This One Is For Roger ~ And It Made Me Laugh My Ass Off

http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/06/08/patrick-stewart-knighted-with-klingon-batleth/

You're Welcome.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Did You Know This ?

Ask yourselves this question .

Did I in fact know that Aunty Pol is a huge Steampunk fan ?

Did Ya ?

Why yes, she is.

http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/05/26/steampunk-costumes-more-than-gears/

Just felt like sharing the love.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Happy Mew Year !

Our Secretary said that she would be happy to take one last bit of dictation before she goes home so...from all of us at the Casa:



HAPPY MEW YEAR !


Hugs and Headbutts to all of our kitteh and goggie friends out in the bloggysphere and of course their human servants. We hope that you all have sparkly clean ( water) and all the treats that you deserve. May your litter be scooped , your blankeys fluffy and your Mommy and Daddy never more than a yowl away.



Purrs..


Munchkin, Xena , Boshi, Loki, Andy and Gracie Marie.

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~Happy New Year !

Well , Great Caesar's Ghost...we blew through another year , didn't we ?

It's been a very, very very ..and just in ...very long day here Dah Firm. Unlike everyone else....we are open today, regular hours even. Even the PTB's that made this choice realized by mid morning that ..um...not so much. It gets this weird when the end of the yer falls on a friday because everyone in acct'g amongst others is just Bat Shit Crazy ... Super Sized even ..to get the friggan money in ...here's a thought for your consideration Oh Wise Ones :

" Let's not wait until the end of the year to get in gear with the clients..over 90 days ( deadbeats) or not to get the friggan invoices paid..or do you really want to write that much off thus completely killing the idea that Pol here is even going to get a 1 % raise ? "

Really..give it some thought ..we'll talk later.

Miss Jere Lee has another jobbie offer in writing no less that will be a better fit so get those prayer wheels out kids. It's a long...long story and so on. Hee Hee, she texted me wondering if hisself and I were going to be at the Casa around 3:45'ish pm..Um..no....I is at work..go ahead and borrow the cd's you want to and please see if you van get Andy to step out to potty...KTHXBAI..

I hope that everyone has a wonderful ..SAFE New Years...remember...for most people New years Eve is really amateur hour..we pro's stay at home ...and DUI's are costly.

If you happen to get HBO..the Divine One has a new show on tonight..I think it is either 8 or 9 pm....Central Time.

Be Cool.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

GAH !

I hate it when the powers that be all converge upon mah little head and decide to F with my PC at teh office..no not the Dark Loed of the Underworld and my BFF TE, just another case of the whims of the Olympians playing with mah head..whuich now hurts,.....


Carry On.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Well , I Feel Mo Bedder

Yes..I feel mo bedder after the last rant.

Nuff said.

I am looking forward to the weekend, not because of the New Year per se, hell, at our age , if we are both up at midnight...LMAO....so not happening. Sistah says that Pyro and his lovely bride will most likely be at their place which makes me feel a lot better since they are under blizzard conditions it seems in the Paloose and it is NOT going to change in 2 days time . I remember all tooo well that 7 miles of road between Moscow and Pullman in the ice...shudder. Good boy Pyro !

I am hoping that the girls will be over for dinner...LOL..yes Lisa...I am doing the Cajun pork loin and the Spanish rice. Miss Jere Lee gave me a jar of cranberry-orange honey butter that she bought at HEB and I am thinking that it would be muey perfecto on a simple butter pound cake..yeah..the baking bug lives. I made a chocolate Bundt cake for Christmas and used the mini toll house chips which turned out great....yes...dusting the chips with cocoa powder before folding them into the batter gives them something to adhere to in the batter so they don't all fall to the bottom and screw up the release..trust Aunty Pol here....I've got the Gingerbread recipe to try out for the castle and the project is underway.

The project you ask ?

Yes Indeedy.

The local newspaper on Wednesdays has a food section that we both read. More often than not,we spot something save worthy so we fold it and put it on the kitchen /pantry bookshelf.

And they stack up....and up...and up....squirrel !

SU and I have 2 different approaches to how we archive actual recipes. He prefers to throw them on the PC . Great..except I cannot or more accurately have not taken the time to understand how they are organized..just an observation dear..that's all.

If I find a recipe on a site like PW or FoodNetwork, I archive them in my personal recipe box. IF I need one..I print it. More often than not I run across a recipe in some other format so I need to print it out. Luckily for me, more often than not they work out and I make notes for future use and or changes.

This all went into a standard file..fine and dandy until I realized that the file was becoming the size of a volume of the US Tax Code ....and I had actually lost a recipe we loved.

NOT HAVING IT !

So..recently, I began the great sortage of dah recipes....no easy task I might add. But..it was a day off..and I had the 3 hole punch and a new binder...la la la la la.

It resembled a closing in a conference room...I was so proud of my organization.

And so I turned away to get a cuppa turbo.

And there was my son....

On the table.

On the stacks.

Helping his Mommy.

Yup.

Wheeeeee !

I hate to say it but it was sooo damn cute..I couldn't really get mad.

SO I picked it all up , vowing to do it again when he was out side.

And then SU and I went out to Carrabbas's for our anniversary.

Who can be mad at Mussels in white wine sauce, Calamari and a nice bottle of Chianti ?

Not I says Andy's Mommy.

