If You Substitute The Word Co-Worker For Customer ...Yeah...It's Like That .

Ms. Shea ~ You Really Are An Idiot OF The First Order .

Ms. Shea, what the hell ?

Yes, you were terminated . You are a public figure who like many has both a blog and a following and yet you fail to grasp like so many others a simple fact of life , usually filed under " Common Sense " . Let me take this slowly so that you might grasp the salient points.

1. You were hired as one of the public faces of the station, the key word being public. Offending any group such as the elderly with your quip " They scare me " is not conducive to increasing your employers ratings or revenue. The station is a business with the goal of making a profit. Losing viewership therefore revenue is not the business model that the station or any other for profit company aspires to.

2. Stealing mail is as  far as I believe a Federal offense . If not, it should be.

3. Dropping the F bomb ? Full disclosure time: Any one who has read this blog , worked with me or knows me in real life knows that I can be delightfully vulgar when appropriate. I also have a habit of dropping the colorful invective here. I do in all honesty try me best to keep my filters in place when I am at work...or at least insert Frak for the other fun F word. I am not a public figure .

4. I do not write about my workplace except in the most general terms. I do not name names, I give nicknames and given that there are only a small select few who have either access to or knowledge of this blog , while I may be confident that my employers are unaware of the blog...PRIVACY IS AN ILLUSION AT BEST....I never assume I have that regarding this blog no matter how hard I try. I know for a fact that my husband and dear friends read this so I try my best to bear in mind that if my late Baptist mother in law might be offended, I really need to rework the post using other language.

5. The First Amendment does not cover blogs, facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest or any other app/format for conversations or information.

In conclusion dear, put your big girl panties on, slap a filter over your mouth and your prose and join the rest of the grownups. You're acting like a reality tv personality and frankly, that ship has finally sailed.


Warmest Regards,
Aunty Pol

A Message To The Barbarian With The Squirty Things

Just Quit It.
I am not a happy baby Dude, so know this crap off with the chasing and the towel and yanking my mouth opens..I have teef and I know how to use them.,...

SO QUIT IT.

Grrrr...hisss

A Hissed Off Baby Dude Loki Lo aka Number One Son

Baked Shrimp And Rosemary Update ~ aka OOPSIE !

Mea Culpa.

I can't find the original recipe on Pinterest...big surprise.

I didn't catch this, SU did though. In the recipe I posted, it calls for oil and I assume by that they mean olive oil....but I didn't get any amount in the original post.

DOH !

We did make the recipe Saturday and we all loved it . Jere and I deduced that since you are basically blooming the herbs in the oven when you heat them in the oil, you pretty much know much oil to put..you don't want to fry the shrimp but you don't want them to stick either.....maybe 1 or 2 tablespoons ?

I just kind of eyeball it .

Anyway..try the recipe, I took my shrimp and made a shrimp salad and it was tasty.

Have a good week .
Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

LOL..what can I say....even scruffy , he looks good.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition , it's Friday !

We are still in the process of trying to get the baby dude his meds. The pill so far is not an issue but the liquid down the gullet continues to be . Last night could have been a real disaster when my husband decided to sans attire grab Loki so that we could burrito him....without so much as a " Are you ready with the stuff " to see that I am am prepared. Suffice to say, he is without injury, the table..what the hell...what's one more gouge and Loki is at least speaking to me.

I'm still shaking my head.


Rumor has it that there is a lil something headed towards the Gulf.....oh yes please.

The Moron will be over to help SU with the bookcase...let's just say 8 feet tall is a tad excessive. Me...I will be buried under covers ..but I have been warned that they may wake me up so all is good.

I have no idea what I am going to cook, much the same as not having any idea why POTUS decided to nominate Caroline Kennedy Iforgetwhatherlastnameis as Ambassador to Japan...I mean really ?

Dear POTUS , I am sure that she is a lovely person with great strength of character, but she has neither a speaking or reading comprehension of the language at all. Now ,    I don't know about how all y'all at 1600 Penn would feel , but if the situation was reversed and we had a new Ambassador from another country who had no working skills at our language , oral or written...wouldn't you be a tad offended at this lack of respect ?


