I've hated the spot on the north side of the garage for years. It's been nothing but a weed patch. So this year I decided to put a raised bed in there where I could have a pretty flower garden. (And, yes, I know I need to paint my garage again. Maybe next year...)

All things considered, I think it turned out pretty well. Of course, I had some help (thanks again Della and Don!). I did unload 136 landscape blocks from the back of the pickup by myself though. Gary and Bettina stopped by to see our progress as well. I won't post the picture of Bettina flipping me the bird - lol.

So, if you've been wondering just what the heck I've been up to - here are the pictures.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa (live, HQ)

2009-06-22T05:18:00.002-05:00

This amazing a capella choir uses their hands to simulate an African rain storm.

Celtic Bagpipes

2009-06-03T06:55:00.001-05:00

For those of you who like a little more "traditional" celtic pipe music, this guy is pretty darned good.

Red Hot Chili Pipers

2009-06-03T06:51:00.002-05:00

I saw these guys over at Sawdust and Cowpies. Man - those Scots really know how to kick up their...um, heels. LOL!

Sheep Art

2009-05-24T06:28:00.002-05:00

For those few people who aren't following LOTD, here is a cool video Cary featured the other day. Amazing what some talented people can do with money and time.

Baltimore Oriole

2009-05-17T13:14:00.001-05:00

A Baltimore Oriole! Isn't he beautiful? I think an Orchard Oriole was at my feeder today too. Not as bright as this guy, but very pretty as well. He and the grosbeak were squabbling over who should get to eat first. My neighbor has a "regular" oriole feeder and two days ago I saw two males going at it over feeding rights. That's what prompted me to put out an orange and see if I couldn't entice one over to my yard. And it worked!

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

2009-05-03T14:46:00.001-05:00

Look what came to my feeder today! I've never seen this kind of bird before, but he was easy to identify. His mate was on the feeder earlier (I'm assuming since it was another bird that I've never seen before either), but she couldn't hold a candle to this bright boy!

We Didn't Start The Flame War

2009-04-15T06:13:00.003-05:00

Good stuff from CollegeHumor.com.

Watch We Didnt Start the Flame War and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

Allman Brothers Band

2009-03-09T08:05:00.006-05:00

This is a video shot in 1982 of an outdoor concert - somewhere. Not sure where, but I wish I would have been there. The Allman Brothers are my all-time favorite band, and this song is my favorite song. This isn't as "slick" as the studio version, but I like it more because of that. Dickey could really make that guitar sing! (Be sure and turn off my embedded player over there on the left.) Enjoy -

...and I just found another one. I guess this was in Gainsville, FL. Here they are playing Statesboro Blues -

Ameriquest Commercials

2009-02-18T07:31:00.002-06:00

Ameriquest is the corporation that got into loads of trouble for their subprime mortgages. At least they used some of their money for funny commercials.

George Carlin - Saving The Planet

2009-02-08T04:53:00.000-06:00

God, I miss this guy.

Not Dead - Yet

2009-02-07T07:46:00.007-06:00

Just a quick note. I had my gall bladder taken out on Wednesday and I'm not exactly bouncing right back like I thought I would. Gah! The trouble with getting older is that your body mutinies on you when you need it the most.

I can't sit at the computer for very long and so I haven't been visiting your blogs like normal. But I did want to say a few things:

Cary - Stop making me laugh!! Please!!!

Tanna - I hope you are feeling better. Flu sucks.

Mari - I love the rain too and I'm glad you're finally getting some.

Reenie - She's lucky to have you as a friend. I know how hard this is for you too. My thoughts are with you both.

Tammy - Leave your poor husband alone! LOL

That's it for now. Sorry about that. I love you all and miss reading you. I'll be back soon - I promise!

eTrade Baby Outtakes

2009-01-24T04:19:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite Superbowl commercials last year was the eTrade baby sitting at his computer and talking. Well, he's back again this year with more pearls of trading wisdom. Here is a video of the baby's outtakes - things you won't see during the big game. Heh.

Check it:

40 Inspirational Speeches in Two Minutes

2009-01-23T15:13:00.002-06:00

Damn you Cary. You always find the cool videos first. I don't care because I'm going to post this one too. Thanks kiddo! ;>

I liked the Star Wars one too, but you can check that out yourselves if you like. Enjoy!

Verdi - Traviata

2009-01-19T16:17:00.003-06:00

I just saw this over at Cake Wrecks and thought it was just too cool not to share! Enjoy.

Still Here!

2009-01-19T08:56:00.006-06:00

Tanna recently told me that I've been "pretty quiet" lately. Hmmm...guess I have! There's been various reasons for that. Maybe it's the below zero temperatures with double digit (minus) wind chills for the entire month of January. Or, maybe it's the snow up to my ass.

Bettina snapped this picture of me filling the bird bath the other day. Yep, we have THAT MUCH snow. Oh, and I don't want to forget the layer of ice that's under it making it treacherous to walk or drive. I haven't driven out of town for weeks (I'm a scardie cat driver).

It's cabin fever, folks. The dogs and I are ready for some warm, DRY weather! Shorts, tank tops and flip flops. Uh huh. You know what I'm talking about.

Here - this might help. Go watch Jay and the guys cook chicken and dream about that summer sun.

There now. Isn't that better?

Snow Dogs

2008-12-24T03:34:00.000-06:00

We've had a "bit" of snow here this year. So far we've got well over a foot of snow on the ground. Here are some pictures of the boys playing in the snow. And, yes, it's over Elvis' head! It looks like he was using his nose to tunnel.

Cool Videos

2008-12-19T11:06:00.003-06:00

Here's a couple of videos I saw today on Cary's List Of The Day that I just had to share. And, while I'm at it, I'd like to encourage you to subscribe to LOTD. Always entertaining but sometimes not safe for work.

The first video is a tribute to John Williams (Star Wars for those of us who might not be in the know). The actual singers are a group called Moosebutter, but I like what the kid has done with it even if it's just lip synching.

Rush's YYZ

This next clip is obviously from a recital. Where or when, I have no idea. But this chick rawks the electronic organ. The next time your kid complains about taking piano lessons, show them this clip and tell them to quit their whining.

(Don't ask how I managed to do this double video thing because I have NO IDEA! Hey, at least they're working.)

A Gift From Tanna

2008-12-12T13:19:00.001-06:00

Look what came in the mail today. My Play It Forward gift from Tanna at My Kitchen In Half Cups. On the left is a Lemon Tea Cake, center is Mom's Filled Cookies and right is Mandel Bread. I've sampled them all and, boy! are they delicious! Thank you sooooo much Tanna! Happy Holidays to you too!

Cute Animal Christmas Song

2008-12-12T08:53:00.001-06:00

I saw this on Jon's Sawdust and Cowpies site and thought it was too cute not to share. Enjoy!

A Joke

2008-11-10T07:08:00.001-06:00

A man walks into an orthopedist's office, walks up to the reception desk and says, "I think I'm a moth." The receptionist says, "Oh gosh, I don't think we can help you with that here, but there's a psychiatrist's office right down the hall." The fellow says, "Yah, I know... I was on my way down there, but your light was on."

Thanks for the laugh Don!

Answering Machine Etiquette

2008-11-10T06:09:00.001-06:00

HOW TO LEAVE A MESSAGE ON AN ANSWERING MACHINE

I know, it's tough. You dial someone's number expecting that they will answer their phone and you can speak directly to that person. You do it every day. Sometimes twice a day. But every once in a while this new-fangled device called an "Answering Machine" will pick up and you are forced to leave a message and hope for a call back from the human you wish to speak to.

So, for those of you who have never used this machine and who wish to speak to the human that owns said machine, I will list an easy-to-follow, fail-safe method to get that person to call you back.

When you hear the beep (which means you should start speaking) do the following in the order given:

1. State your name fully and clearly - CLEARLY. Do you know how many Joshs, Travis-es, Jackies and Chads we have as clients? You are not our son or daughter so we don't know who you are by the sound of your voice. So, be a gem and give us your FULL NAME.

2. Leave your phone number. I don't care if I've talked to you an hour ago. If I have to go to your file to look up your number, I'm going to call back everyone else BEFORE I call you.

3. Give us your FULL telephone number, beginning with the area code. We deal with two area codes here folks. If we have to guess which one it is then guess what you're not getting. A call back.

4 Speak CLEARLY and slowly and STOP MUMBLING. "Hi, this is Jim mumble at mumble-mumble-8, mumble-7-mumble-mumble-mumble." About that call back? You better try your call again because you've just been deleted because I don't know who the hell you are or what your fricking phone number is.

5. SLOW DOWN. The phone won't self destruct in 10 seconds if you don't end your call by then. These new machines will let you just talk and talk and talk, so take your time - to a point. (See below.)

6. Be BRIEF. We don't need to hear the whole sordid story of why you just "had" to break that no-contact Order. A simple "Don - I'm in the Palo Alto County jail. Call me." will suffice. (Oh, and we know that number. It's on speed dial.)

To recap: we need your FULL NAME, your FULL PHONE NUMBER and a BRIEF MESSAGE. So, SLOW DOWN AND STOP MUMBLING. And sit up straight.

Dani and Kyle's Party

2008-10-30T07:46:00.002-05:00

Remember when these two got married a year ago in September? A hurry-up wedding because they thought Kyle was going to leave for Iraq the next day? They fully intended to re-do their vows this October when Dustin (Dani's brother) got home from Iraq, but becoming parents sort of put those plans on hold.

Even though they couldn't have a "real" wedding with a "real" reception didn't stop them from having a party for family and friends in honor of their wedding, Dustin's return from Iraq and to celebrate the new addition to their family.

Of course, I viewed this as another opportunity to use Smilebox. I'm so predictable.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Dusty & Elvis - Dog Days Smile Box

2008-10-26T17:51:00.002-05:00

I love Smile Box! Here's a cute one with my boys. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The READ GREEN Initiative

2008-10-26T07:24:00.001-05:00

I have learned to NOT subscribe to magazines. It took me many years to learn this valuable lesson. But after finally getting rid of 5 years(!) worth of Martha Stewart Living magazines this summer, I vowed that I was never going to subscribe to another magazine again. I just don't have enough closet shelf space to store them. And why store them to begin with? I never looked at them again so why was I saving them?

Because they were beautiful and informative and inspiring, that's why. Except, like I said, I never looked at them again. That's just me - clinging to an imagined reality that will never be.

Which is why I was totally jazzed when I saw this web site, the READ GREEN Initiative. They offer online versions of lots of magazines that you can either read online (duh) of download to read later. It's the real magazine - only not with paper. It's a "win/win" situation here folks!

Of course, they don't offer Martha Steward Living, but I did subscribe to Saveur. And there are many, many more to choose from. So, head on over and take a look. Save a tree (and your sanity) today!

An Epiphany

2008-10-13T09:30:00.002-05:00

About four weeks ago my BFF Bettina decided to go on a diet. We were sitting in the BBY (Big Back Yard) having a drink and letting the dogs play when we (read:I) started talking about being fat and unhappy about it. We both know that stomach fat can lead to diabetes, stroke and heart disease and that's where we both carry our weight. (I don't think thunder thighs can kill you...can it?)

The very next day as she was fixing my drink she announced that she was on a diet and she wasn't going to drink. For that week, as was our habit, we would meet for an hour and let the dogs play and then meet uptown at 5:00 for cocktail hour. Normally we'd have a drink or two in the BBY and another couple-ten uptown. Now it was water and a diet pop for her. I figured when we got uptown she'd eventually break down and have a drink with me. I knew she was a stubborn German woman, but I didn't think she was that committed.

I should have known better though, because when she decided to stop smoking several years ago she just STOPPED. Period. End of discussion. Man - that woman has willpower!

Because she is my best friend, I didn't want her to suffer alone. So, in the spirit of friendship, I decided to quit drinking as well. To lose weight, you know. And it is working. Very well, in fact. But, you know what else I found out? I FEEL better. I feel better waking up, I have more energy during the day, and I just seem...well...happier.

And I'm also trying to quit smoking with Chantix. Wow. Two addictions at once. How much willpower can a person have I wonder. I have gone from 2+ packs a day to less than one, but I can't seem to get that last little craving out of my system. Yet.

My epiphany? Well, last night as I was watching TV, I suddenly realized that I was silently trying to decide which of my THREE cravings to give in to: 1) have a drink; 2) have a cigarette; or 3) have a cookie. Which one would hurt me the least? I suddenly realized that I had THREE addictions and they are all bitches. (For the record - I had a cigarette.)

I started this whole "no drinking" crap to lose weight. What I'm finding is that one of my addictions (either alcohol or tobacco) is ratcheting up my sweet tooth like mad. Luckily said sweet tooth is a midget compared to carbohydrate tooth, but it can really pitch a fit when told "no".