Have a great week .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Feeling The Love

Ok...I need to vent one more time or I am going to carry this around all damn day and the old man has a gut ache as it is so I know I am going to continue to hear all about that..thanks honey.

Ahem.....

When I tell you things are a certain way ...for example on a delivery...I AM NOT MAKING THIS SHIT UP.

HEAR IT, EMBRACE IT, LEARN IT ....LIVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Idiot secretary calls me and asks me to get quotes on 2 deliveries up to the Woodlands area tomorrow...each one way..each on a 4 1/2 hour rate aka " slow boat to China."

The total for both is about $80.00 or so.

These are gifts of wine that the attorney is sending out to clients.

These are gifts of wine that the attorney is going to bill to business development.

These are gifts of wine that the attorney is going to write off the cost of delivery on.

Yes , I double checked..one driver can do both.

NO ! THERE IS NO COST REDUCTION BECAUSE THE DRIVER IS KINDA GOING THAT WAY ANYWAY.

The driver doesn't get all of that fee quoted paid to him..he gets a percentage because he works for commission.

Trust me...we lived the life for over 20 years.

If you think you have a better way Miss Kitty Litter..feel free to dial a courier service...go ahead..do an end run around me...not the first time.....

F'g Idiot.

It's not like you're paying for it.

GAH.

Carry On.

Aunty Pol

Merry Christmas Or Whatever You May Or May Not Celebrate

Okay, I had a really cute picture to post but then I saw this one on ICHC ( I can has cheezeburger for the virgins out there..I can hear you breathing..LOL)...and to be honest this is more the usual style at the Casa than any random form of uber cute.

Christmas Eve was nice with dah brudder. We started last year getting together for Christmas Eve and part of Christmas morning. The rules are quite simple....he will stay overnight as adult beverages will be served and I will feed him. Last year was an opportunity for me to spend a bit of time with my side of the family for once and now that we have done it again , I hope that this will become a tradition for he and I .

Roasty Beast was enjoyed by all and it was a very nice low key holiday...then we schlepped over to my sister in laws for the traditional bit....again very nice but notably different. Every one was in a thoughtful frame of mind but all in all ..a nice time.

And it's colder than a well diggers ass down here...at or below freezing is the forecast for the general Houston area...so whatever plants make it...good job...if not..it's been nice to know and tend you victims.

Have a safe weekend and stay safe and warm.

SU , dah kittehs and I hope Sandy Claws came through for you if that is your thing..if not..Happy Holidays nevertheless.

Feliz Navidad y'all.

Aunty Pol

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

By now everyone knows of my love for all things on TK ( Tasty Kitchen). I check it out every day, archiving recipes to my recipe box and generally worshiping at the collective feet of these amazing cooks and their posts and or blogs. Occasionally I get a friendship request which I usually accept without qualm because this is a nice little site devoted to cooking and it's creative genius Miss Ree Drummond...aka Pioneer Woman.

Today I got one such request and I accepted it . I looked at the nice gals blog roll that she follows because I find this often gives me a clue as to whether I want to follow her...do we have common interests and similar senses of humor ?

My blog could and most of the time is not for the faint of heart..I make no apologies..as friends have said " It's just like any conversation we are having.." so I never know who will read this or not. The majority of blogs that I follow have eleventy eight bazillion followers...my crew is small but we are mighty by gawd.

I know..is there a point to this post you are asking ??

Why, yes there is.

There I was hopping over to this blog I saw..the name was too cute not to check out:

http://www.buttercreambarbie.com/

Low and behold there was a recipe for Gingerbread cake...in a bundt pan.

Now all y'all know I love to use a bundt pan and I love anything with Brer Rabbit Molasses...no other brand will darken my pantry...Brer Rabbit or nuttin.

So..here, from ButtercreamBarbie and Fannie Farmer is:

Sour Cream Gingerbread Cake:

Yield : 1 10 imch Bundt cake

1 cup butter ( 2 sticks )

1 cup sour cream

2 c. sugar

1 c. molasses

4 eggs

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan.

Cream the butter and slowly add the sugar, beating until light . Add the molasses and sour cream and blend well. Add the eggs, beating until well mixed. Mix together the baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Add tot he first mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour into the pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: I use a metal grill skewer to test Bundt cakes..it has a better length for accuracy in a deep pan.

I have the Nordic castle pan and I think that it is a 10 cup..that will be the one I use.

Enjoy.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Holiday Wishes For 2010.

Happy Holidays From Casa de Swamp !

SU, Munchkin, Loki, Xena, Boschka, Andy , Gracie Marie and I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday.

For Sistah, Double Oh Mullet and Pyro, I wish safety in all of the snow, no loss of power, no accidents and love for not only the new year but for all time.

For Jere Lee and Miss Cindy, I wish a better year in 2011, less stress and the possibility that we might have more than a rare occasion to hit Pappa's for that hot spinach and lump crab meat dip. They are the best neighbors that anyone could ask for and I love them more than my shoes.

For the Crazy Cajun and dah Missus, I wish for an easing into the world of being in laws and hope that it will all sort itself out. Failing that , SU and I are always available as shoulders to vent upon with ample vino for all.

To Nee Nee, Space Ghost and their Kittehs , I wish less hairballs and more of the happy happy joy joy...squirrel.