I'm just sayin.............


Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty POl

Heaven In A Crockpot AKA I Spend Way Too Much Time On Pinterest .

Heaven in a Crock-Pot by Jen Benkart



Ingredients:



1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix



1/2 cup butter, melted



4 eggs



1 pouch Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix



Directions:



Mix it all together. Cook about 3 hours on low. Top with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, as desired.




LMAO

I was bored out of my mind at work as it was /is a super quiet day , so of course after finally getting through level 36 on CandyCrusher ( Yeah Me ! ) , I bopped over to Pinterest because you know I can never stop with the bakery goodness ( aka " Expand your Ass - Wow...call me now ) ..and there it was.

I am honestly looking for new crock pot recipes and then The Heavens Opened Up...there  via Lovely Miss Jen Benkart on Pinterest. Miss Jen, sweetie, I can't find the link to your blog if you have one but girl...we are all drooling over this at the office.

Next Up, Bruce Of The Day or Why it's not a good idea to try to doctor a cat when you are nekkid.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Oh , This Brings Back Memories !

http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2013/07/1-2-3-hot-fudge-sauce-national-hot.html

WOOT !
Today is " National Hot Fudge Sauce Day ! "

Isn't every day ?????

Miss Janet over at " Dying For Chocolate " had this post and I couldn't resist. You really have to read her blog, it has the best recipes and retro ads and their history.

MISS JANET ROCKS !

Anyhoo, I remember my mother making  something very much like this when we were small spawn in San Diego. It may in fact be before Southside was born. It  was a real treat because Mom didn't keep a lot of ice cream or desserts on hand if Dad was deployed. The Charlie Chips cans that were marketed out of a truck much the same as the Good Humor Truck was one thing, Mom had a thing for BBQ chips and we all loved their huge ass pretzels. Every once in a blue moon, she would stop the donut truck ( I am not making this up, there was a company that had the same sort of set up as Good Humor or Charlie Chips and they'd bop around the neighborhood selling hot fresh-ish glazed bakery goodness ) .

Later on , when we lived with Grandma and Grandpa Engwall in Winthrop, Grandma would make this also if she had time . Most Saturdays were dedicated to cleaning the house and baking for the after Church Service coffee hootenany in the basement of First Lutrin in Winthrop. Hey, we didn't care...canned Hersheys worked nicely too...long pour Grandma....long pour. To this day , I miss the Butter Brickle Ice Cream we used to get in Minnesota.....

And Ironically..with IBS..yep...me and MAH SON ...Ice Cream is usually just that ..a memory.

Go check out her bloggy....you know the drill..slap Mr. Linky.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol Who Is  Now Craving Dairy Goodness..."Sniff".

Oh Lordy..And I Have Fresh Rosemary Growing On The Patio ~ It's Baked Shrimp TIme At The Casa !

6 fresh thyme sprigs

3 large fresh rosemary sprigs, halved

Freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), preferably wild, peeled and deveined

1-1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar

Kosher salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.



Pour the oil into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the thyme, rosemary, and 1 tsp. pepper and bake until the oil mixture is fragrant, about 12 minutes.



Add the shrimp to the dish and toss with tongs until coated. Bake the shrimp until pink and firm, 8 to 10 minutes.



Add the vinegar and 1/2 tsp. salt, toss well, and let rest at room temperature until the oil cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard the herbs (if you choose) and serve.





Other than  the fact that down here a head count of 25 to 30 shrimp per pound isn't considered " large size", this looks great. I think that a salad , hot bread to grab all the yummy oils and so on and wine might just constitute the perfect summer meal.

I am still in my avoidance mode regarding the kitchen because it's hotter than hell right now , but 400 degrees for only a few minutes is do-able . . As I look out the office window, you'd almost swear that we were in LaLa land, the ozone is so badly built up that it looks like smog. I guess I'l be rocking the sinus meds at bedtime..le sigh.