Will I drink again? Probably...maybe. I miss having a glass of wine with supper or a drink with friends. It's all the drinks that follow that I don't miss. Will I eventually quit smoking? God, I hope so! It's a disgusting, filthy habit that makes no one happy. Least of all me. Can I eventually take off this weight and (more importantly) keep it off? Yes - I think I can. I've never been a heavy woman, just average height and weight. I know that I need to start exercising if I'm going to maintain any weight loss and as soon as I can, I plan on starting a walking program.

Too little too late? Nah. We do what we can, when we can. Who knows how many days, hours or minutes we have left to live. How we live those precious minutes is what is most important. Taking charge of our own lives is the first step. Follow-through is the next. Commitment is the result.

Come On Down!

2008-10-10T07:16:00.001-05:00

Several years ago my step-daughter and her friend made a movie! A real movie. Like the kind you would go to a theater and watch. It's a documentary about contestants on the fan-tabulous Price Is Right TV show and it's a blast to watch. Right now the girls are trying to get it picked up by a distributor so that you can actually GO to a theater and watch it.

I don't really understand the whole process involved with distributing/selling the movie. But I do know that it is going to be shown at the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival on October 18th and 20th. So if you are a fan of the Price Is Right or indie film makers, here's your chance to see Caryn and Jeruschka's film. I wish we were closer so we could attend, but it's not to be.

Here are the details in Caryn's own words:

COME ON DOWN!! THE ROAD TO ‘THE PRICE IS RIGHT’ Premiere screening at the SF Documentary Film Festival Saturday, October 18, 2008 7:15 pm Monday, October 20, 2008, 7:15 pm San Francisco –Come On Down! The Road to ‘The Price Is Right’ will debut in San Francisco on Saturday, October 18th as part of the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival. The world premiere screening will take place on Saturday, October 18th , at 7:15 pm at the Roxie Cinema (3117 16th Street in San Francisco ) and will be followed by a Q & A with the filmmakers. A second screening will take place on Monday, October 20th, at 7:15 pm at the Roxie. Come On Down! The Road to ‘The Price Is Right’ is a film about game show culture, the American dream, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of hearing the words… “Lucky Lucy, come on down!!” The diverse cast of characters includes rock bands, college students, scholars, grandmas, fanatics, and "regular Joe's." The TPIR stories collected offer a hilarious and lighthearted glimpse at a truly unique staple of American popular culture as devotees live their "American dream." As one fan proclaimed, "I compare it to Canterbury Tales…I think it truly is an American pilgrimage." This documentary is a debut feature for filmmakers Caryn Capotosto and Jeruschka White. www.comeondowndocumentary.blogspot.com/ www.myspace.com/comeondowndocumentary Tickets are available online at http://www.sfindie.com/ Press inquiries please contact TPIRdocumentary@aol.com

One More....

2008-10-05T09:26:00.002-05:00

I came across this one and couldn't resist. It is so cute and these guys are so cool. Enjoy!

A Numa Numa Kinda Sunday

2008-10-05T08:45:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I just like to watch Gary Broslma do his numa numa bit. It cheers me up, you know? In case you don't know, Gary was caught on web cam several years ago lip-synching to a pop song from Rumania (I believe). He became famous from that short clip and now has his own web site. Numa numa is all over the web. Just google it and you'll see.

Anyway, I was trolling through YouTube and came across this montage. Funny stuff so I thought I'd share. Gary is the guy in the end. Enjoy!

A Meme

2008-10-01T07:21:00.001-05:00

I like memes. They offer a glimpse into the writer's life. Plus it's a good way to share just a bit about yourself to perfect strangers. Reenie had this one on her blog and I thought I'd play along. Here goes:

1.What time did you get up this morning?
4:00 a.m. What? I get up when I wake up.

2.Diamonds or pearls?
Both.

3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Indiana Jones - what is it? 4? 5? Which ever the last one was. I saw it with Bettina and Q.

4.What is your favorite TV show?
I don't really have a "favorite" - something that I watch all the time. I like "House" and "Law and Order". The channel I watch mostly is Tru TV for all the wacky real life criminals and stuff.

5.What do you usually have for breakfast?
Coffee

6.What is your middle name?
Marie

7.What food do you dislike?
Sushi (I don't really know if I dislike it or not as I've never tasted it. The thought of raw fish just makes me gag.) OK - hominy. Yuck!

8.What is your favorite CD at the moment?
I don't have a favorite. I like various artists (see my Play List) but no whole CD. One of my favorite whole albums is Santana's "Abraxas". Sexy!

9.What kind of car do you drive?
I drive the Ford F-150 and DH drives the Ford 500.

10.Favorite sandwich?
Hmm...toughie. I love well-made reubens. OK - I've got it! McDonald's Big Mac!! My "guilty pleasure" only indulged in once or twice a month.

11.What characteristic do you despise?
Liars - hate people lying to me.

12.Favorite item of clothing?
My jeans.

13.If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
The Caribbean. I joke that the reason DH won't take me on a cruise is because I'd jump ship and never come home once we got there. (I'd be sorely tested not to.)

14.Favorite brand of clothing?
There's brands? OK, I know there is - I just don't have a favorite.

15.Where would you retire to?
The Loess Hills in western Iowa where I grew up.

16.What was your most recent memorable birthday?
My 50th was fun.

17.Favorite sport to watch?
NASCAR

18.Furthest place you are sending this?
The World Wide Web.

19.Person you expect to send it back first?
Don't know.

20.When is your birthday?
November 21st.

21.Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning

22.What is your shoe size?
8 1/2 or 9.

23.Pets?
Elvis and Dusty are our dogs. Goldie and Rosie Barb are the fish.

24.Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
I wish.

25.What did you want to be when you were little?
A cowgirl!

26.How are you today?
Fine, thanks. How are you?

27.What is your favorite candy?
Truthfully - I'm not much of a candy person. Now when we're talking salty - popcorn!

28.What is your favorite flower?
Boy, that's a tough one. I love roses (of course) and day lillies and zinnias ('cause there's just so many!) and peonies and iris and daisy and flowering trees and shrubs and cacti and...well, you get the drift. I wouldn't say that I love "every" flower. Some I can take or leave and some are just fugly. I love the "old" ones. Things that haven't been hybridized until the original is barely distinguishable. Except the hybrid petunias, of course.

29.What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
Today, well, and Oct. 30th cause that's Q's birthday.

30.What is your favorite pastime?
Surfing the internet; playing games on pogo.com.

31.What are you listening to right now?
Don has CNN on right now, but I'm not listening to it. It's just background noise. When I'm alone I don't have TV or radio going. I LOVE the sound of silence.

32.What was the last thing you ate?
A white chocolate-pistachio cookie with my coffee. (I made them this weekend. Yum!)

33.Do you wish on stars?
Always

34.If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Heather

35.How is the weather right now?
41 degrees. It's supposed to get to a whole 61 today! Woo hoo!!

36.The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
No one - yet. And I'm not going into work today, so if I'm lucky I won't talk to anyone on the phone today.

37.Favorite soft drink?
Pepsi

38.Favorite restaurant?
Cancun in Mason City. They have the BEST chile rellanos.

39.Real hair color?
Copper-brown

40.What was your favorite toy as a child?
I had a collection of horse statues, but I never "played" with them. These are what I remember, though. Mostly, living in Turin, Iowa, all play was done outside. Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers - that kind of stuff. So, I guess my favorite "toy" was my imagination!

41.Summer or winter?
Summer

42.Hugs or kisses?
Hugs

43.Chocolate or Vanilla?
Vanilla - no, wait. Chocolate. Or...well...OK - both.

44.Coffee or tea?
Coffee

45.Do you want your friends to email you back?
I always want my friends to email me!

46.When was the last time you cried?
Day before yesterday, when I read about Paul Newman dying. Everything makes me cry - parades, balloons, songs, seeing other people's tears, thinking about my mom. I cry way too easily. It's frustrating. Which makes me cry.

47.What is under your bed?
A storage box containing extra sheets and another containing my collection of placemats. And dust bunnies.

48.What did you do last night?
Watched an episode of "House" then went to bed and read. I'm re-reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" and I love it! I'd forgotten how good it was. I finally went to sleep about midnight.

49.What are you afraid of
Death

50.Salty or sweet?
Salty

51.How many keys on your key ring?
Which key ring? I carry four. The office one has 7, and the car ones have 2 and the fourth one has 1.

52.How many years at your current job?
I work for hubby and have for the past 11-12 yrs.

53.Favorite day of the week?
Wednesdays - that's when the pogo challenges come out. (I am soooo frickin' easy!)

54.How many towns have you lived in?
Eight (I think).

55.Do you make friends easily?
Yes

56.How many people will you send this to?
How many people are in the world? And how many have computers? And how many read me? Let's see.... that will be.... 5! LOL

57.How many will respond?
Don’t know. :)

Project Playlist

2008-09-30T08:19:00.006-05:00

Wooohooooo!! I didn't know you could add music to a blog! I've had this Project Playlist on my MySpace for a while now, and just found out that I could post it to my blog. I've got it on top of my profile info so you can turn it off if you really hate my music. It's on auto-start right now. And, it will interfer with music that plays on my Smilebox slideshows so be sure to stop it before clicking on the "play" button in Smilebox.

Ain't technology grand?

If you want to keep listening and surfing, just click on the Pop Out Player part and it goes onto your task bar. Cool beans! The player here on my site only plays six out of the 70-some songs I have loaded.

And, yes - I know that I have weird taste in music. Some of the songs on the pop-out player might not really be safe for work. I'm just saying.

Enjoy!

Update 10-3-08: Oh, oh, oh!! I just discovered that all my songs are there, you just can't scroll down to them and (apparently) it doesn't play in random order on here either. So, if you want to see the rest, click on the last song and browse until you find something interesting. I REPEAT: some songs are NSW ("Dear Penis" by Rodney Carrington comes to mind).

Ripping Up The Carpet

2008-09-24T15:50:00.007-05:00

All right....it's time I got to this post.

Remember back in April (!!?!!) when I said we were going to rip out the carpet? (BUHAHAHAHAHA... *choke* *sputter*.) Yea, well, we finally got around to doing it in June. It was a nasty, smelly, stinky, yucky job. Luckily we have really, really good friends that were kind enough to (get talked into) help us. We couldn't have done it without Della and Jay and Bettina and Gary. And, of course, since I've discovered SmileBox, I just had to make another slide show. Wanna see? Ok.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I told you it was pretty nasty. Then, of course we had to decide what to put down for flooring. After seeing how horrible the carpet was, I was really really hesitant about laying down more. My heart was set on hard wood, but my pocketbook couldn't stand the pressure. So we compromised and got laminate.

Here's Mark laying our new laminate floor. I like how it is going to just open up both rooms. And here's Dean and a friend installing the quarter-round along the baseboards. Right now. I mean, they're still here.

Pretty cool, huh? Now I just have to touch up the paint and I'll be done. Whew! But, it was worth it. Every minute and every penny. I haven't had to use my rescue inhaler once since we got that carpet out of the house. Don and I just feel better!

And this had been this summer's remodeling project. Thank God it's over!

Sts. Peter & Paul Fall Carnival

2008-09-22T05:25:00.003-05:00

This annual fundraiser used to be held to raise money for the Catholic school. Since the school was closed a few years ago, it's now held for their religious education classes. There's a small carnival for the kids, an auction for the adults, and the real pull - Jay's Chicken!

I got some good photos while the guys were cooking yesterday and I thought you might like to see them. Plus - I learned how to use Smile Box (I think)! So, without further ado, and for your entertainment only, heeeeeere's JAY!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

40 Tips

2008-09-07T10:28:00.001-05:00

A really great list that I got from Reenie. I don't do everything on this list. But I do quite a lot of it. Enjoy!

40 Tips for a Better Life
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Buy a DVR, tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books.
7. Make time to relax every day. That provides us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the negative blues away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. You are too blessed to be stressed!
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them)
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Take time each morning to talk with the Higher Power of your understanding.
39. Remember, the Universe has a Plan for Your Life.
40. Forward this to everyone you care about. I just did by posting it here!

Wal-Mart (Thanks Netta!)

2008-08-24T15:16:00.001-05:00

My good friend Reenie recently posted the below story written by another wonderful woman Annetta Ribken. This story really hit home with me. Netta nailed it with this observation of life.

A Trip to Wal-Mart
By Annetta Ribken
annetta.ribken@gmail.com
Contact at: http://www.wordwebbing.com/

"Turning into the parking lot of Wal-Mart, you cruise for a decent spot. You see a car inching out of a prime space; you sit and wait for the woman behind the wheel to pull out. She is taking her time; your fingers drum on the steering wheel as you fight the urge to lay on the horn. What you don't see is that she's trying to get her three-year old to shut up and stop squirming long enough to look behind her; her husband will kill her if she puts another ding in this car.