To our friends who were there to support us and specifically SU this past year in the loss of his beloved mother, we love you and appreciate you more than you know. We will all get thru this and when it happens in your lives as we all know at our ages that it will, be assured that SU and I will be there . If I have time, I promise hot dish for everyone.

To my in laws I wish peace and contentment as we go forward in this new way in our lives.

To my family , I wish health and safety...that's all anyone needs...Squirrel.

To Roger , Rae, Miranda Jane and their Kittehs, I wish happiness , love and the knowledge that out there in the universe lurks the dreaded Space Cow...I kid ...I kid...

To Calamity Anne, I wish success in her new venture and joy in her life with the Big Boober and her family..Feliz Navidad Babe.

To PG, I wish a better job and less Ass hats like CL...and the decent tips that this gal deserves every damn shift...

To Miss Lisa and the gang at the Stute, Miss Laurie and Miss Charlene at IBKC, and all the other bloggers that dedicate themselves to finding forever homes for those in need, I wish love and joy because that is what you give to others.

To Miss Ree , I wish another best seller and the time to write another cookbook that I can buy for Sistah and her Momma.

To all the bloggers I read daily, you make it possible to get through bad days and you are my sanity or whats left of it.

Peace Out Y'all.

OXOXOXO

Aunty Pol

Overnight French Toast With Almond Streusel and Apricot Maple Syrup

I am all for the lazy..errr...efficient time management method of doing things and this looks interesting for a Christmas Day or New Years Day ( depending on the amount of festive you have inflicted on your liver ) prepare ahead Brekky.

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Makes : 6 to 8 servings

Prep time: About 1 hour plus soaking and drying time .

For The French Toast Whisk Together:

7 eggs

1 1/4 c.milk

1 1/4 c. half and half

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 baguettes,ends trimmed , sliced and dried

For The Streusel Combine:

1/2 c. flour ( all purpose)

1/4 c. sugar

1/8 tsp salt

3 Tbl. butter, melted

1/4 c. sliced almonds

1/2 tsp almond extract

For the Syrup Simmer:

1/2 c. apricot preserves

1/2 c. pure maple syrup ( not the buttery kind)

1/2 tsp . lemon juice

Coat a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking dish with non stick spray.

For the French toast whisk eggs,milk, half and half , 1.2 c sugar, vanilla and nutmeg together in a large bowl.

Tear up the baguettes and toss them in the whisked egg mixture. Let stand 5 minutes to absorb the liquid. Arrange the baguette pieces in the prepared baking dish flat sides down. Pour any left over liquid over the bread. Cover and refrigerate anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.

For the streusel combine the flour, 1/4 c. sugar, salt, butter , sliced almonds and almond extract in a bowl, mixing to combine. Sprinkle over the baguettes in the baking dish and bake until the bread is set for aprox 30 minutes.

Serve with the simmered preserves, maple syrup and lemon juice.

Enjoy the carb coma..hell..it's the holidays.

Thoughts:

Okay..this is nothing scarier than bread pudding for breakfast and how bad can that be ? As far as the syrup, if apricots are not your thing..consider substituting some other flavor...I'm thinking orange marmalade...

Enjoy.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

I'll Take Perspective for Two Hundred Alex

I'm trying to keep a sane perspective as best I can...I really am. I have made friends with the headache that I have gifted myself with by either clenching my jaw with enough force to crack a walnut sans dentures no less ....or by the simple yet soothing continual grinding of same said dentures.

It's not that I hate the holidays as much as the combination of holidays and end of the year sheenanigans..err....collections from all of our fine upstanding clients.

GAH !

Certain clients have ramped up their neediness by becoming even more creative in their bald face lies that I am forced to hear on a daily basis.

Your attorney and his or her paralegal/assistant/Della Street did not return any of the eleventy billion voice mails that you , poor thing have left until you are weak with exhaustion and overcome with the fear that ICE or someone else will come knocking on your door ? And yet yelling, screaming and generally being a completely hatted one to me, the poor, unskilled ignorant female receptionist that you are forced to deal with.. seems to restore your spirits and renews your faith in all mankind ?

Oh Goody !

Oh potential new fellow citizen of these hallowed United States Of America...I do long for the day that you get your green card/legal status/oath of citizenship so that I may accord your the full and equal disdain that I carry for other fellow citizens of this fair land...in an equal and fully democratic fashion mind you.

Just wait...your day will come.

I am trying to simply let it all go...perspective being what it is.

You see, Jere Lee had some awful news to share with us last night.

Before she moved in next door, as is her custom, she befriended a family that lived near her. To call them hillbilly would have raised their status...these poor dears were a true example of destitute . You've all heard the phrase.." So poor they didn't have a pot to piss in ?" These folks didn't even have a window to empty the above mentioned pot. Their eldest son was the first in the family to actually graduate high school this past June. Jere and I made sure that he had a decent shirt pants and shoes for this occasion and at least he is working. The next to youngest child has some heart issues that are the kind that require many open heart procedures and the youngest is maybe 5 .

Monday night their mother came home to find Ronnie the father dead on the kitchen floor at the age of 36.

No, it was not a suicide.

Ronnie had some genuine health issues, a touch of hypochondria and as nodding acquaintance with beer and or pills. He will have to be autopsied and so Jere and I are wracking our brains trying to come up with a plan..any plan to help these folks at least raise the money so that he can be cremated.