As for Loki....After I remembered that my boy loves his Num Num ( Petromalt) , I realized that I could wrap Petromalt around his pill and he would scarf it down. The liquid meds are more problematic...Le Sigh. What's a few more scars....yes, I know we need to " Burrito " the boy , it's catching his wirey ass that is the hassle.I could have stock in Johnson and Johnson by this point.


Have a good Friday !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

A Cure For A Bad Day In Cranky Pants Land ~ Aunty Pol's Version 2.0 ~ !

Don't Ya Love Science ?

Bonus Points : Waxahachie !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

A Cure For A Bad Day I Cranky Pants Land ~ Aunty Pol's Version ~ !

When in doubt read " Over The Hedge " by T. Lewis and Michael Fry ( Author of " Committed").

You will laugh till Yoo Hoo blows out your nose .

Trust me .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Keeping It Honest .

Just being honest about how I feel right now.....yeah....STRESS ROCKS !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Sounds About Right .

Time To Drag The Water Hoses  Around The Joint.

Le Sigh,

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

When In Doubt...

Cream Cheese Peach Pie Delight




1 package of white or yellow dry cake mix

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, divided

29 ounce can of peach slices, drained

... 8 ounces of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. In large bowl combine cake mix, butter, and 1 egg. Mix until crumbly. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of crumbs for topping. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes.



Cut Peach slices into 1 inch pieces. You can use frozen or fresh peaches if you choose but I like canned for this particular recipe because of the short baking time. Spoon into partially baked crust. In large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla extract. Beat with mixer until creamy. Spoon over peaches. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake 30 minutes. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

When in doubt...find something wonderful to think about baking.

Cream Cheese = Imodium..but what the hell.

Enjoy !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

We Will Get Through This .

Initially ,  IBD  wasn't mentioned mentioned by Dr. Tom. I had to miss the  appointment due to a conflict so the Daddy Unit toted our boy  .  Gordy seemed to really like Dr. Tom and the way that he had his practice set up ,  but  he really had little more than " It seemed nice"..in all fairness what the hell else are you going to say in that situation...it's tense enough as it it wrangling 11 metric tons ( 11 lbs) of pissed off son into a PTU . Decor critiques and so on aren't standard to him  and my husband is more of a "Meh" kind of dude. So, I called the practice and that's when IBD reared it's mofo ugly ass head .

I was on the floor most of yesterday...heartbroken.

We had been through this for so long with Xena, it became the focus of our lives for over 3 years. ...and now my boy...my baby dude. I know that we can handle this and so on we go.....but I am at the same time so angry for ..not at him...for him that he has to go through all of this . It's just not fair .As far as we can tell , there is no cure per se, it's a chronic condition that must be managed.

Manage we will....but right now...LIFE SUX !

Carry On.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Medical Monday

Here we go again.

I spoke to Dr. Tom to get a better idea of what is going on with my son .
It appears that along with the early stage kidney issues, he has IBD ..yep

Just like Xena.

I'm fighting an anxiety attack right now and feel just a tad gut shot so this will be a short post.

All good thoughts are genuinely appreciated at the Casa.


Have a good week.


Ciao,
Aunty POl

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday !

It's been an interesting week.
We fired our Vet this week.
Yeah , I trumped their sorry asses.

Loki has lost a bit of weight and is throwing up more often..or at least it seems that way to me. I have been keeping an eye on him and he is mourning Xena so I naturally called Banfield at Petsmart.

It took me 2 hours to get through .

They are all booked up for the next 2 Saturdays so August 3'rd was the first opening.

All was fine until the biotch pulled up Loki's records and saw that he had not been in for a long time...10 years or more.

Ummm..he hasn't been sick.

He is an indoor boy, going out means that he is in a PTU on his way to the vet.


Miss Congeniality is acting as if I am not only the worst parent in the world, her attitude is such that I am doing an " Island Of Dr. Moreau " on my children.

I am still getting attitude over the phone  as I describle what the problems are  , so I ask Miss Congeniality to pull up Xena's records. I tell her to look at them . She can plainly see that we averaged 2 to 3 times a month over the last 3 1/2 years trying to manage my baby's illness. I then told Miss Congeniality to look at the amount of money that we had spent on Xena.