She safely pulls out, breathing a sign of relief and ready to smack the three-year-old; you pull smoothly into the space she has vacated. What you don't see is the man in the compact car cussing you out for taking his spot. He's had a bad morning; he overslept and missed church. When his wife got home he had to put up with her sighs, knowing looks, and comments about hellfire waiting for unbelievers. He figured he would make the trip to Wal-Mart to pick up some paint for the outside door; maybe that would shut her up. Now he has to ride around the parking lot one more time to find a spot. Day is shaping up great, he thinks.

Getting out of your car, you look up and see two boys walking by. One of them is laughing and the other is clowning, singing some rap song. You hit the lock button, shut the door and double check it without even thinking, wondering how the one kid keeps his pants up because they're riding so low. What you don't see is these two boys are honor roll students, and one of them will be shot early next month in a drive-by. The other kid will go on to complete high school and go to college. This day he spends with his friend will become one of his most cherished memories.

You walk behind the two boys into Wal-Mart; the lady greeter is there as usual. She smiles and pushes a cart in your direction. You don't notice the shadows beneath her eyes and you don't know that she is worried about her daughter and new grandbaby. The baby, her first grandchild, is still in the neo-natal unit and she knows her daughter is pushing herself too hard. She hates her son-in-law but her daughter loves him, so what can she do? She just wishes he would help more around the house, especially with the baby so sick and his wife spending so much time at the hospital. She's counting the minutes until work is over, so she can go help.

You roll your cart over to the pharmacy to drop off a prescription; the pharmacy assistant is tall and cute and you spend a few minutes chatting with him. He tells you how he's working his way through college and you think he seems like a nice fellow. You don't see the slight tremor of his hands and you don't know he's working his way into a huge addiction to codeine. Every minute of every day is consumed by getting high, the need to get high, or scoring to get high. He's filled with self-loathing and guilt, but that doesn't stop him. He won't stop until he loses his job and his scholarship. He will finally flunk out of college and will spend the rest of his life in atonement for the sins he is about to commit.

You wander into the electronics department, and casually look over the new music. Next to you is a young girl; she's pierced, tattooed, dyed, and made up until she looks like a freak from the circus. You sneak looks out of the corner of your eye at this child, and think, "If my daughter ever came home like this I would kill her." What you don't see is this girl is homeless; she's staying at a shelter because her mother took off for parts unknown, leaving her only daughter to the not-so-tender mercies of a perverted stepfather. Suicide is heavy on her mind right now; you catch her eye and she looks truculent. You smile a little, sensing she may need it. She does, and she takes it, giving a small smile in return. The clouds recede for her just a little; you walk on, not knowing what the little smile you gave just did for this girl.

You move on and stop to look through the magazine rack. A gentleman is there in a fatigue jacket perusing the latest hot rod magazine; he looks totally absorbed. What you don't see is this man has not slept in three nights and is looking for some relief. The nightmares won't let him go and the ebony cloak of depression is hovering, hovering. He has to sleep, but the screams of his men and the sound of the helicopters won't leave him. He's been here at Wal-Mart for six hours, and has almost finished reading every magazine on this rack. The winds of madness are blowing hard and he is holding on for dear life.

Stopping in the automotive department, you pick up some windshield washer fluid and notice a young man doing the same. You smile at him and he smiles back, but looks a little distracted. You have no way of knowing how sick he feels inside, because he's been cheating on his wife for the past six months and doesn't know what to do. He doesn't realize his wife has known for the last four months, and is at this very moment calling a lawyer. He only knows he loves his wife, but the other woman does things with her mouth and tongue his wife won't. The other woman understands him and puts no pressure on him. The other woman is his wife's best friend.

You get to the checkout lane with your purchases, and wait in line while the elderly woman in front of you unloads cat food, sheets, some Tylenol, and an African violet on the conveyor belt. She is humming to herself and looks happy; you smile, not knowing she's thinking of her husband who passed away close to twenty years ago, not knowing she misses him with every breath she takes. She's just marking time until she can join him. She feels lucky she had the time she did with him, but she's angry with God for taking him too soon. The anger is with her always, cheek by jowl with love.

The check out guy is mechanically doing his job; his mind is on the cute girl he met two months ago. She doesn't know (and neither do you) how his insides flutter every time he thinks of her, and now he's determined to get up the guts to ask her out. He daydreams about the sheen of her hair, the curve of her waist, and then stops because to go any further would embarrass him.

Sliding your credit card, punching in the PIN number is automatic with a ritualistic feel. You say thank you to the love struck boy, and head outside. Putting your purchases in the trunk, you get into the car, start it up and pull out. Someone is patiently waiting for your slot; they don't see worry on your face about a small lump that may or may not be there. They don't see your panic at the thought of your son entering the military or the concern about your daughter, who's been spending a lot of time with her friends and not enough at home. They don't see the strains of a marriage on the brink, the stress digging deeper and deeper into the flesh of your face.

You back out of the parking space, and head home. A waiting car pulls smoothly into the vacated spot.
~end~ "

Quotes

2008-08-06T06:05:00.001-05:00

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing--that's why we recommend it daily.”
-Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar (1926- , motivational speaker, author, salesman)

“No change of circumstances can repair a defect of character.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882, American Author)
NOTE: For the next time you start to say, “Well, I’d be happy if only…”

Maybe Reenie's excellent post on The Four Statements has made me reflect on my life. I just thought these quotes were perfect for my life today.

Just When You Thought

2008-08-05T08:12:00.001-05:00

it was safe to go into your kitchen...

You might want to re-think that whole "new, cool counter tops" idea.

Power of the People

2008-07-14T07:42:00.001-05:00

Our little town performed a miracle. I'll let John Carlson from the Des Moines Register tell you our story:

Carlson: Towns show meaning of school spirit

By JOHN CARLSON
jcarlson@dmreg.com

The bank lobby was jammed with farmers, business owners and other West Bend-area residents, all with their pens and checkbooks ready.

Everybody in the West Iowa Bank that afternoon last month already had given cash to the most important cause a community could have. They were ready to do it again.

"We had 20 minutes to go before the bank closed, and we were still $76,000 short," said Dawn Schmidt of West Bend, an organizer of what might be the largest, fastest money-raising effort rural Iowa has ever seen.

"The clock was ticking, and people were making calls, finding more money. People were cashing in their CDs and transferring money from savings accounts. And we made it. We got the money we needed."

The people of West Bend and Mallard saved their school system. In the long run, they likely preserved the vitality and very heart of their communities, too.

In 18 days, residents and former residents of the northern Iowa towns came up with $852,953.63. We're not talking pledges; we're talking cash in the bank.

It took that kind of money, that fast, to keep the Iowa Department of Education from shutting down a school district that less than a year ago was honored by U.S. News and World Report magazine as having one of the finest high schools in the nation.

The magazine gives no awards for financial crises. That's good, because the West Bend-Mallard School District was, and still is, in a doozy.

The details of how it happened are complicated, involving "unspent authorized balances" and "allowable growth" formulas and "modified allowable growth" dispensations by state review committees.

Put simply, the administration and school board overspent and underplanned, and the West Bend-Mallard district was looking at operating at a deficit for a fourth consecutive year.

Most people in the district had not realized what was happening with the finances and were shocked that a state-imposed death penalty was looming.

It wasn't just idle talk. The same thing happened in tiny Russell just a few months ago. The district ran at an unacceptable deficit and the state shut it down.

"The Department of Education people explained it reasonably and offered as much help as possible, but the fact is, the high school almost certainly would be closed and we were looking at losing the whole school district," Schmidt said. "We weren't going to let it happen."
The thing is, there wasn't much time to make up the district's $700,000 deficit, plus get a $150,000 cushion to start the 2008-09 school year. The money was needed by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Letters explaining the problem were written on June 11. Mailing labels came from a database compiled from West Bend's recent sesquicentennial and all-school reunion. The letters and envelopes, folded and stuffed by volunteers, were printed by the West Bend Journal newspaper.

A total of 1,402 letters went in the mail on June 12. Another 155 went out the next day. The cost of postage came straight out of people's pockets.

"The letter made it clear this was an all-or-nothing thing," Schmidt said. "We had to make the goal of $850,000 by the close of business on June 30. All checks mailed in would be null and void if we didn't make it. This wasn't going to be a 'do the best we can if we only got $300,000' kind of thing. We were going to get the money we needed to save the school or we weren't."

One check for $100,000 arrived. There was one for $70,000 and one for $50,000. But organizers knew this wouldn't make it on the backs of a few large donors.
It didn't.

Two children came to the school district office, each with $1 to contribute to their school. Some kids in Minneapolis, cousins of students at West Bend-Mallard, opened a lemonade stand and sent $10.

A lighted digital sign on West Bend's Main Street kept people up to date with the amount raised. It flashed a running tally as the checks came in. People stood and watched as the number changed.

It was exciting. And for a while, a bit discouraging.
By June 25 - five days before the deadline - just $334,000 in checks was at the bank. That was less than half the goal.

People talked to those who hadn't contributed about what was at stake. It was more than just school buildings in West Bend, population 834, and Mallard, population 298. Schools close, and communities begin to lose their identities. Main Street suffers.

They'd seen it before all around the state.

"It's a drip, drip, drip, and we sure didn't want it to happen here," said Bob Runchey, owner of the International-Case farm equipment dealership in West Bend.

West Bend, a town without a stoplight, had raised big money before. People pooled their cash and built the country club. They did the same with the lumberyard. Even the Ford dealership. They came up with $621,000 to build the Park View motel. So raising $850,000 to save the school surely was doable.

Some towns would turn the key on the buildings and walk away. Not here, a place former county supervisor and school board member Lannie Miller calls "too tough to die."

"It's a lot of money, but I thought it was possible," said Runchey, the implement dealer.

"We're in the middle of four county seat towns, all of them about 20 miles away. People want the community to thrive," he said. "We've got a grocery store and a couple of restaurants and other businesses. This is important for them. People always tell us we're a wealthy area with some very successful farmers. Pretty much everybody stepped up. Some did in a big way."

The money kept coming, but not a single check was cashed before the deadline. Which brought them to 2:40 p.m. on June 30, and the crowd at the bank and $76,000 to go.

The truth is, they stretched that 3 p.m. deadline. But not by much. The last-minute calls, checks and money transfers worked. There were cheers and high-fives.
It was like Christmas Eve at the Bailey house in Bedford Falls. OK, Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed weren't in the bank lobby, but the celebration made it a very wonderful day in West Bend and Mallard.

The sign on Main Street flashed the good news.
Schmidt said they might end up with as much as $900,000 when the last of the 326 contributions come in.
Not that it's over. An interim school superintendent has been hired - the previous superintendent resigned in May - and some very hard decisions will have to be made.
Such as the future of the West Bend building, which houses the high school and prekindergarten through second grade, and the Mallard building, where third- through eighth-graders attend. The staff size may be reduced. Nothing is off the table.

People in the district know they saved their school, and they are darned proud of it.

They are talking about saving some of the school's money a month from now by grabbing mops and buckets and deep-cleaning the buildings themselves before school starts.

Not that it should be a surprise. These people have already shown they'll do whatever it takes.

Flood Water Gardening

2008-06-28T06:12:00.001-05:00

The Johnson County Extension Service has given some good advice about eating fruits and vegetables that have been exposed to the recent flood waters.

It only makes sense not to eat something that has been covered with sewage-contaminated water. But even out here - in the middle of nowhere - we need to be aware of this danger. The manure and chemical fertilizers and herbicides that were applied to the newly-planted fields right before the rains were washed into the creeks and rivers and thence over our yards and gardens.

Common sense here, folks. If you have any doubt about the safety of eating your food, then discard it. "When in doubt - throw it out!" That's been the canning mantra for years and it applies to your growing fruits and vegetables this season. It sucks, I know.

Thanks to Genie of The Inadvertent Gardener for bringing this to my attention. You can take the girl out of Iowa, but you can't take Iowa out of the girl.

Floods of '08

2008-06-15T08:58:00.002-05:00

If you didn't know about Iowa before, you certainly do now. That is, if you watch TV or listen to a radio. In 1993 we had the Hundred Years Flood. Aught eight is now being called the Five Hundred Years Flood. We did learn from our mistakes in '93 so some of the damage has been mitigated. But we had (are having) more rain in larger amounts which are causing problems now. Levees are breaking, towns and cities are being evacuated, basements and fields are being flooded. Farmers are crying in their beer. (That's a lie. They're not crying. You can't be a farmer and be a wimp. You wouldn't survive. They are some of the most optimistic people I know.) It's a mess.

Thursday Bettina and Gary drove around the quarter and took some pictures. She said I could use them for this post, so here they are:

This is the golf course. Taken from the road, looking out over No. 2 fairway, No. 7 tee box and No. 3 fairway. That little building is used to sell beer and drinks during a tournament.

This is No. 2 green. It's usually much bigger than this.

This is the road you're sitting on after having driven through water washing across the road. You know you're not supposed to do that. It's very dangerous, but I'm glad you made it safely.

This crap is cornstalks that have washed downstream from a field and are now sitting on No. 2 fairway.