Poor Patience, the youngest , she was " Daddy's Girl" and I can relate. My own father was in the hospital this time of year and January 9, 2011 marks the 7'th year that he has been gone. To lose a parent is nightmare enough..to do so during the holidays makes it gut wrenching.

Please be kind to those you love this holiday season...it does make a difference.

Feliz Navidad.

Aunty Pol

The Twelve Days Of Christmas ~ Cajun Style ~

Go to Mr. Linky here for the complete poem.

www.cajun-shop.com/cajun-twelve-days-of-christmas.htm

Fall over laughing.

Carry On

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Downtown Abbey

Go over to :

www.janeaustensworld.wordpress.com

Check out the information on the new " Downtown Abbey" .

Huzzah !

According to sources, Jean Marsh, she of the beloved " Upstairs Downstairs" has taken exception to what she claims is a pretty flat footed rip off of her creation.

Jean dearest...Get over it.

As more than one person has said.." You only have so many formats possible to use when you are depicting the difference between the classes.

I don't recall Ms Marsh screaming rip off at Merchant Ivory when they created such films as " Remains Of The Day" or " Howard's End".

If she was of a mindset to revisit her beloved series, don't you think she and BBC or PBS would have done so by now ?

It's not as if there is a flood of this type of quality programing to choose from as it is today.

Carry On,

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Rosettes

Ok..I am going to make it easy on everyone.

Go to :

www.pinchmysalt.com

Look at the blog entry for December 16, 2010.


I am a HUGE fan of the author and Nicole has a step by step illustrated guide on how to make rosettes...go there...go there now.

I haven't made them for years..but it's like making 7 layer bars...I've made them for so long that I just know how to do it...some folks are less enthusiastic when it comes to frying which is fine...'

Nicole makes it fun to learn. Her blog is beautiful and like Miss Ree's Tasty Kitchen, it is one I read every day and follow.


Rosette irons are easy to find specially during the holidays..it's one of those weird gifts that people either have because it is a family/traditional Scandinavian baked good or they have been given one....like a fondue pot.

Try them...it's fun and they are to die for.


Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Krumkake

Krumkake:

Ingredients :

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1c. powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 small can evaporated milk or 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 c. melted butter

*melted chocolate for dipping

*whipped cream and fresh berries

Directions:

Beat the eggs and flour while continuously stirring. Then add the sugar, vanilla , almond extract and evaporated milk or heavy cream. Beat in the melted butter . Heat the Krumkake iron and drop 1 tablespoon onto the iron and press. Hold for about 30 seconds. Remove IMMEDIATELY and roll around the wooden cylinder into a cone shape. Fill with chocolate or berries or softened , sweetened cream cheese.

The above is the basic recipe and I can tell ya..my family used to fight over this still.....pure gold.

I promise this week..the Rosette recipe.

You can also use any Pizzelle recipe you want to with the same method..the only difference is that a pizzelle is not rolled around the cylinder..they stay flat and the most traditonal recipes use anise flavoring . Some might not like the anise or licorice flavor..simply use vanilla or almond extract in place of the anise..presto chango...all is right with the world.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

I Can Hear The Angels Singing Naow !

Krumkake.

Yes...

My grandparents were a very traditional, old county couple. Grandpa was as very educated Lutheran ( lutrin..oh ja sure you betcha ) minister and my grandmother came from a very well connected, monied family..but you would never know it...Elizabet was not one to put on airs. They lived for over 40 years in Winthrop, Minnesota ( MEEEENNNAAASOOOOOOTA) , pop . 764, not including the cows. Their marriage was a solid, traditional one, yet I was amazed that when my grandmother was becoming frailer and frailer from cancer, the man who was unable to get out of the Barcalounger to see if the coffee was done boiling and pour himself a cup....well...whaddaya know...Grandpa taught himself to cook. Lord that man could carry on about the Amana microwave.

And could he make Krumkake !

The Moosemeat was a given..okay....let me 'splain that. My uncles and Grandpa would go up to Canada every year to hunt..moose...deer...elk...not for sport per say..for food. My uncles could afford to do what ever they wanted but it was a tradition that they go " Hunting with Dad". My Grandpa made a dry summer sausage that we always called Moosemeat..hey we called Uncle Dicks huge ass Thunderbird car the " Birdie Bus"..so it made sense...we were also maybe under the age of 5 when we came up with this....anyhoo....Moosemeat was a prized delicacy in our family.

Same for the Krumkake.

One year Grandpa gave SU and I the bottom picture..a traditional Krumkake iron.

The problem is that we have a ceramic cook top...can't use it.

I have been thinking about this lately since I came across my rosette irons. My Grandmother taught me how to bake and I have vivid memories of her in the parsonage making rosettes...which reminds me of the Krumkake...and how dearly I miss them both.

So what do I find in my meanderings on the interwebs ?

Holy mother of God...an electric Krumkake Iron.

I want one.

And yes...I am going to post the recipe in the next post for Krumkake.

Feliz Navidad.

Aunty Pol

Tron

Yep..we went to see it yesterday.

I liked it but in some ways was disappointed by it.

Unrealistic expectations....possibly.

Spoiler alert..

In the original , the characters of Alan and Flynn were such that you actually cared about them.