Clearly, we are engaged full on involved parents.
I told Miss Congeniality that I would keep an eye on Loki but if something dire arose..like him vomiting blood..oh well then she replied that of  course we could bring him in and they would work us in but we were aware that we would have to wait ?

Bitch..you crossed the line.

So I e mail Jere and ask of Dr. Tom is accepting new patients. Jere and Cindy have raved for years about their Vet..Dr. Tom. So Jere Lee sends me Dr. Tom's website.

It's wonderful.

His staff bring their own pets to work with them, the website is warm and engaging and gave me a really good gut feeling..so I called.

Loki has a 12:30 tomorrow.

Dr. Tom is a private vet, and I recognize that it will cost more , but by Bast, if I wouldn't take that attitude from my own doctor, why the hell should I take it on my son's behalf ?

And on the upside , at last glance the IBKC has raised over $106,000.00 for the Tacoma Pierce County HS....

I am so happy to have been a small part of this.

I'll post the update on Loki and Dr. Tom as soon as I can.

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

For The Office " Suggestion " Box

Yeah...Monday through Friday .

LOL

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

One Hundred And One Bazillion Dollars

http://www.theittybittykittycommittee.com/2013/07/we-did-it.html

We did it....we really did.
I am so happy to be a part of this every year. I actually look forward to the "Shameless Shakedown " posts  and I am amazed each and every year what can be done by Laurie , Craig, Charlene and Wylla plus a host of others.

A happy ending to my charity Trifecta* indeed.


* I am a tri-coast donater . I support BARCS in the Baltimore area,the Tacoma and Pierce County HS and the Houston Humane Society...gotta spread it around ya know .


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Crock Pot/Slow Cooker French Dips

French Dips :

1 4 to 5 lb Beef Roast ( I used a regular beef roast , not a pot roast )
2 cups water
2 cups beef broth ( low sodium is what I use )
2 pkgs. dry instant onion soup mix ( I use Liptons and will use the beefy onion next time )
Salt and pepper to taste.

Optional : Garlic powder to taste ( I cannot cook beef with out garlic)
                Sweet Bell peppers ( I like the jars of red ones )
                Sauteed onions
                 Provolone or cheese of choice
                 Sub or Hoagie rolls


 Pour 1 to 1 1./2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and heat.
Salt and pepper beef to taste.
Sear all sides of the beef .
Place beef in the bottom of the slow cooker
Add water, broth, dry soup on top of roast.
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours then reduce heat to low for another 3 hrs or until done depending on the temperature of your crock pot.

The roast will be done when it falls apart using 2 forks.It will be fully cooked and not pink so don't freak out if you prefer rare beef as I usually ( always ) do .

When desired doneness is reached remove beef from crockpot and shred .

Place shredded beef on roll , top with garnish of choice the above optionals or not and cheese. Place under broiler until cheese melts,

Serve with Au Jus.

Die Happy.


Review :  4 1/2 Stars. out of 5 stars ( Hey, nothing is perfect.)

I made this last Sunday and it was the easiest thing ever. Since there was plenty of Au Jus left over, I put it in the fridge to cool off  so that I could skim any fat. This will  then be frozen for a base for French Onion Soup. I may also add some additional onions to the beef /broth mixture as it cooks .

However..next time I will use all beef broth instead of broth and water .

SU LOVED IT and it's a keeper.

Enjoy,
Aunty Pol

Well , That Certainly Clears It All Up .

Let me start by saying that IMHO , other than the fact that she has the BEST hair, Kristen Stewart can't act her way out of a paper bag...and yes , I read all the Twilight Books. Note , I did not say I watched the movies...I'd rather watch paint dry.

I work with the public.
I work with the public every day of the standard workweek.
I do my very best to keep a relaxed , professional posture and set to my features.
I do not grin from ear to ear.
I do not set my jaw in  the  Joker like rictus like manner.
I keep a pleasant, well modulated tone to my voice.
I am old enough to use the following words : " Please, thank you , you are welcome , sir and ma'm ."