This is Ron Brown's sheep pasture. Don't worry - he'd moved the sheep up to the barn weeks ago to lamb. Kinda pretty, isn't it?

The field on the left is Ron Girres (I believe) and the one on the right is Little Jerry's. Somewhere in there is the lane going up to Jay's farm. Bettina would not allow Gary to try to drive through this. (Wise choice Bettina.)

Remember all those cornstalks above? This picture shows the greenskeeper, Blake Banwart, his two sons and another helper using a hose to push them off the fairway and into the fast flowing creek.

And, yes, they are standing on the fairway and the water is almost up to their waists. Blake said that when it went over their heads, they'll know they found the creek. Not funny Blake. Not funny AT ALL!

This has been a tiny picture of what's been going on around here. Many, many people, in Iowa and elsewhere in the Midwest, have it much worse.

Bettina has more pictures on her MySpace and I thank her for risking her life (and her truck) for going out and taking these remarkable pictures. You rock!

New Masthead

2008-06-04T12:33:00.003-05:00

Do you like my new masthead? Those cookies came from Mari and I was just thrilled to get them! Thank you sooooo much, Mari!

P.S.
Mari is doing some updating on her website, so the cha-no-mari link isn't working. I'll put the link up as soon as she gets it fixed.

Edit: Link fixed. Go check out Mari's blog.

Big Changes Ahead!

2008-06-04T12:27:00.001-05:00

We moved into our house nineteen years ago this week. (It's hard to believe that we've been here that long! ) The carpet that was here nineteen years ago (green shag - need I say more) is still here. But not for long! This Saturday we're ripping up the carpet in the living and dining rooms! YAY!!!

Don't get me wrong - it's been a good carpet. Obviously it was a good quality one since it was probably 10 years old when we moved in. But it's waaaaay past it's prime. Years of animals and kids have taken its toll and it is literally falling apart.

So when Della and I painted the living room trim over Mother's Day, we "accidentally" pulled up a piece over by the bay window. Just to, you know, see what was under it. Imagine our surprise when we saw that the floor was Southern Yellow Pine (according to the local lumber yard guy) cut into wide boards. And in pretty good condition. According to Greg (local lumber yard guy), Southern Yellow Pine is harder than oak and more expensive to replace. Of course, this was just a small part of the floor we were looking at, but if the rest of the room looks this good then we're going to sand and refinish it and I'm going to have a "new" wood floor! NO MORE CARPET!

Another thing we found (ahem) was mold. Lots of mold on the back of the carpet from all the years of scrubbing the carpet to try and keep it clean. It's no wonder DH and I have been sick with respiratory problems all winter long. Our house is killing us!

DH is not one to jump into any life-altering (expensive) decisions and he has been dragging his feet about this whole "let's rip up the carpet" thing. But when I showed him the mold I think he understands how important it is to get this out of here.

So, Saturday's the day. Don't worry - there will be plenty of pictures. Do you want to see what it looks like now? OK:

That's Elvis sitting in the living room. And that's our carpet. Pretty yucky, huh? Not for long, baby. Not for long!

Writing Rules

2008-06-01T11:07:00.003-05:00

I've recently "met" a wonderful woman online. Her name is Irene Fulton (Reenie) and I do hope you take some time to check out her web site.

We both read List of the Day and she wrote the following in a comment. It tickled me so much that I wrote her and asked if I could use it in a post some time. She responded with:

"I'm glad you enjoyed the grammar list. After I read your profile I now understand your attention to details that might involve future litigation, but if there are copyright issues with the grammar list, I'd better start packing my bags to flee to some obscure third world country. :)"

So, without further ado, here is a list of grammar rules that we should have learned in high school, but it never hurts to refresh our memories.

For writing styles, be sure and follow these rules:

Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects.
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction.
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
Avoid clichés like the plague. (They’re old hat.)
Also, avoid annoying alliteration.
Be more or less specific.
Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
Also, too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
No sentence fragments.
Contractions aren’t necessary and shouldn’t be used.
Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
One should NEVER generalize.
Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
Don’t use no double negatives.
Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
One-word sentences? Eliminate.
Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
The passive voice is to be ignored.
Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
Kill all exclamation points!!!!!
Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place and omit it when its not needed.
Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
Puns are for children, not groan readers.
Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
Who needs rhetorical questions?
Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

Pride of Iowa Cookies

2008-05-31T09:07:00.002-05:00

Ever since receiving my Mother's Day gift, it's been sitting on the dishwasher, taunting me to take it for a spin. Want to see?

Ain't it purty?

But life has just not allowed me to even play with it - until yesterday. Seeing as how the cookie jar has been empty for a WEEK, I decided it was time to put this baby into action. And what better recipe to test drive it with than my Pride of Iowa Cookies.

Normally the only way to mix this stiff dough is to use your hands. I've never had a mixer that could even begin to handle the dough once you began adding the flour and oats. But with this puppy, that just wasn't a problem.

These cookies are chock full of everything a growing girl needs. It came out of the recipe box from the nursing home, and it looks like Nyda Gleason's handwriting. (Hi Nyda!) She was the cook who taught me how to cook for 40 people and get it ready to serve at 11:30 sharp.

Anyway... in case you're interested...here is the recipe for my

PRIDE OF IOWA COOKIES:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs, beaten

2 cup flour

3 cups quick oatmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips (optional) (I didn't have any to put into these :( )

1. Blend shortening and sugars

2. Add beaten eggs.

3. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture.

4. Stir in vanilla, coconut, oatmeal, nuts and chips (if using).

5. Mix well. Flatten with wet fork or bottom of glass.

6. Bake at 375 F for 8-12 minutes, or until brown.

Makes 5 or 6 dozen, depending on size of cookie.

Look good - don't they? And they are! Oh, and they're in the box because these are coming to YOU Stacey!! Let's see the postal service crush these babies!

Mother's Day Love

2008-05-13T08:16:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a really great Mother's Day this past weekend. I know I did! Della offered to come up and paint the woodwork in the living room for me and, believe me, I jumped all over that.

The woodwork throughout the house is Italiante (read: ornate) and painted (read: beautiful). And, yes, it was designed to be painted. Having painted it throughout the rest of the house, I knew how long it takes to get two coats on all the curves and doodads and miles of mopboards with it's curves and quarter-rounds. I painted the dining room, woodwork and all, a few years before and I chose not to paint the living room's trim. My back and knees just couldn't take another room!

So Saturday, bright and early, we start cleaning and caulking the living room woodwork. She wanted to go on into the north room, but luckily we ran out of caulk...seven hours and two tubes of caulk later(!) We barely had enough to finish the living room. Hey - it's an old house.

After a nice supper (uptown) we called it a night, deciding to start painting in the morning. EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS later, we finished the living room! As we lay on the floor, admiring our work, Della turned to me and said "I can't believe I thought we could get TWO rooms done this weekend!" (I knew we couldn't but I wasn't about to discourage her from wanting to help me!)

We were exhausted, sore and numb from being on our knees and up and down ladders for over 8 straight hours. But we were proud. It really does make a difference. Wanna see?

Entrance to the north room

Entrance to the dining room

Detail of a door

Isn't it pretty? I'm glad it's done because it really makes the room look good.

But the BESTEST part of Mother's Day? That my daughter spent it with me. We laughed and talked and shared things that have never been spoken of before. I got to know her just a little bit better and I hope she feels that she knows me a little more now as well. She's turned in to a lovely, wonderful woman and I'm so very proud of her. And she's a damn good mommy too. Quinten's a lucky boy.

Oh....and she brought me this -

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Resuming Womanhood

2008-04-19T12:04:00.003-05:00

I have a very dear friend named Stacey who has just started a new blog called Resuming Womanhood. She has been diagnosed with Polycistic ovary syndrome and has just started a new medical regime to counteract the effects of PCOS. Please take a moment to go over and encourage her on her road to recovery.

I'm very proud of you Stacey!

Found Treasure

2008-04-10T10:21:00.002-05:00

My girlfriend Kathy is a thrift store and garage sale junkie. Her keen senses and un-erring eyes have led her to many beautiful and valuable items, all of which adorn her home. Like the time she found a KitchenAid mixer, still in it's box, unused, for $50.00. (I offered her $100 for it, but she wouldn't sell.)

But I believe yesterday was the coup de grace as far as bargains go. While shopping at our local Good Will store she came upon what she believed was a diamond ring. The price? Fifty cents. So she bought it and immediately took it to the jewelry store. The real value? Two THOUSAND dollars!!

She said she thought it was worth the $.50 because the band said 14K gold. But when the jeweler appraised it she about lost her cookies. 14K white gold band with a 1/3K beautifully brilliant and clear diamond, size 4-1/2 ring in it's original velvet covered box. Someone screwed up - royally!

So, see people. Treasures are out there - all you have to do is keep your eyes and mind open. Happy hunting!

Why Do I Blog?

2008-04-05T06:25:00.004-05:00

(Originally written and published on MySpace, Sunday, March 16, 2008.)

If you’ve read my profile at all, you’ve seen that I have a blog called Tip of the Iceberg and that I mostly just read blogs. Food blogs are some of my favorite reads but I also have gardening blogs, tech blogs, photography blogs and scrapping blogs that I visit every day to discover what new and interesting thing I might learn from these talented and tireless people.

When I started blogging I tended to stay more centered on food, but as summer came on I found myself writing about my garden and yard. Then, when we did some remodeling, I photographed each change and wrote about it. When we went to a party or had a fundraiser in town, I would photograph that as well and write a bit about it.

Then there were the posts about my childhood - growing up in a small town in Iowa. I think, somewhere in the back of my mind, I was writing for my children to understand who I was and where I was coming from. Life experiences shape every one of us and I wanted to tell someone about mine. Or maybe I just want to remind myself who I am.

Now it appears I’m at a crossroads. I’m not certain which direction I want my blog to go. My "voice" has almost been silenced. What do I want to write about? How personal do I want to be? Will I offend anyone if I write something too personal?

Blogging has brought me friends from around the world. People whom I never would have known except through our writing. These people are unique and wonderful in their own way and my life would somehow be less if I couldn’t see and interact with them daily.

I read a site called BlogHer that is a collaboration of many women bloggers writing about women’s issues of today. Jennifer Satterwhite wrote a post called "Blogging Life’s Harsh Family Realities" on Saturday because it was her eighth anniversary of being drug free. She ended her post with the following:

"The bottom line is blogging has power. A mighty strong power. Blogging connects people. We can find others who get where we have been, where we are and where we are going. And that is vital at certain times in our lives. So, bloggers, it is okay to bare your soul. Some of us need it. Most of us admire it. And there are even a few of us who are counting on it."

I hope she’s right.

(Edit: Link to BlogHer fixed. I can't find the Satterwhite post to link to it. Sorry!)

Spite & Malice

2008-04-02T06:29:00.001-05:00

No - this is not going to be a rant about shitty neighbors or back-stabbing friends. Spite & Malice is the name of a 2-4 player cut-throat solitaire game, also called "Cat & Mouse" or "Skip-bo".

I don't exactly remember how I first became aware (addicted) to the game, but I've been playing it for years now. But I don't play it with cards - not real ones anyway. I use a nifty little computer program written by Mari J. (Soderberg) Michaelis. Here's her site where you can see the program yourself (maybe even buy it).

Another neat thing about the program is that you can actually play on-line against other people from around the world. Many players (even Mari herself) hold monthly tournaments where players vie for the honor of becoming that month's "World's Best Spite Player". I don't compete in these any more because...well, because I'm just too competitive. When I got assigned a person to play against I was all "Come ON, already! Let's PLAY!" That doesn't make for lasting friendships.

In 2004 some of the players decided they wanted some face time and put together the first ever Spite & Malice Union. We met in Delaware and played cards, went sight-seeing, drinking, eating and dancing. Or just sat around and visited. It was so wonderful to actually meet and speak with the person who had been soundly beating you in tournaments for years. And to meet Mari herself.

I took pictures. Lots of pictures. But in an effort to clean out my computer, I uploaded the older pictures onto Google's Web Album. Sigh! Now the only way to share them is to give you the link to the album of our First Spite & Malice Union in Delaware. Feel free to look around at my other albums. They're public. Many of them have been published on my blog as well.

Wondering what brought this post on? I found a couple of the people I met in Delaware on MySpace yesterday. This is for you Bo and Robyn. I'm so glad I found you again!

In Like a Lion....

2008-03-31T08:08:00.001-05:00

You know that old saying about March? "In Like a Lion - Out Like a Lamb"? Bullshit!

There's a winter weather advisory again today. Another 1 - 2 inches after the sleeting stops later this morning. This month has SUCKED! And not just here in northern Iowa. All over the net I've been reading others bitching and moaning about the cold and snow that's plagued us here in the northern hemisphere all spring.

Someone that I read the other day called this climate change "global weirding". They got that right! This spring has been weird any way you look at it. I, for one, will be very glad when this miserable month is done and over with.