Yes, we all hated David Warners characters Sark/Ed Dillinger and the MCP. We all loved Kevin Flynn /CLU, Alan Brady/Tron and Dr. Lora Baines/Yori...we made a connection to these characters quite possibly because the movie itself was and is groundbreaking for it's time .

The late great Bernard Hughes was brilliantly cast as Dr. Walter Gibbs Dumont and as the moral center of the film, and for all of us that are B5 geeks, as I have mentioned before Peter Jarasik was Crom, the first character to be de-res'd.

Like " War Games" , the real fear back then was the looming possibility that warfare would be ultimately be controlled by machine and not man. As idiotic as this seems now, to take the human out of the equation was an unspeakable nightmare that is to some the true definition of Armageddon.

Yes..these characters and this story made a lot of us care, plus it was some cool shit for 1982.

Yet in Tron Legacy, to me at least, that connection was missing . Yes . the special effects were bigger and badder..tho there was not as much of the 3 d effect as I would like to have seen..I am a greedy guts after all .

Bridges seemed to be doing more Lebowski than anything else...and I can see you shaking your heads as you read that last bit.." This is a problem Aunty Pol because why ?"...BECAUSE you have to think that Kevin Flynn cares that he has been missing out on the majority of his son Sam's life as he ( Flynn) is trapped on the grid.

His Son.

Not Encom, his son.

Um...not so much.

And Sam ? Now after you get over the joy ( lacking ) of a reunion..now..if I had been separated from my only parent, I can guarendamntee you that there would also be more than a little bit of " WTF ,, you didn't even TRY to get out of here..home to me ?"

Yes..the good guys have the blue stripes, the baddies red...and I wasn't as bothered by the CGI de-aging of Bridges as others have been...but as a danger..CLU was less threatening than your average bill collector...his Army wants to go through the portal ?

Fine.

I know 12 year olds that will frag their ass in a heartbeat.

As a co worker and I concluded...Tron has been Jar Jar'd.

I could weep.

At least " Green Lantern , Thor, Green Hornet and Captain America " look decent,.

Carry On.

Aunty Pol

Mondays

Yep...shoulda stayed in bed, I think the bronchial crap is flaring up again...shite !

On the other hand, we are as good to go for Christmas as we are gonna get ..

Have a great week.

Feliz Navidad !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Drum Roll Please.....

From " McHale's Navy" circa 1997..Bruce as Virgil.

Yes..that movie...the one that was so wretched that Bruce is the only damn reason to watch it.

I have spent the better part of the day like everyone else at the office peeved and then some at the wonkiness that is our access to the internet...and yes darling co-workers who read this, I suspect it is that doc review going on in the fishbowl that is somehow a part of all of this tho tall dark and lovely will not confirm or deny..the chickenshit.

Another cold front is blowing through tho no where near what the folks in Meeenaaasoooota have been subjected to or what Sistah and Double Oh are dealing with...no..we have the overcast grey cold humid shit that is every indication that rain which we sorely need is on the way ...and yet the weather does another fake out so..no rain...watering pots on the patio ..most likely in the dark is on the game plan.

And all I want to do is sleep. Part of the problem is that when I have been as sick as I ( we) have been , sleep is in fits and starts..neither restful or productive. At least all of the Christmas stuff is done, the Princess's package is on the way, cards are done...I will have to do some house work at some point...and I want to sleep.

Oh well....no rest for the ......you know the rest.

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Google Lutefisk.

I dare you .

Then thank any or all of the Deities that are a part of your life to whatever degree that you are not of Scandanavian heritage.

Sorry Mom and Grandma and Grandpa..yep.

My mother was first generation this country from Sweden.

Uff Dah !

Not in my house, not now , not ever !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Happy National Cupcake Day !

Happy National Cupcake Day !

Go check out : http://www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/

Yes, if it's a weird holiday, I'm gonna find it and post about it .


Now, I'm starvin Marvin..lol


Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Holiday Weirdness - Oh Yeah !

Holiday Weirdness..

No , I don't mean weird shit like Great Aunt Elna's fruitcake...don't ask.

Holiday weirdness , that special time of the year that generally makes Ol Pol here cringe and then think of bourbon with fond memory ..having moved on to Vodka and Cranberry juice..hey ..it's healthy ! Don't judge.

Bear in mind that you could for all practical purposes put what I know about kids in the eye of a needle and still have room for a full size sleeper sofa,

Cooking , I know.

Baking , I know.

Gardening , I know.

RPG's and being a GM , I know.

Kids...not so much.

That being said, of course I am going to ask beloved nephew and his wife what to get the Princess for Christmas.

Jeans....jeans with both a button fly and elastic in the back at the waistband because this child is the only one in our family who has NO ASS at all and has to hike her drawers more often than not.

Drawers = pants/jeans for you Yankees out there.

So there I am at the Mall at 6:50 pm.

At J.C. Pennys.

The first bit of weirdness is that we get a parking space fairly close to the entrance..but again it is early so I figure I have hit that spot in time where it's really enough that the folks haven't hit the mall just yet..SU says that since I don't need his expert opinion, he's just as happy to wait in the car with his buddy Sirius radio.