I may eye contact and maintain eye contact .

And I have just realized and or discovered that I suffer from  " Bitch Face.

Bitch face .

Actually, on further research, it is actually called " Resting Bitch Face "

It's s term..really..check it out .

According to the Urban dictionary , it is the expression that makes one appear as to be a bitch.

Well , allrighty then .

I make eye contact with all persons that I need to . I pay attention and actively listen .

I do not however grin from ear to ear like a puppy with a new rawhide chew toy.

At least once a day of not more , a random co-worker will ask..." Are you okay...mad....feeling okay ? "

I answer that I am fine unless there is something that I am preoccupied with such as the kitty's or a family illness. I prefer to keep my work life and my "real " life separate.

This is the way that I am.
This is the way that I have always been.
This is the way that I shall always be .

I am not sick, angry , mad, pissed off, twitterpated, miffed , verklempt , worked up, frazzled, berserk , anxious , angst ridden , terrified , in a lather , beside myself  or in a temper.

I can however get there pretty damn quick if I have to spend more than a certain amount of time explaining the above to stupid people.

You will know it if I am pissed .

Hint # 1 : My eyes change color.
Hint # 2 :  I get really , REALLY quiet.

Solution: Get the fuck out of Dodge, get out of my face , and keep going.

I know the difference between those  who genuinely love me and want to know what is going on and the rest of the Twatasarrissuses that merely want to get a rise out of me .

Amateurs .

There isn't a thing wrong with having Bitch Face..at least we look like we have some concept of manners and professionalism  .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Wheeeee !

Ah..it's been one of those Mondays...." When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.

Of of the attorneys at the office is having a closing today in what would appear to be easy peasy.

NOT !

All of the appropriate space was booked and planned and I almost fainted when I arrived at 7:45 , my normal to see his legal assistgant already here ...Ruh Roh !!!!!!!!  The number of parties involved was doubled the anticipated number so I spent the larger part of the morning moving conference room bookings on my floor and praying for room on 13.

HAH !

Depos to the right of us , depos to the left....ONWARD !

I do miss when it's like this , I enjoy the insanity and the buzz of a busy day...and of course JAR JAR is being a bitch for her usual winning methods...every day that I do not slap the taste out of her mouth is a day I don't need to make bail on an assault charge.

She is one of those lovely ladies who have no problem being a complete bully and we all know it ..it just grates ...A LOT .

Oh well...

I have a recipe to locate and I know where it is, travel arrangements to finalize and a bottle of Beaujolais at home..

LIFE ROCKS !

Have a great week.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

So Bad , It Was Great !

I really didn't think too much about this movie, given my penchant for ripping the channel a new one over their programing policies or lack thereof.

I mean really, from what little I've seen regarding this movie, no one was doing more than  making it into some sort of " Hi Bob" drinking game...not my first time at the rodeo as they say. So I taped it...


And since there was nothing else on..I watched it.

It was so bad it was fabulous !!!!

Right up there with my beloved Army of Darkness.

MST3K would have been over the moon over this one .

I almost need it on DVD.

If Netflix has it..rent it....

I have never laughed so hard.

And irony..Tara Reid is now relegated to playing the mother roles.

Hey Lohan.....object lesson there sweetie.

Have a great week .

Ciao ,

Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday ~ !

Figures.

I can't find a recipe.
Jere wants me to make her a birthday cake .
No biggie .
I can play with that .
Except...she wants a simple pound cake...and she loves one of the recipes that I have used before.
Can I find it archived in any of the usual sites ?
OH HELL NO !


So I will have to go and dig out the binder and find it , and this is really my own damn fault because I haven't touched the binder cook book in 6 months with one thing or another aka renovation....

DAMN
DAMN
DAMN


Oh well...I can do this one way or the other, it's more about the technique than the actual ingredients.

We finally got some rain, it was a gully washer for an hour or so last night which is cool to watch from the deck until you realize that you need to move some chairs and stuff ( Crocs) so they don't wash away and then the real storm started so it was everyone inside.