Goodbye March and good riddance. Don't let April hit you in the ass when you leave!

Breakfast Take Alongs

2008-03-30T13:03:00.001-05:00

Ever since Christmas, I've been in a real "baking" mode. After the fiascos over Christmas, I made up my mind that baking is like riding a bicycle - you never forget how. You just sometimes need to practice regaining your balance and pretty soon you'll be riding along without using your hands.

You can make your pastries, doughnuts, pies and desserts. My sweet tooth calls for cookies. I was getting kind of tired making all the "standard" cookies and decided to look for something a little different. That's when I remembered these cookies.

I sent for this little recipe booklet from Quaker Oats way back when I was with Husband #1 in 1979. I'd give you a link, but I doubt it's published anymore. It was one of those "Send us $2.00 for shipping and handling and we'll send you this recipe book FOR FREE!"

I've made many recipes from it, but my favorite was these Breakfast Take Alongs. They're crispy and chewy; kind of salty, savory and sweet. The book claims that it provides 11% of the U.S. RDA of protein and I can believe it with bacon and cheese in them. Although I wish they would have given the number of calories, etc. in them as well.

So if you're looking for something a "little different' to make for the cookie jar, I highly recommend these.

BREAKFAST TAKE ALONGS

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup AP flour

1/2 teaspoon soda (as in baking - not Pepsi)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned)

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup wheat germ or finely chopped nuts (I used nuts)

6 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled.

Beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until well blended. Add combined flour, soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, cheese, wheat germ (or nuts) and bacon. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet; bake in preheated moderate oven (350F) 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool one minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire cooling rack. Store in loosely covered container in refrigerator or at room temperature (I put mine in the 'frig - bacon, you know...). Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Elvis Update

2008-03-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's been about 6 weeks since Elvis' surgery and he's recovering nicely. He's still not very strong on his back legs and that prevents him from jumping up on the couch. The vet said that awareness of limb placement would be the last thing to return. That's probably what makes him walk like he's in a marching band with his hind legs while trying to run with his front ones. It is rather comical to watch....poor dear.

Meanwhile, Dusty's having a grand time at Montana's house. They have the same spirit and energy (and mentality) and play with each other continuously. Bettina took a video of them playing out in the yard this winter and I thought I'd share it. It cracks me up every time I watch those two idiots running and wrestling. It looks like they're hurting each other - but they're not.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T13:57:00.006-05:00

The Easter Bunny's little helper dyed his eggs yesterday. Aren't they beautiful?

I hope everyone's tummy is full of candy and ham and the rest of your day is spent watching scary movies. That's what we're doing anyway.

Happy Easter to all my friends!

Happy St. Pat's Day

2008-03-17T09:42:00.007-05:00

A WISH FOR A FRIEND

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through

ANOTHER IRISH BLESSING

May the frost never afflict your spuds.

May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms.

May the crows never pick your haystack.

If you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal.

The Mouse on the Barroom Floor

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor

when the pub was shut for the night.

Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse

and stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,

then back on his haunches he sat.

And all night long you could hear him roar,

'Bring on the goddam cat!'

An Irishman's Philosophy

In life, there are only two things to worry about—

Either you are well or you are sick.

If you are well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about—

Either you will get well or you will die.

If you get well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you die, there are only two things to worry about—

Either you will go to heaven or hell.

If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.
And if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends

You won’t have time to worry!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYONE!!

Question

2008-03-09T04:27:00.001-05:00

I have a question. Since I redid this blog, I can now see (in the links to the left) when others have newly posted because they are in bold. Can you see this as well? Or is it only because I am this blog's administrator? Just curious.

Thanks!

Sick of My Linens

2008-03-08T14:47:00.003-06:00

I washed my bedding today. Biggie-wow, you say? That's really something to write about, huh? Yea, well, while remaking the bed one of my pillow cases ripped in two. First I cried, then I got pissed.

Over Christmas, my daughter had called to tell me that Target was having a linen sale and did I want her to pick up a set of king-sized sheets for $30.00. $30.00 - that's less than the cost of a pair of shoes for cripes sake. Every store has a January White Sale EVERY YEAR, so why in the hell would I NOT get new linens. They might not be 5,000,000 count Egyptian cotton, but who cares.

And that blanket! Are you still using the blanket your mom got you when you went to college? Or that you got as a wedding gift from your FIRST marriage? I don't think so. Ladies, this is just ridiculous. We work, we take care of our families, our pets, our homes. This is not a luxury - this is a necessity.

I have made a promise to myself. I will never keep linens longer than three years from now on. That includes towels. Towels fray from the frequent washing and I deserve to have towels that aren't coming apart at the seams. Besides, I'm sick of the sight of them. Sheets, towels, pillows - they're all gone! I'll line the dog's kennel with them or use them as drop cloths when I paint. But I'm never going to put them on my bed again.

And, while I'm at it - I'm getting kind of tired of my dishes too. Ten years is long enough for a set of dishes, don't you think? It's not like they're heirlooms or expensive or anything. They're just a set I picked up at K-Mart when I was sick of the mis-matched ones I'd been using forever.

I'm fully aware of where this frugal nature comes from. But it's been a while since I was toeing the poverty line. Sometimes it's just the rut that we've dug that keeps us complacent. And I am heartily sick of this rut.

I remember visiting Aunt Della as a child and going through her numerous chest of drawers and closets. I would find new, never-worn nightgowns, slips, house dresses, aprons, bedding and blankets. When I would ask her about them, she'd tell me that they were all gifts from family and friends. When asked why she didn't use them, she said that she was "saving" them for "good". Good what?! Bless her heart - I can still picture her in that same house dress and apron that she always wore. When she died, her children were left to clean out those drawers and closets and haul it all to the Good Will.

So I got the sheets that Della had bought for me out of the drawer and put them on the bed. Tonight, I'm sleeping in a new bed. Yee haa!

Elvis is Home

2008-02-25T17:00:00.003-06:00

He's not moving too good just yet, but he is recovering. The doctor says it will be a few months before he's walking normally. Right now he's resting most of the time. He loves being on his pillow by me in the computer room. With his squeaky toy, of course.

While Elvis is recovering, Bettina has been dog-sitting for Dusty. Her standard poodle, Montana, LOVES having Dusty there. They have the same temperament and play continuously. Bettina took some pictures of them out in the snow wrestling one day. It looks like they're killing each other - but they're not. That's just how they play.

I'll be glad when Elvis can get out there and play with them too. Time will tell.

Daytona 500, 2008

2008-02-18T09:51:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again racing fans - NASCAR!! Now I know summer is truly around the corner. It was also time for Jay's annual Datona 500 party. So on a cold (-17 wind chill), windy (25 - 35 mph winds), snowy (ANOTHER 1-2") day, we trouped two doors down to Jay's house to eat, drink and scream at the TV yet again. Ah, life is good!

BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY!!!

Surgery for Elvis

2008-02-09T07:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday our little dog Elvis suddenly started dragging his hind legs. He was paralyzed from his waist down. The day before I'd noticed that he was walking very stiffly and figured he'd hurt himself somehow. I rushed him to our vet who advised me to take him to Ames immediately. Iowa State University's School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the best in the country and I knew that many people take their pets there for specialized care.

So when DH got back from court, we packed him up and drove the two hours to Ames. Everyone there was so helpful and friendly. The two women who examined Elvis we later learned were just weeks away from graduating and becoming interns. Dr. Parkes, the neurosurgeon, was very kind and thoroughly explained what was happening to Elvis.

Apparently certain breeds of dogs, like shitz tsuz and dacshunds, have a predisposition to having ruptured discs in their spines. She said the discs harden or calcify and then any movement can cause them to rupture. Even going to the bathroom! The shreds of the disc were pushing against Elvis' spine, causing the paralysis. The only solution was spinal surgery to remove the fragments. Or put him down.

I'm not going to lie to you, we really thought hard about putting him down. The surgery will cost us $2,500.00. But we couldn't look into those beautiful eyes and trusting face and actually say "go ahead - we don't want him anymore."

So Elvis had spinal surgery yesterday. The doctor called last night when she was finished and told us everything had gone well and he was in doggie intensive care. He'll be in the hospital for a week then home for recovery for the next several months. He has an 80% chance of a full recovery. And, yes, it's possible that this could happen again. If it does, then, well, we'll face that problem if and when it happens.

If you'd ever told me that I would spend that kind of money on a dog before yesterday, I'd have told you that you're nuts. But how can you look at this face and not want to keep him close to you for just a little longer.

Hoar Frost

2008-02-03T14:43:00.000-06:00

Sometimes Mother Nature awards you with beauty when you least expect it. I awoke to frost covered trees this morning and tried to get a picture or two of them.

So pretty!

So, what are YOU doing for Super Bowl Sunday? We'll be watching the game/ads at the Pony this afternoon. I'm bringing 7 Layer Taco Dip and chips. What did you eat today? Whatever it is, I hope you all have a great time at your Super Bowl parties.

Update and Chili Cook-Off

2008-01-27T08:39:00.000-06:00

What have I been doing lately you ask? Just messing with this.

Oh, and last Sunday was the 6th (or was it 5th?) annual Chili Cook-Off up at the Painted Pony. You can check out the pictures by clicking on "pics" under my profile picture. (FYI - that's Dottie, the caller in Fortune Bingo on Pogo.com.) I've also sent up the pictures from 2005 and 2006. Jeannie wasn't in it this year so she kept off the floor.

I used Alanna's Chocolate Chili recipe and I must say it garnered a LOT of interest. But not the judges' nod. Sorry Alanna. It was really good, but I guess it was just too...I don't know..strange (?) for the local taste buds.

Oh, and we've been up to our asses in snow this winter. Bleh. That combined with 30 below wind chills and it makes it impossible to do anything even remotely useful. But I've been making some killer soups and roasted chicken, so it's not a complete loss.

That's it. Me and my angel just hanging out in the snow. Stay safe peoples. Stay warm!

Cookie Rules

2008-01-07T12:07:00.000-06:00

I made five batches of cookies over Christmas this year. That may not seem like much baking to you foodies out there, but for me (and the family) it was quite the feat. I'll bet I haven't made homemade cookies in, like, ten years. So this divergence into nostalgia was met with much glee, especially from DH.

Of the five batches, three were good, one was edible (barely - see below) and one I dumped in the garbage it was such a failure. I can hear you gasping out there - believe me when I say that this cookie was un-salvageable. It was supposed to be one of those little, round, confectioner's sugar-covered job-ies. The kind that melt in your mouth. Well, these melted all over my cookie sheet. What a mess!

Unlike riding a bicycle, baking is not one of those activities that you never forget once you've learned how. It was like I was 12 years old again and didn't know how to turn on the oven! I did learn several things though and I'm going to list them here so I NEVER MAKE THESE MISTAKES AGAIN!!!

1. Not all butter is created equal. I know some of you have written about how wonderful European butter is compared to ours (something about the fat ratio, or was it cream ratio.. whatever) and you should only use the best in your baking. But, hey - I'm Scots-Irish. I go for the cheap stuff. And what I learned is that one of the cheap brands (Fareway's or Hy-Vee's - not sure which) tastes greasy. It's just yuck! That was the first cookie I made and it was scarfed down almost immediately despite it's greasy taste. I think for cooking it probably doesn't matter, but it definitely does in baking. So, the lesson here - get Land O' Lakes butter for baking!

2. I know our mothers always used Crisco for baking. My girlfriend uses the butter flavored Crisco in all her cookies. But I've learned that I should never use Crisco for cookies. Use butter - the good stuff.

3. Don't bother soaking your raisins in brandy for making oatmeal cookies. The flavor gets lost and you just waste the liquor. Save that little trick for your bread pudding!

4. Even though the recipe might not specify it, when it calls for oatmeal they mean the quick cooking kind. The other just gets chewy. And hard.

So that's it. That's my list of how NOT to bake cookies. I know, I know. I've been told all of this stuff in the past. I just forgot - so sue me!

Disaster Averted

2007-12-18T15:41:00.000-06:00

I think... I hope anyway. And I hope that, unlike a pie crust (which is what it acted like), these don't get tough with handling. They look pretty good anyway. And they're all ready for the grandson's artistic touch. Better him than me. I think I'll save the last stick of Crisco for my Christmas pie making.

Cookie Help!

2007-12-18T14:00:00.000-06:00

All right all you excellent bakers out there... what the hell is going wrong with my cookies?! This is an old family recipe and I've made it hundreds of times. But it won't roll out! Here's the recipe:

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside. Cream butter, sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well combined. Form dough into a ball, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Divide dough into 4 parts and roll out one quarter at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. Roll dough on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Decorate with sprinkled sugar, almonds, raisins, candy or whatever.

Pretty straight forward - right? Granted, I haven't baked any cookies in, oh, say 15 years. (My butt and DH's belly doesn't need the extra expansion boost.) But, come on! The only reason why I'm doing this now is that Quinten asked if Grandma would bake some Christmas cookies for him to decorate when he comes up. How could I say no?