Coupons in hand ( hey...I'm a pro at this ) ..off I go to peruse the land of size 5T. Granted, even I know that this is at the top end of the scale for this size bracket so of course , like the perfect bra size..36C..mixed metaphor much (?) ..off I go to find the specifics that she will need. Then I realize that her birthday is also in 3 weeks so I'd better get something birthday-ish while I am there.

Little girls clothes...is there anything cuter ?

OMG.

Thunk.

Okay Pol..calm down...be reasonable.

Off to find the register..yep...just look for the line.

Sunovabitch...they actually have more than one cashier there...and they are pleasant...and helpful...WOW !

As I navigate my way towards catalog to pick up some boxes it hits me just how bad the economy is....very few people are shopping...folks that are working retail even are grateful to have jobs at all.....

I hope that things turn around for all of us and that the economy picks up because while I am the first gal in line for a sale, coupon in hand...part of me misses the hustle and bustle that immediately sets my teeth on edge as I consider the trek to the mall at Christmas...

And that my friends is pretty damn weird...even for me.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

The Baking Bugs Got A Hold Of Me..LOL

Doughnut Muffins

Batter:

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c . sugar

1/3 c . brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1.2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 to 1 1.4 tsp nutmeg to taste

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract ( 1/2 tsp if using double strength Mexican vanilla)

2 2/3 c. flour ( all purpose)

1 c. milk

Topping :

3 Tablespoons melted butter

3 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease a standard muffin tin or line with 12 paper or silicone muffin cups and grease the cups to ensure a proper release. ( I just grease the muffin pan with Crisco)

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil and both sugars until smooth.

Add the eggs, beating well to combine.

Stir in the baking powder, baking soda , nutmeg, salt and vanilla.

Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and make sure everything is thoroughly combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan filling the cups nearly full .

Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes until they are a pale golden brown and as cake tester inserted into the center comes away clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

While they are cooling melt the butter and brush the tops of the muffins then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture .

Yep...I'm feeling better finally and the baking bug has got me.

One of the things that bums me out is that January is such a let down to me..the holidays are over ..people are grumpy, the weather just sucks here tho not as bad as it is for the Sistah..so I think that I am going to focus on trying out new baking recipes in January...I love to bake and it is a non holiday something new that should be fun..I'll keep you posted.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Monday ~ The MEH Report

She Lives !

Yes darlins...Aunty Pol is back from damn near what felt like the brink of death....I kid you not , SU was right there with me , sniffles and all.

Yesterday for the fist time since Thanksgiving, I was able to clean the Casa and heh heh..trust me ..it was needed. Of course , it took me three times as long to do what bits that I did and it was by no means a complete job but what the hell..I can live with it. SU doesn't seem to get that when the house gets to a certain point..sick or not, I cannot stand it nor can I function in it. It depresses me..it really does. I get depressed enough as it is when I am sick and truth be told, I probably have been borderline with depression for the majority of my adult life but since I consider my plate full as it is....depression will just wave to take a number.

It's gotten cold again down here, or what passes for such and everyone at both of our jobs are getting hit with the crap that we has and I doubt that the weather is helping. It's not cold enough really for a hard freeze, tho to hear the weather wonks tell it , it is. LOL..tell that to Sistah and Double Oh..not to mention Pyro..they will laugh their asses off as they watch the roads and schools close. I have made the executive decision that regardless of when or if we freeze, there is going to be some changes in the flower beds....can you hear me now Hydrangeas ? I love you, I adore you but you are a hell of a lot of work for not a lot of result and I am tired of the water bill.

We are so far behind on the holiday stuff it's not funny. Cards haven't been bought and other than the folks and immediate family most likely won't go out this year..I just don't have it in me this year and I am giving myself a pass for once. It's going to be hard enough keeping the youngest brother from going off the deep end as it is...you see I just found out last night that our step mother has recently had 3 biopsies , and at least one of them is positive for cancer..I don't know more than that right now. Chuckleheaded Yuth or Chuck for short was all " Call her now.."...Um....dude..honey..it's 9:30 here ( 7:30 where she is )..I can barely talk and you need to calm down. This is her news to share in her own way with SU and I . She is 80 after all and by that point , most of us have has some sort of cancer scare. I am sure that she wants to tell the step sibs first of all, and have a moment or three to process all of this...AND...she knows that we just lost SU's mother to cancer just under 7 months ago...I did get her a belated birthday card and sent it off....we will do what we need to do for her..be cool.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

A PSA For Sistah

My Sistah is one of the kindest , most helpful go to gals on the planet..always has been always will be.

She lives in the Great White North ( Eh ! ) and is generally the one that makes sure that every one gets home when the snow hits the fan or the roads get all icy. She will go grab the grand pups and bring them to the house if the kids are out as needed. She is the one that you can count on, not out of a Martyr complex, just because it is both the way that she is and the way that she has been raised. As much shit as I give Double Oh , he is the same way and this is the way that they have raised my Godson Pyro....yes darling boy..since you are a firebug..LMAO..you shall forever be known as Pyro..deal with it.

SO KITTEN..YOU DECIDED TO STIR UP SOME SHIT AT HER OFFICE ?

REALLY ?

Who died and made you God ?

Who put you in charge..when did you get the authority to set policy, much less enforce it ?