We need a slow rain but I will take what I can get.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Ina Gartens Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake

It never fails, itg geets hotter than hell and I want to bake .

Yes dear, another Bundt Cake !

http://leitesculinaria.com/3076/recipes-barefoot-contessa-orange-chocolate-chunk-cake.html


I love Ina Garten.
I love the combination of orange and chocolate.
I love Bundt cakes.

LMAO....Miss Jere Lee has a birthday coming up and we are going to go see " Wicked" here in town and out to dinner before hand. I think I will whip this up as a surprise for that Sunday.


Shhhh...don't spill the beans .

Slap Mr. Linky to go and check out the recipe.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Let's Try This Again ~ ~Artichoke Chicken

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/artichoke-chicken/detail.aspx

I have been trying for a day to get this posted. Blogspot is acting all wonky and pissy again ...

I am still craving spinach fettuccine and I think this would be perfect with it ...

And now on to my main tiff with Pinterest...

Ahem.......

Pintereset, I am about to break up with you . I don't know who is posting /pinning all that shit about women try this diet blah blah fishcakes because we all evidently have to have the  same body image and all be a size 4 or whatevs...but you cannot escape this pin on every bloody god dayum page.

QUIT IT !

I want to look at the death by Nutella/chocolate cake and not someone elses judgement of my ideal BMI. I want to find/sort/pin the mac and cheese/crockpot/french dip/onion soup thingys to my boards without having to scroll and scroll and scroll through this muck.

All of the dialog is the same, only the photos change.

My ass is perfectly happy so f off with all of the enlightened, self serving drivel....and give those folks in the photo's a cookie or something...


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Like This Is A Surprise ~ ! ~

Had to share.

Enjoy !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Huzzah !

It's Friday and almost the end of the longest ass day of the year....so far.

No one and I mean no one but us it seems is at work in the Allen Center. We were lucky that Jason's Deli decided to stay open until 2 pm....double lucky for me since I don't go to lunch until 1:30 ........hustle girl, hustle .

I have never seen such a long list of people out today, other than one attorney on 14, no clients came in , the phones were dead so I have been occupying myself with paying bills, cleaning out the Samsonite ( purse) , surfing the net and reading blogs. At 3 pm, there were a total of 11 people on the 13'th floor and 12 on 14, including me. We occupy two complete floors of a medium high rise in downtown Houston so you can imagine how dead the joint was.

Yesterday was really nice, we did didly squat . He worked on the last bookcase, got ground beef and ground lamb for burgers , I watered , watched most of the John Adams mini series on HBO except when I napped...nice day off with nothing of any import to do..that's what weekends are for.

He's played golf golf and I  am watching the clock....le sigh.


Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and will have a safe weekend.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Patriotic Sweet Pea !

Look who got all purdied up for the Fourth Of July Parade !
Mah Sweet Pea.
According to her Grandma ( My Sistah) , the emblem on the front of her tee shirt is her Daddy's Fire Department insignia. The numbers on the back are her daddy's call sign.

My baby's no baby any more , sniff .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Sometimes I Still Have To Wonder ~ !

Last week when we closed early , I ran like a bat out of hell across to SuperCuts to get the Do Did. I was due for color and had planned it out so that after that appt, I would only need to get the do re-did one more time before vacay ( yes, the plot thickens dearest) ....Since I had extra time I said " Slap some high lights on me Mary...I 've got the time. I love them. I'd had them for a long time but for whatever reason a year ago I just kind of went Meh and stuck to the basic red color. I like the way it turned out, so does SU so winner winner chicken dinner...

But then an  odd thing happened today that sort of have me pissed off..just in my usual way.

I have been growing my hair out for about 8 months now.It had been super short for a long time ..years in fact but I've gotten bored..and to be honest, when you are a tad "Voluptuous", or shaped like a pear, short hair makes you ( or ME ) look like my head is smaller....LMAO ! I'd flirted with growing it out to one layer but I am not a teenager and I need layers so...there you are..I am happy and relearning to play with it again . People at the office have gotten used to the longer hair and most recall the previous highlights and all was well...until this morning.