The only thing I did differently this time is use butter flavored Crisco instead of real butter. Is that what's going on? Usually you have to leave it in the refrigerator or it gets too soft to roll. This time the dough is like...I don't know...pie dough? It rolls much better warm. Did I screw up?

Any suggestions?

He's Back!

2007-12-06T15:30:00.000-06:00

He's back!! Gasp! (Damn camera...)

Cardinal Envy

2007-12-06T09:08:00.000-06:00

A few days ago, while letting the dogs outside, I was blown away by the sight of a cardinal feeding on the ground under my bird feeders. I know that cardinals are indigenous to Iowa and can be found all over the state. Heck, mom used to have a ton of cardinals at her bird feeder in Turin. But, in the eighteen years we have lived in West Bend, I have NEVER, EVER seen a cardinal. Even during our crop rides. We've seen eagles, hawks, orioles, woodpeckers, goldfinches, scarlet tanagers, tons of red-wing blackbirds and even yellow-breasted blackbirds. The strangest bird we saw once was an American bittern. But I've never spotted a cardinal - until four days ago. I was so shocked I just stood there, mouth and door wide open, my heart racing a hundred miles an hour.

As I ran back into the house I kept praying "Please, please! Tell your family and friends that you found some good food. Maybe they'll come too!" Soon, as I watched from my kitchen window, a female flew down and joined her mate. I was in heaven! I watched those two birds all that day and the next. And they haven't been back since.

I'm just crushed! I've even dreamed about them - cherry red against the white snow. They were so beautiful. Now, don't get me wrong, we have a ton of birds at our feeders. Finches (purple, house and gold), a little nuthatch, dark-eyed juncos, an occasional blue jay and, of course zillions of sparrows. The strangest birds we ever got was a merlin which had killed and was eating a sparrow under the tree, and a hawk that stopped in for a drink of water and to preen his feathers on a branch of a tree right outside our window. But never cardinals. Damn.

I'm pist that I didn't get a picture of them. I love my point and shoot camera, but it just isn't good for taking pictures of skittish critters - like birds. If ever I get an SLR, it will be to take these kinds of pictures.

I'm so hoping they remember the good food and easy water found in my back yard and come back to make my day bright once more. Cardinals just make the world seem happier.

(Note: I was going to link to each bird so you could see a picture of them, but that's too many links. Instead, just go to enature and you can see and hear them for yourself. It's a great website that I use regularly. Enjoy!)

Blog Thoughts

2007-12-03T07:21:00.000-06:00

As I was taking a break yesterday, thinking about my posts, the strangest thought occured to me: Someone, somewhere in the world, was right now reading one of my posts.

I know this becase of my Site Meter report I get every Sunday. It told me I had an average of 55 hits this past week, with an average time spent at the page around a minute and a half. Since I don't post very often (ahem) that means that they're reading old posts. Probably found on some search for something and they decided to read what I'd written. That just blows my mind!

HEY, PEOPLE! How ya doin'? Um... you can comment if you like. See, I moderate my comments. Which means when you write something I get an email asking me to accept or reject the comment. So, if you read something you like, tell me about it! Doesn't matter how old the post is, I'll know if you say something.

(Meanwhile, the 3 or 4 people who read my pitiful attempts at writing whenever it pops up on their RSS readers are going, "Holy crap! Two posts in one day!!" Yep. I'm going for a record here.)

Putting Up The Tree

2007-12-03T06:41:00.000-06:00

I'll admit it - I hate the holidays. From Halloween until January 30th I walk around in a black cloud of Scrooge-ness, scowling at children and snapping at my husband. Christmas music makes me grind my teeth as I hurry past the stores lighted with Christmas trees and plastic Santas. And the decorating! Oh boy, do I hate decorating! I put off putting up the Christmas tree until the last possible minute. Each year I vow I'm not going to do it. But, of course, I do.

Two years ago, in an effort to lighten my misery, I bought a pre-lighted Christmas tree. It was only about $20 bucks from Amazon, so I thought I'd give it a try. Needless to say, I didn't put it up last year because that sucker weighs about 10 TONS and there was NO way I was dragging that up from the basement! DH and I debated just decorating it where it stood and putting the presents under it down there. (If you could see our basement - and you will - you'd know what a joke that is.) So, up went our little 3' fiber optic tree once again.

But this year! This year was different. First of all my daughter and grandson were with us for Thanksgiving - for the first time ever. (It actually felt like Thanksgiving this year.) Since she knows how much I hate decorating, she volunteered to bring up the tree, set it up and decorate it. Yea!

Of course, it came with no instructions so I called Bettina and she sent over Dani and Dustin to help her get it put together. Naturally, I took pictures. They kinda suck, but oh well.

The kids had fun and I didn't have to do a thing. Sounds like a good thing to me! Of course, all the rest of the decorations are still in their boxes so I really do have to get in gear and decorate the rest of the house. (grumble grumble)

Happy Holidays everyone!

Jay's Omlets

2007-11-18T12:25:00.000-06:00

No - not that Jay. Jay Bargman! Like most men in rural America, Jay wears many hats: Husband, son, father, farmer, trucker, auctioneer. But in his soul Jay is a chef. And a damn good one too! Our local Lions club definitely benefited the day Jay joined. Instead of dry pork patties served at the annual summer barbeque we now get a spread fit for a king. One year he even served Bananas Foster (he decided not to flambe them for fear of burning down the shelter house).

His abilities and skill know no bounds. Take this omlet breakfast we went to today. I don't know where he got the idea, but Jay has come up with a way to cook as many as four omlets at once. He thought up and made most of the tools you'll see in the slide show himself. Maybe I should list "inventor" as one of his hats.

Of course, he doesn't do this alone. He'll probably serve close to 200 people in four hours this morning. As this is a fundraiser for Larry Hough (Larry lost everything in a house fire a few weeks ago), Larry's family and friends are working in the kitchen - cutting up the ham and vegetables, whipping up the eggs (secret recipe there - sorry), melting butter and cooking the sausages. Just like in a real kitchen, Jay has his line chefs working hard. But the master is out front, working his magic.

Thanks Jay!

Take Me Back to the 60's

2007-11-05T07:10:00.000-06:00

I found this the other day and thought there might be a few people out there who could relate.

Enjoy!

November Rose

2007-11-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

I have roses blooming in November! I guess this "global warming" ain't all bad.

My Summer at Hogwarts

2007-10-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

Like millions of others around the world, I eagerly awaited the final book in J. K. Rowling's amazing Harry Potter series. When it hit the shelves in July I snapped it up and devoured it in a day and a half. The Queen of Blue Balls had made me wait two years between fixes and the suspense was killing me. When I was done it was like "Huh? What? I don't remember... How did he... What the hell!!" I knew there was nothing for it but to re-read the entire series in order. Which I did. The entire month of August. I barely went on-line except to read my emails and complete my Pogo challenges. I wanted nothing to distract me from my immersion into Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizardry. I came through the other end feeling drained and forlorn. It was over. I would no longer have this wonderful world in which I could escape and I was lost.

It pisses me off when I hear people dissing the Harry Potter books. Rowling's genius lay in her ability to pull the reader into an entirely believable world. She could have set it up as a group of kids on a sheep ranch in Montana and it would have been just as interesting. The theme is an old one - Good Kids vs. Bad Adults; Extraordinary vs. Ordinary; Good vs. Evil. By setting her book in a magical world, one that existed along side our very ordinary one, she made sure her books had a universal appeal. Kids and adults from Bangladesh to Bangor, Maine could read and understand the trials and tribulations of little Harry Potter.

J. K. Rowling is also directly responsible for my return to the written word. When I was younger I would often have two or three books going at the same time - one at school, another one or two at home. That stopped in 1997 when my mother and brother died within weeks of each other. I found that I could not read more than two sentences at a time without my mind wandering. This makes it very hard to follow a story, so I quit trying. Until Harry Potter came along that is. Rowling's writing focused my mind, drawing me out of myself and into her world with a clarity that had been absent for too long.

I've read that Rowling said the idea for Harry Potter came to her all at once and that the books practically wrote themselves. You wonder if the muse will ever strike her again. And if it does, will she be able to pull it off like she did with this series. Is there another story burning in the back of her brain, eager to be set free? I wonder. In one way, I hope so. In another, not so much. Maybe she shot her wad with this book and her next will be a disappointment. But whatever happens - Thank You J. K. Rowling for setting me free!

Listen! Can You Smell That?

2007-10-20T13:50:00.000-05:00

They say that writing is a habit. The more you write, the better you get. The more you write, the easier it becomes. Since I seem to have gotten out of the habit of writing this summer, let's start off with something easy - like a memory:

When I was young I could smell the change of seasons weeks before they actually arrived. In January I could smell the damp earth of spring and the air held the promise of warmth in its molecules. By April I could smell the heat of a July summer day, and in late August it was the smell of leaf litter and burning leaves that clung to the wind. But winter was the most notable. As early as September I could smell and sometimes taste the biting winter wind all crisp and clean long before it swept down upon the plains from the frigid north.

I kept this ability to smell changes in the air into my teens, with the bitter winter air being the last to leave my senses. But I remember this strange power and wonder if others had the same experience.

It wasn't just seasons that assaulted my senses either, it was people as well. I don't mean this in the bad body odor way. I mean that every person - every family - had it's own, unique odor. I could smell it the minute I walked into their homes or if two or more family members were together. My family included.

Sadly, (or maybe not...) I lost this ability early on in childhood and frankly never thought about it. Until one day I was rummaging around in a junk store, looking at the old dresses and hankies, when I smelled Aunt Della. The smell of her hit me so hard and the memories came so suddenly that I looked around fully expecting to see her standing there, smiling at me like she did when I was little and was digging through her drawers looking for dress-up clothes. I was so shaken I could only stand there, clutching that dress to my face while her memory filled me with longing.

I did not buy the dress because I knew that it could not be her's. She had died in Iowa and I was in Pennsylvania. Maybe my memory was off. I was an adult, after all. But Aunt Della had come from Pennsylvania, along with her sisters (my Grandma Moss and Aunt Emma) when they were just little girls. Their parents had driven them out in a covered wagon with all their worldly possessions. Could this dress belong to a distant relative whose family still had this same smell? Who knows. I certainly don't. But it's fun to think it might be so.

Age (and cigarettes) have taken this heightened sense of smell away from me. But the memories of the change of seasons lingers. And for that I am truly grateful.

Congratulations Dani and Kyle!

2007-09-10T05:13:00.000-05:00

September 7, 2007

While eating lunch on Friday I got a phone call from my best friend, Bettina.

"Kyle got his orders. He leaves on Monday. The wedding is at 2:30."

This was not unexpected. He's known for weeks that it was possible he would have to go to Iraq. You see - he's a Marine. But they were prepared for this eventuality so when he got the call on Friday morning, Kyle called the courthouse to arrange for the judge to marry them. He'd asked Dani's parents weeks ago for permission to marry their daughter, then they got their license and rings and waited to find out if they would be able to have a "normal" wedding. Both Dani and Kyle are college students at Iowa Lakes. Kyle is in the officer training program there and we had hoped that he could postpone his deployment until he had finished his courses. It was not to be.

It was my honor and privledge to witness the marriage of Danielle Forsythe and Kyle Egland on September 7, 2007. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kyle and Dani as they start their new lives together, and we wish them all the love and happiness their hearts can hold.

Edit: Kyle's orders were changed late yesterday (9/10/07). He and the other officer candidates will be allowed to finish college! He'll be back home by the end of the week. We are all very happy to hear this.

Corn Defense!

2007-08-08T08:51:00.000-05:00

My good friend Joe Pastry is back from vacation and has written a series of post in defense of corn. After Michael Pollen's book Omnivore's Dilemma came out last year, the blogosphere has been vilifying corn, the people who grow it and the companies that manufacture products made from it. Now they're all weepy because the price of corn has finally caught up to the price farmers pay to produce it and that has driven up the price of corn-based products. And don't give me shit about the subsidy of Ethanol. Farm subsidies have been in place for years (thankfully) and are what allows a farmer to make a living growing something that costs $10.00 a bushel to grow and the market pays $3.00 a bushel to buy.

I'm not a very smart woman and can't really put into words what my heart knows is true. If you've ever read Joe you know that his knowledgeable and prolific posts on any subject that catches his fancy will guarantee that you will understand that subject when he gets through with it. His use of humor and science make it a pleasure to learn. And, boy, have I learned! Everything from MSG (naturally occurring) to the molecular make-up of starch.

I can't tell you how happy I am that this week he's taking on the "corn devil" and I urge you to check him out immediately. (Caveat: scroll to the bottom for the first post and work your way up.) Way to go Joe! And, thank you!