Unlike you KITTEN...Sistah and her co-workers ( and yes you stupid twat, they are co workers because they actually WORK TOGETHER for the common benefit of all parties concerned) follow the rules and policies, they do not need some sorry ass snarky toned missive from a low level bottom feeder who's only applicable power may be the PSI exuded by repeated Kegel exercises..( look it up Bimbo)......Sistah is much too much of a lady to respond to a jumped up file clerks need for glory and dominion over those she is so far above ( In Kittens own mind that is..)

I

AM

NOT

Mess with Sistah...big mistake.

Mess with me ?

FUCKING EPIC

Aunty Pol..who wipes trash like you off her shoes every damn day honey .

Happy Monday - Sorta

I am tired of being sick..and tired. I have slept so much in the last 4 days that it's beyond insane and of course I am in the small but elite section of the population that will have a fairly graphic and adverse reaction to the most generally prescribed anti biotics..Z Pack even.

Do not ask...

I am now toughing this shit out in more ways than one come to think of it and at least SU is feeling better...and as luck would have it the office Christmas party is this coming Thursday . I told SU that unless we are both able to walk on water so to speak,,,bag the par tay which is regrettable since the PTB's have some pretty nifty door prizes that they draw for and I want to laptop..plus it is going to be at the Rice hotel again and that is one of the prettiest restorations that I have seen in the city over the last 29 years..yes , I have been down here that long.

Miss Jere Lee is getting better, for all my whining, I cannot fathom how awful it would be to get sick on a cruise as she did and thank you Jeebus Miss Cindy seems to be avoiding all of this..or us...whatever...one of us needs to stay well between the two houses.

I want my jammies !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

And Now For The Merely Obvious

I for one am amazed at the stupidity of some of the social network's...so sayeeth the woman who spends far too much time on Farmville, Frontierville, Mafia and Vampire Wars , not to mention Bejeweled Blitz.

Stop laughing , you're going to spew your beverage as you fall over.

Yes..I saw that spit take.

Let me start by saying that I know that privacy is an illusion.

DERP !

I am careful or try to be about who I let know about this blog..my personal blog.

I try.

That being said, if the person that has ticked me off is actually reading this and they are for the record , neither current co-workers or friends..and they think it may apply to them, it most likely does.

Whether it is Myspace, Parkingspace, Google, Goggle, Facebook , Cookbook or Librarybook , looking up data or phising is WTF easy..it takes very little in the way of an actual skill set and it more often than not a case of sheer dumb ass luck .

Look up whomever you want..I don't give a rats ass.

More often than not there is some sort of linkage that ties a group of names together..hobbies, places of employment..you get the idea.

Search " I Lite My Farts " , I can almost guarendamntee you that they are there.

I shudder to envision their collective profile photo's by the way.

When you send me an e mail , giving and then assuming a pithy reply , to the status of someone I work with , regarding their personal life in any fashion, regardless of their relative status to me in the Firms Food Chain..to my work friggan PC

YOU ARE AN IDIOT !

First of all, I don't give a FLYING FUCK.

I do not, and will not gossip about my personal friends that way..especially in this format...and for the rest of the people that I have to engage during the week..illness of self or child is one thing..Hot Dish is on the way honey...SU and I will do whatever is needed.

Marital status...legal proceedings...umm....no.

Not My Bidness.

If you need a shoulder to vent, lean on or cry too,,,yeah...I can do that.

I am self editing.

Out of self respect for us both , I delete the details once you are fine..it's not something I want to hang on to or carry home.

My mind , like my oven is self cleaning.

But don't think for a minute that I didn't grasp a phishing expedition.

Nuh Uh.

Don't go there again, even if you meant it in a " harmless , chummy " way , because I can promise you ..that if you are going to think that I am dumb enough to fall for that...I am going to certainly re-evaluate what your demonstrated opinion of me is...and ..

It is not promising for you .

Carry On .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Finally...I A Pair Of Teva's I WOULD Wear

Mwahahahaha !

My prayers to St. Manolo have been heard.

A pair of Teva's I would wear.

Don't ask about the price..SU reads this bloggy.

Wheee !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Retail Therapy For The Win !

It takes very little to cheer my own bad self up after a somewhat sleep deprived night or two ( no honey, it really isn't your fault...I know you feel like crap to the point you didn't fuss about going to the doc in the box..settle down ) .

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a die hard fan girl of Miss Ree's so of course I got any number of e mails from fellow fan girls with the announcement of the release date of ner new book.

And of course, Moi being Moi, I pre-ordered three copies.

No Sistah...do not argue with me.

I ordered a copy for both of us and of course one for your mother since she is a bit of a city girl her own badself.

Now, if Miss Ree would just do up a new cook book.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Send Prayers To Lady Lisa Over At The 'Stute

It just broke my heart to read that Lady Lisa had to help Winnie to the Rainbow Bridge . It was too damn soon, it really was.

Winnie had some similar health issues as Xena and Lady Lisa and I helped each other as needed when it got to be a hassle and the poo/pee wa just another " Damn'd mess we had to deal with." Just this morning , I had to grab the paper towels because Xena had another accident on the plastic..but with SU home ill..it really was the last thing I was concerned with .

I would have posted a bit and Lady Lisa would have replied with a hug and a laugh and we'd get through it all over again....

Losing one of our babies is just one of those things that you think will just be the end of it all, and I dread it every time...we all do..I dread losing any of them.,yes even Gracie...I have become so close to the six of them as has SU ..

