New Masthead

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!

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

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:

1. Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid clichés like the plague. (They’re old hat.)
6. Also, avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also, too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren’t necessary and shouldn’t be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
14. One should NEVER generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
16. Don’t use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. Kill all exclamation points!!!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place and omit it when its not needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
28. 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.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

Pride of Iowa Cookies

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

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

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

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?

(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

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....

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

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

 

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.