Jay's Chicken

2007-08-07T03:34:00.000-05:00

I've told you before about Jay's Chicken. This amazing process was repeated last night at the American Legion's annual Chicken and Sweetcorn fundraiser. (I hope this slideshow thingy works!)

Putting Up the Corn

2007-07-30T04:01:00.000-05:00

While sitting in the yard, watching the impending storm approaching, our neighbor stopped his truck by my gate. "You need corn?" "Ummm..well, yea!"

We'd begun to think that this drought had affected the sweetcorn harvest. Eastern Iowa has been getting deluged this month, but everything had passed right over us and we were dry. The farm where we usually pick sweetcorn had announced a failed harvest between the lack of rain and the coons. So any chance of getting corn was a welcome chance indeed.

True to his word, ten minutes later, with the rain coming down in great big buckets full, Chuck pulls into the driveway to deliver some corn. I ran out to meet him, greatful for the rain soaking me through. "Is this enough?" he asks, holding up a 5 gallon pail full of sweetcorn. "Plenty! Just put it here on the lawn" I tell him and then spend the next 20 minutes or so bagging it up in plastic grocery bags to bring into the back porch.

The next morning the sun broke through clean and bright without a hint of humidity. It was a perfect morning for shucking corn and putting it up in the freezer. And for taking pictures (naturally). The boys were very helpful as well. And a flexible cutting mat is a must! I did 43 ears of corn that day. Of course, now everyone has sweetcorn ready and DH went out yesterday and picked two dozen more. They went into the freezer as well. Sweetcorn and home-grown tomatoes - it doesn't get any better than this! I love summer!

RAGBRAI Time Again

2007-07-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

If it's July and you're in Iowa, then it's time for RABRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa)! (Follow the link if you want to learn more about the event. ) It's the biggest party of the year with upwards to 15,000 cyclists from all over the world participating. Even Lance Armstrong is going to ride the whole way this year (or so the rumors say).

They start off dipping their back tires in the Missouri River and ride the week across Iowa until they hit the Mississippi River where they dip their front tires. It's totally fun for everyone (not to mention a HUGE economic boost to the small towns they go through). Registration is limited to 8,000, but many bikers join to ride along for a few days and never register. There are many, many support people who follow along as well. So, not only the towns that they stay in, but the towns that they pass through, are included in their party.

As we were sitting in the Painted Pony yesterday, twelve very wet and very nervous cyclists burst into the bar about six o'clock shouting "There's a tornado out there!!!". Another thing about Iowa in July is that horrific storms and tornadoes can blow up in a heartbeat in this heat and humidity. Luckily there was no tornado but these poor folks had been caught in the torrential rain and straight-line winds (I heard reports later of 70 mph winds). They'd ridden in from Iowa City and had stayed the night before in Humboldt. They got caught in the downpour about 3 miles south of town and hid out in a machine shed.

A lot of people will ride from their homes out to the start of the trip. Iowa City is a LOT closer to the Mississippi than it is to the Missouri, so they'd already been on the road for two days. The group had men and women every age (20-somethings to 50-somethings) and, in spite of their frightening experience, they came in good spirits.

After eating supper they got back on their bikes to ride to Mallard (where I'm sure they would stop and party some more) and finally on to Emmetsburg where they would spend the night. By this time it had started to pour again and even though we tried to get them to stay in West Bend for the night, they started off on their next leg of the trip. Well - most of them anyway. Two women with more sense than the rest asked if we could take them to their motel in Emmetsburg. They'd had their fill of riding in the rain and were tired after eating. So we loaded their bikes in the back of the truck and headed west to Emmetsburg.

This is just something that Iowans do for RAGBRAIers. When we lived in Onawa, RAGBRAI started off from there two times. Both times we opened our home to those bikers who were not lucky enough to get a motel room or who didn't feel like pitching a tent for the night. It was quite a sight I must say. Bodies and bikes everywhere! Since living in West Bend, RAGBRAI has come through twice as well. It takes quite a while for 8-10,000 bicycles to ride through your town, especially when half of them stop to party for a while. (Man! Those people can drink!!) We've met some really nice people, just like last night. It was a blast.

Oh - and this picture? I took this of my neighbor's house yesterday. See that spout thingy on the edge of her house? It was raining so hard and the wind was blowing so strong that the rain was blown out of her downspout. Imagine trying to ride a bike in this.

Catch-up

2007-07-11T07:20:00.000-05:00

Q and his mom went home after the 4th of July and I've been hitting it hard at the office, trying to regain some control. I've mentioned before that our office is the Chamber of Commerce Treasurer and it took two days just to wade through all the deposits and paperwork from the Fireworks Golf Tournament and the 4th of July. I love having Quinten for a whole month, but we definitely need to work something different for next year. From mid-June on, Chamber is in overdrive with it's fundraising and July 4th celebration preparation. I really need to be available for check writing and other duties.

Things are getting back to normal here at home and at the office. I still haven't read all my blog friends' posts, but I've learned that I don't need to. I know you all are fabulous writers/cookers/photographers/etc. so I'll just jump in where I can. When my mind stops whirring I'll start posting again, too.

I hope all your summers are going swimmingly. Have a cool drink, watch your gardens grow, see a ball game, go to the races, eat some barbeque and in general enjoy!

Definition of Summer

2007-07-11T07:06:00.000-05:00

The definition of summer. Period.

Country Club Planter

2007-06-28T16:10:00.000-05:00

Several years ago the country club updated their tee boxes by adding landscaping bricks around them. To do this they asked for donations, which we gladly gave. They also put a raised bed at the entrance to the club and I have the pleasure of planting this every year.

I finally got smart and planted Stella de Oro daylilies and Salvia "Purple Rain" so that I wouldn't have to spend a fortune on annuals. This year I also added purple Wave petunias in keeping with the purple and gold scheme. That's our school colors, don't ya know.

I thought you might like to see this garden as it's looking really good right now and I'm pretty proud of it. At least one of my gardens looks good!

Grandma Love

2007-06-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

[I've had this post slogging around in my head for a while now. I wasn't sure whether I should post this or not, but... here goes:]

I hated my grandma. There, I've said it. And I have a hunch the feeling was mutual. My first vivid memory of her was when she slapped me in the face. Mom had left me with her while she went somewhere. I suppose I was pitching a fit - I was only about 4 or 5 years old. She just turned around and slapped me right in the mouth. I never trusted her after that.

As I grew older I discovered she was a bitter, hateful old woman. I have to assume she wasn't always this way. I'm sure as a young woman she was full of hopes and dreams. I know that Grandpa Moss left her for another woman. Perhaps she drove him away, I wouldn't know because he died before I was born. Maybe that's why she was the way she was.

As a grandma today, I find the whole thing very sad and confusing. Grand kids are the reason you don't kill your own kids while growing up. What was even worse, she was the only grandparent I had as my father's parents died right after I was born. I used to envy my playmates and their excitement when visiting their grandparents. I couldn't understand why grandma was never happy to see me and had only harsh words for me. I still can't to this day.

It broke my mother's heart when I expressed my feelings towards her mother. She tried to assure me that Grandma Moss truly did love me, but just didn't show it. She would tell me the story of how, in 1952 when I contracted polio, it was Grandma Moss who drove the car to the hospital in Sioux City when the local hospital couldn't treat me. Of how I almost died in my mother's arms in the backseat of grandma's '52 Ford while grandma careened up Highway 75 in a desperate attempt to get me to help. Today I find the picture of this rather amusing. I remember grandma driving that Ford. 50 mph was her normal speed and she was so short she could barely see over the massive steering wheel. I'm surprised she didn't totally wreck.

Brother Max used to tell an amusing story about grandma, too. When Iowa passed the minimum wage law, it was his responsibility to tell grandma she must pay her help $1.25 an hour. He said she banged her hand on the table and declared, "There ain't a woman in the world worth $1.00 an hour!" That's my grandma - always generous to a fault.

Grandma Moss' sister Della was my "true" grandma and I called her that from the start. I dearly loved that woman. Her husband died, leaving her to raise her five children alone on a dirt farm in the hills. She survived by selling milk and eggs and renting the 40 acres she owned out to a local farmer. She had more than enough love to share with me and I took full advantage of it. Grandma's farm was my haven and her smile lit up my life. I guess I really did have a grandma after all.

Quinten is a lucky boy - he has many sets of grandparents who all love him. That's a nice thing about blended families. He's staying with us this June and our lives are once again full of activity. T-ball, swimming, golf, carnivals and celebrations abound, making the days fly by.

Grandma Moss certainly taught me one thing - how NOT to be a grandma. I'm loving this part of my life. Quinten has taught me that there is nothing else in this world more important than spending time with him. And I'm taking full advantage of that.

Memorial Day, 2007

2007-05-28T05:26:00.001-05:00

Because of the price of gas, and the fact that the pickup only gets about 18 mpg, I've decided not to go decorate this year. This makes me very sad because Memorial Day is my favorite holiday and there's not many family members left above the ground.

I was looking over last year's posts on my Memorial Day roadtrip and decided to share them again. If you wish, you can view them here, here and here.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day! I'm going golfing.

Hummingbirds

2007-05-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning I got this shot of a male Ruby Throated Hummingbird taking his breakfast outside my kitchen window. He and his brethren are on their way to the northern reaches of the world to mate and raise their families before returning to the islands for the winter. Beautiful!
(P.S. I need a better camera!)

Thoughts of Spring

2007-05-22T13:38:00.000-05:00

It's hard to express how spring affects me. Winters seem so long and bleak. Even the blizzards are welcome because then at least something is going on outside. After the mad rush of the holidays, the bitter cold of January, the muddy mess of February and the winds of March, April is so welcome with its gentle warmth and sunshine.

The early flowers, like Daffodils and Tulips, are blooming and the Forsythia is putting on its show. The birds have shed their drab winter coats and found their voices in an effort to attract a mate. You no longer have to wear coats and mud boots just to walk outside. People are out cleaning up their yards of the detritus from winter and working their gardens in anticipation of planting. And the farmers are going gangbusters in the fields.

By the middle of the month the first shoots of corn are peeking out of the ground. I cannot describe the thrill I feel when I drive along the road, looking at all the neatly furrowed fields and I spy that first shoot of green. It affects me the same way every year - I never get tired of it.

I imagine the farmers must feel the same way. That's probably why they break their backs, their hearts and their bank accounts just to see this sight. A farmer I knew back home was asked what he'd do if he won the lottery. "Farm until it's gone" was his answer! Farmers are the biggest gamblers I know. They place a lot of time, effort and money on a piece of dirt and hope that they can get something from it. Kinda like gardeners - only bigger.

Even though these pictures should represent a new field in April, they were in fact taken just last weekend. This year our April had a little bit of January, February, and March all thrown together. It was below zero for the first part of the month, then it blizzarded in the middle of the month and ended with flooding rains. Most of the farmers now have all their corn planted and are working on their beans. There was an old 'saw' that said corn must be all in by May 10th to be knee-high by the 4th of July. I'm told that isn't the case with the new hybrids they raise today. Thank goodness.

Now that May is almost over, the "gentle warmth" is being replaced with the oppressive heat of summer. School is almost out for the year and mothers everywhere are groaning. My garden is in and so far the rabbits haven't gotten too carried away. I imagine that the dogs running in the yard have something to do with that. The yard has been mowed, the grill and outdoor chairs cleaned, the garden tended, and the back porch had it's yearly cleaning. All is right with the world.

New Fence

2007-05-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

We have - make that I have - wanted to fence in our back yard for years. We live on an extremely busy corner (this is the main road to the school and the swimming pool) and I always worry that our dogs will get away from me and get run over. It's been a miracle that, of all of the animals we've had since living here, only one cat was ever killed on that street.

Finally DH and I decided that a fence really was in the best interests of our boys, as well as my piece of mind, so I ordered it from the lumber yard and had Pat and Ben Ulrich put it in. Pat is one of Daryl's sons and has moved back to West Bend to help his dad and brother's with all the construction work they do. And these guys do everything - from roofing, framing, any type of construction work to, well, putting in a fence!

Here's a few pictures of the job:

And here's what the boys think of their "new" yard!

After a dozen full out runs around the fence, they have declared that this was a VERY good idea. Thanks Pat and Ben - great job!

Farmers Compost

2007-05-21T10:21:00.000-05:00

The fire department was called out last Friday for a fire near Rodman. When they came back I asked one of the guys what the fire was and he told me that a farm compost pile had caught fire. Compost pile?!? I knew they generated heat, but to spontaneously combust?!? "It's the carcasses" he says. "They generate more heat than leaves."

Carcasses?!?

"Yep. Farmers compost their dead critters."

Nahhhhh.

"Yes."

But, I've always been told not to throw meat or dairy in my compost pile because it will attract varmits. And, what about the rendering plant guys. I thought they picked up the dead animals.

"Don't know anything about that," he said. "You need to talk to a farmer who has one."

And so I did. The farmer tells me that since the BSE (mad cow) scare, renderers don't have much of a call for their products so they've raised the price of picking up dead animals. "Used to be $10 an animal, now they charge as much as $30. That's just too expensive."