And I know that Lady Lisa will be there to let me know that as much as it hurts..it was time when we go through the hell of losing one of our babies,. I just wish I was actually there to give her a hug and a kleenix and a glass of wine .

It never gets easier, and maybe it's supposed to be that way..I'm not sure ..but we love them so much, we manage to struggle through one way or another .

I love you honey , and we are soo sorry about Winnie. She will be up there with Sarge, TJ, Casey, Bubba, Peaches, Keesha , Jake , Missy and Oogie...I have ordered Tuna steaks and Niptini's for them all.

Love,

AP/Jane

Monday Monday

Happy Monday y'all !

I am a happy girl because I found the replacement piece for my Noritake China boat...the irony is not lost here by the way.

I inherited my mothers china when she passed away in 1981 and of course it is now a discontinued pattern..see honey...it's not just the Pfaltzgraff we originally picked out either ..( also discontinued..of course). Over the course of three children( my brothers and I , not SU's and mine BTW ) and many years, parts of the set were broken....set being the operative word because my mother Betty was apt to buy the whole damn set as she well could..whether Daddy could afford it or not...In all fairness , he was just as likely to say.."Oh hell Bess..go ahead and buy the complete set..". He was that kinda guy.

I use the china , not as often as I would like and I think that I will be breaking it out more because after all..what's the use of it sitting in the china keeper cover thingys anyway if not to be used .

Just sayin.

Anyhoo...SU determined a few years ago that I have inherited the " Must find the PROPER bowl/plate/ server " for the item to be served..ie " Now that's the right /correct bowl for the mint jelly..."

Yup.

Not from my late mother bear in mind...from my father .

Genetics.

Do I need the gravy boat?

Yup.

Is it outrageous in it's price ?

Nope.

Will it make me feel better?

OH HELL YES !

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Still Alive At The Casa !

No darlins, Aunty didn't fall off the face of the planet..not yet anyway.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving..SU and I stayed home this year which was nice for us since it gave us the opportunity to invite a guest and therefore do a small kindness...and then of course there was also the puppy/bird sitting..no not as a hybrid from the Island of Dr. Moreau...the girls are /were away and so theree ya go..like I was going to say No ?

Have we met ?

Not a lot is going on , I did have the chance to do some stuff around the joint that rarely gets done but did not go over the edge..no..not all of the silver got polished..only the bits I needed to use for the dinner..I'm the first one to admit to being a lazy shit so there ya go.

And of course it turned colder and SU has his semi annual head cold thingy going on...yeah team...I know...it's expected more often than not this time of year as we are both run pretty ragged by now.

Sigh.

Love and hugs to Sistah, Double Oh, Lady Lisa and her babies ( how is Winnie ?)...Miss Calamity Anne and the Boober...Miss Laurie, The Meezers and their Momma..and all of my gal pals and the furry folk.

Have a great week, be safe and warm .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Serves 6

Prep Time:P 10 Minutes

Cooking Time: 1 Hour 15 minutes

Bake @ 375 degrees

Ingredients:

6 Sweet Potatoes, even in size and scrubbed

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

4 Tablespoons butter , room temperature

4 Ounces cream Cheese , room temperature

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place sweet potatoes on a tray and bake for 1 hour until soft. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Split potatoes and remove the flesh to a medium size bowl, reserving the skins . In another bowl, add brown sugar, butter , cream cheese and all of the spices , mashing with a fork to mix.

Add butter and cream cheese mixture to the sweet potato flesh and fold to combine. Add the filling back into the reserved skins and place on a sheet tray.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

I think I can cut this recipe in half and make it for Thanksgiving. SU loves sweet taters.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

An Interesting Day

It's been an interesting day for the SU.


Yes, this is the graphic I have used before when I talked about the situation with his late Mother and don't panic..nothing bad to report here.

And I'm just kinda tapped out on the " Monday , John Barrowman " thingy right now, I need new stuff....anyhoo.

Today is Pop's 82 birthday so SU , being SU took the day off to spend with his Dad. The first thing you have to know is that they are the proverbial two peas in a pod..for all the good and bad that that can be. I do not know if I have ever met two more mule headed men...ever. Looks, attitudes , mannerisms..you get my drift.


SU has always rebelled against this idea. He is the wild child in the family..the hippy..tell him to go right, his usual response is a hearty " F You...I'm hookin a left. His younger sister was always the responsible one, the go to one...the good one..and the more this was shown or implied the more he rebelled. I have made known to my husband at various, vociferous times how much this pisses/pissed me off but him being him either shrugged it off or internalized it all. It seems men do that.,it was the role he was cast in.

For the greater part of our marriage, his mother had dealt with cancer, heart issues, brittle bones, a colostomy and a myriad of other lesser issues. It was what it was. For the last few years as we both watched the final act, I actively encouraged him to spend as much time on the weekends as I could with them .

Yesterday he went to his parents church and did the holiday ( Thanksgiving cafeteria food ) dinner bit.

Today he took the day off and spent the day, just him and his dad playing golf and hanging out.

And it was one of the best days of his life if you asked him.


The pressure and the guilt and the obligation of being a child watching a parent cope with the shit was gone.

It's been six months and they are both in their own way moving on and making a new path for themselves.

It was a good day.


Ciao,

Aunty Pol