And so you "compost" them?

"Yep."

How?

"Just cover them with manure and dirt."

Doesn't it smell?

"Nope."

How long does it take for the animal to...ummm.. disintegrate?

"Depends. Hogs pretty fast; cows take a couple of years."

What about the bones? Archaeologists dig up bones thousands of years old. Surely the bones take some time.

"Not really. Hogs completely disappear; cows' skulls and hip bones can take some time. But you can drive over them with the tractor and they just crumble."

(I don't even want to ask about the hoofs. The hoofs scare me.)

Can you use this "compost" in your fields like I use mine in my garden?

"Absolutely. But, actually, there's not much of a pile left after the bugs get through with it. I've been doing this for years and you really can't see much of a pile. Of course, this only works when you have one or two animals which die in a year. When the big hog confinements lose a couple of hundred hogs due to disease, then they call the renderers to dispose of them."

Thank God!

Dusty

2007-05-18T04:41:00.000-05:00

And, of course, we can't forget our other boy - Dusty!

Elvis

2007-05-18T04:11:00.000-05:00

For some time I've wanted to have Elvis' picture taken by a professional photographer. Since he is so black, his beautiful face is just lost in a black void on my camera. I knew that I would need proper lighting to get a good shot of his expressive face. So, last Saturday, DH and I took him to Lisa Thompson at The Darkroom in Algona. Here are the results. Isn't he sweet?

Thanks Lisa!

In Case You Haven't Noticed ...

2007-05-15T08:35:00.000-05:00

.... I haven't posted much lately. Two weeks ago I started on a colostrum regime. I did this mainly for the health benefits which were purported to occur using colostrum. My friend Kathy had been using Lepi-Trim for a couple of months and for the first time in years she could walk and sleep without pain. She's had both knees operated on for cartilage problems several years ago and she could barely move without pain. The weight loss she experienced was just an added benefit to go with the renewed energy she felt.

I read up on colostrum a bit and could find no ill, or side, effects to taking it and decided to go ahead with the program. I received my package of pills, powders and potions two Saturdays ago - the same day I woke up to an abscessed wisdom tooth. Having read that colostrum will boost your immune system (and having called the dentist only to find out he was gone until the next Wednesday) I decided to go ahead and start taking the stuff. Saturday and Sunday my jaw was so swollen I couldn't shut it. The dull, throbbing ache pretty much assured me I was in the middle of an abscess-induced nightmare. So, I took Tylenol for the pain, took my colostrum pills, used an ice pack and basically never moved off the couch. The only thing I could eat was luke-warm broth and I didn't really feel like eating that.

Sunday night I notice a reduced swelling but figured it was the Tylenol and ice. Monday morning the swelling was almost gone as was most of the pain. By Monday night I could eat and by Wednesday all swelling and pain was gone! (Unfortunately I still have to go to the dentist...ugh.)

I told you all that to tell you this: some people experience a "healing crisis" when they first start taking colostrum. I've read that, as the colostrum drives the toxins out of your body, some people actually feel worse for a while - bloating, diarrhea, rash, etc., etc. My healing crisis has been a full-blown case of the worst palmar pustular psoriasis I've ever had. (Yes-it's just as icky as the name sounds.)

The upshot is that it is arduous to type (and file and write..) so I've not even been leaving comments on blogs which I read like I usually do (not to mention posting anything here). Is it painful? Well, since I compare any "pain" I have to childbirth, then - no - not really. Annoying, more likely. But I have been staying away from the keyboard and even the mouse doesn't feel good in my hand. On the bright side, I've got a ton of energy so I've been getting stuff done around the house and yard that I've put off for lack of initiative. So that's a good thing.

I've got a bunch of stuff in my mind to post, but that will wait. I just wanted you (3 people who read my blog) to know that I have not died. Indeed - I feel great! I just don't feel like typing right now.

Fern Leaf Peony - 2007

2007-05-12T05:15:00.000-05:00

This is quite a bit different from this -

The above picture was taken last summer. That early April freeze really took it's toll on my Fern Leaf Peony as well as the Surprise Lillies which you can see in the background. I'll be very "surprised" if they bloom this year.

Below zero temperatures, blizzards and now rain has made this an interesting spring. I did get my garden in the last weekend in April though, and am I glad I did! I usually wait until Mother's Day to plant just to make sure we aren't hit with any late frosts, but we decided to work the ground as soon as it dried out to get our plants in. It was a perfect weekend with temps in the high 70's. The soil was pure heaven to work with. Then it rained the entire next week so we were really glad we hadn't waited.

Needless to say, the farmers are beside themselves with worry. The corn isn't all planted yet and the rains keep them from working the fields. But farmers, and gardeners, are a patient lot.

On another note - it was absolutely gorgeous this past weekend. DH and I golfed and gardened. It was a perfect Mother's Day. I hope all you "mothers" out there had a wonderful weekend as well.

Kitchen Tools

2007-04-20T08:46:00.000-05:00

I decided I'd better make some bread pudding today to use up some old bread we had and, besides, it's DH's favorite dessert. While cubing up the bread to put it in the bowl, I thought about some sort of kitchen gadget I'd seen "out there" (on the web) that was touted as perfect for cubing bread. I thought that maybe you might need such a thing if all you did was cube bread all day, but for six slices of bread, that might be a little bit of overkill. Which lead me to think about Ivonne's (my baking goddess) question to me way back when we were making crostata. She asked me if I had a food processor. Not an unfair question to be sure, especially in today's world. But it got me to giggling, then finally laughing uncontrollably.

After I got the dogs quieted down and assured that, no - mom has not lost her mind (completely), I decided to post my "food processor".

AND, it comes complete with attachments!

On the left is my pastry blender and on the right is my food chopper! See? I'm completely modern and up-to-date in all the latest kitchen utensils. And, yes, that is a cast iron knife brought from the nursing home. Even though I've bought two new knives from Pampered Chef (and they are lovely knives) this is still my "go to" knife for chopping. It's light weight and easily sharpened. It does, however, tire my hand if I have too much chopping to do (like during apple season). Maybe my new knives will be used more then. Who knows.

Spring Planting

2007-04-14T12:02:00.000-05:00

On my way home from Algona this morning I passed a farmer in his big John Deere 4-wheel drive tractor sitting forlornly at the entrance to his field. Looking in my rear view mirror I saw him back slowly out onto the highway. Like many others, he is chomping at the bit to get into his fields and start planting.

This time last year most farmers around here had their corn completely planted and were bravely holding off planting beans until May or June. The last two years have been extremely warm and dry during April and have allowed the farmers to get a jump on spring planting. But the 8 inches of snow we had two days ago (!) have made the fields impossible to work. Luckily we had a very mild fall and winter which allowed them to get most of their spring field work done. Now all they need is a few warm (please God!) days to dry off the fields and they'll be working day and night to get it done.

Coming from "the bottom" ["The bottom" is what the valley between our hills and the hills of Nebraska were called. Long ago the Missouri River cut a wide swath between the two, leaving fertile ground behind. I'm guessing it was about 20 miles wide and FLAT, FLAT, FLAT! Onawa is located on the bottom. I think that's why I always hated that town - it was too flat.] in Western Iowa, this drive to get into a field amuses me. Farmers around there are never in a hurry - mostly because they're farming gumbo. The standard "joke" is that gumbo is only workable one week out of the year. If it's too wet you can get a tractor stuck tighter than a tick on a mule. But when it drys out its like trying to farm cement and will break a cultivator like a candy cane.

I'm feeling bad for the farmers. I guess my little patch of garden is not such a big deal after all. Last night the weather guy said that the normal temperature for this month is supposed to be in the 60's - it's 48 right now and is the warmest it's been since the "heat wave" in March. Snow storms in Texas, tornadoes in Mississippi and cold up here in Northern Iowa. This should be an interesting year, to say the least.

Spicy Coleslaw

2007-04-03T09:51:00.000-05:00

Today is the Chamber's Annual Meeting and DH told me that "he'd" been asked to bring a salad for it. (Board members usually provide the side dishes.) When he told me this on Sunday, I knew exactly what I was going to make - my Spicy Coleslaw.

I make this throughout the year because it is so simple and so good! I'm not fond of mayo-based slaws, so when I found this recipe several years ago I was thrilled. It sounds like a whole lot of pepper, but, trust me - this slaw rocks!

Spicy Coleslaw

1 16 oz. package of coleslaw mix

5 green onions, chopped

2/3 cup olive oil (Important - use the good stuff for this!)

1/4 cup white vinegar (I've used wine vinegar and tarragon vinegar also)

1/4 cup water

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Whisk together the dressing and pour it over the cabbage and onions. The longer it sits the better it gets. Enjoy!

Winter Onions

2007-03-24T12:18:00.000-05:00

Don over at An Iowa Garden has been posting pictures of all the beautiful little early spring flowers that are poking their heads through the leaf litter in his yard. Since it was in the 60's here yesterday (!!!) I took the opportunity to take a walk through my yarden and see what was going on. You can imagine my surprise to see these things peeking out of my herb bed!

I remember planting some green onion bulbs last summer before the herbs got too full. But, as you can see, they quickly disappeared beneath the chaos and so I forgot about them.

Several years ago I bought some "winter onions" from Millie Madsen. She told me to plant them and forget them and they will winter over and come up in spades the next year. And let me tell you - she wasn't lying! They totally took over my behind-the-garage garden. They literally spread all over the place. And, frankly, I didn't care for the flavor as they are very strong.

So, when I pulled these yesterday, I knew for sure that I'd gotten hold of some winter onions. Whew! They may be small, but man, are they mighty! Now I have to decide what to do with these puppies. I'm thinking French Onion Soup. Or maybe the compost pile.

Playing in the Dirt

2007-03-23T06:32:00.000-05:00

Oh, poo. Now that I've told you the Obama story, I might as well show you what he did yesterday.

After the big toy soldier battle he had to bury the dead. Little boy fashion, he's digging a shallow grave with a stick (and his hands) to bury them in. The recent ice storm brought down plenty of branches for this grave task. (sorry...couldn't help myself!)

It's a good thing grandma has a nice "new" bathtub! This is the first week where the weather has actually acted like spring and he has been taking advantage of every minute. It's his spring break so we have had him all week long. (Spring break? In grade school???)

While he was busy digging, I baked some cookies. The gooey, double chocolate kind. Of course, he gets to lick the bowl.

I don't know whose luckier - us or him.

Bragging Rights

2007-03-23T06:03:00.000-05:00

Last month Barack Obama was campaigning in Des Moines and unless you live in Iowa, you probably didn't get much coverage of this event. If you do live in Iowa, then you saw it continuously talked about for two days on the TV networks. And in that coverage you might have heard about the question a first grader asked the candidate. Ahem..... yep. That was my grandson Quinten!

The fact that his mother (my daughter) would take a 7 year old to a political rally is amazing in and of itself. But when they opened the question period after his speech, Della said Quinten's hand just shot into the air. Since they were sitting towards the back and were pretty much invisible to Obama, a lady sitting behind them got up and went down to his aides to let them know a little boy really wanted to ask Mr. Obama a question. Della said when she saw an aide walk over to them with the microphone, she just about had a cow since she wasn't sure what would come out of Quinten's mouth.

Quinten is pretty sharp. He's known who the President AND Vice President are since he was three. Nothing much gets past his keen observations. When he was younger he and grandpa would watch Face The Nation, Fox News, and the rest of those Sunday morning political shows. It gave him great pleasure to watch grandpa yell at the TV. "Is he an idiot, grandpa?" he would ask when Don's face turned red. Now that he's older, he really doesn't care for that anymore, much preferring Sponge Bob to O'Reilly. (I have to agree with him there.)

So what did Quinten ask Mr. Obama?

"President Obama, when did you know you wanted to be President? Who was your favorite President when you were growing up?"

Yes, he really did call him "President Obama". Does this kid know something we don't?

Orange Geranium

2007-03-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

Every year I plant geraniums somewhere in my gardens. I love these plants for their colors and ease of growing. This past summer Millie (of Madsen Greenhouse) had a true orange geranium and I fell in love with its cheery face. So much so, in fact, that I dug it up and brought it inside with the other plants in the fall.

I know that geraniums do very well in pots over the winter because I've seen them in other people's windows. I always felt that they were so cheap and so plentiful during the growing season that there was no need to go to the trouble of digging them up and over-wintering them inside. But this color was so unusual that I just couldn't part with it. To my delight, not only did it thrive, but it just keeps blooming!

My Iowa Garden had a picture of her beautiful peach angel wing begonia and it inspired me to try my hand at photographing my little beauty as well. I think they turned out pretty well. I was worried that the color wouldn't come through, but it did.

Since March 20 (Tuesday) is the first day of Spring, (and since it's snowing right now...) I thought I'd brighten up my morning with some pretty pictures. Enjoy!