Co-Worker of over 20 years : " I really like the high lights Jane"

Me : Thanks, I like them too."

CO : They really soften your features."

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT  ?????? !!!!!!!!!!!!?????

I raised an eyebrow, looked over the top of my bifocals ( and Sistah, SU and all of my real life friends know to back the F up when they see this) ....and I replied:

" Thanks, I hadn't realized that my features were so HARD looking."

She backs up and tries to recover by saying :

" Oh no..the hi lights make you look younger"

Oh..so now I am not only hard looking , I am also old looking.

NICE !

Now lets get real..I am a middle aged woman. I dress well , I wear an appropriate yet flattering amount of makeup , I get regular mani/pedi's....in other words I am well groomed in an appropriate fashion for my age.

Now, I know that my co-worker didn't mean what she said to come out the way it did, she is really not clever enough to have mastered the barbed compliment and for this reason alone I did not eviscerate her.

But really ?

Now if some one ( often her in fact ) should ask my opinion of their haircut or outfit, I do my damnedest to be gentle if I  don't care for it. I will compliment the fabric , color or cut of a garment or if nothing else suggest that next time she try.,..oh those pants with a longer jacket and maybe a neck scarf instead of a belt....I would never point out the muffin top or belly pooch that no sheath style dress will conceal and just because FLOTUS rocks a belt, not every gal can or should..


 * SMH *  as the kids say

( Shaking my head )

Have a safe 4'th of July.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Thoughtful Tuesday

One of the signs that you are getting  older is that things don't throw you in quite the same way, situations aren't as dramatic and you rely on without realizing it that things will and often do work out. It may not be for the best or the outcome you desire, but never the less, they work out.

This has only occurred to me in the last two to three months .


I haven 't been blogging as much because to my mind there simply wasn't anything worth blogging about. From January to the end of April, our lives were fraught with the stay in place remodeling of the house . Oh I had plenty to blog about then,  and blog I did but we got through it all. I didn't post as much about the baking obsession of the new do dad I'd bought or a blog I read because my mind wasn't playing with all things bakery goodness....we had no kitchen so I just didn't .When I did blog , it was about the renovation or something that amused me...or more often pissed me off. This was and is how I cope with stress...I write.In some ways it is what got me through the chaos of sharing a tiny guest bath with SU and having things so scattered about the joint that I started to take my shoes to the office. At least there I could find them. TRUST me, should anyone ever utter these profoundly stupid and fubared words..send them to me. " Oh it can't be that bad, messy, costly, stressful, annoying complicated or angst producing...it's just a renovation and we are not doing it ourselves. We can stay in the house just fine." If the folks that say this in front  of or to you are friends  ...send them to me. Let them read this blog. If they are strangers..shooting  won't help and it's still illegal....even if they deserve it.

But even before that began...our lives were consumed with Xena's medical condition on a day by day basis. Nothing really truly dramatic every day, just the unrelenting stress of coping with it and dealing with both the vet and the knowledge that we were losing ground the last year. So I blogged about whatever took my mind off of all of it . I am still coping with the loss of Andy. But again blogging got me through.

Then there is the last five years with my late mother in law and her cancer. She's been gone for three years now but again, before that dealing with the daily stress of that...

When you live with relentless stress for so long that you no longer recognize it as anything other than a daily part of your normal life, it's absence can throw you. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop or the next crisis d'jour. Stuff still happens, you help a neighbor whose fridge craps out, worry about a friend who has some family issues to deal with ..that stuff is so mundane, you just go " Okay, what if anything do I need to do here ? Be a shoulder and an ear, ? Help move food ?" No sweat , because it is a contained issue for the most part and the answer is simple...do what needs to be done to fix it or if it can't be fixed , accept that and move on.

I may be tempting the Fates , but for right now , I and we are in a good place. We love the house and have pretty much worked out the housework in ways that really work out. Yes, it's hotter than Hell but hey..it's Houston in July . But looking over the last five years, we've been through the ringer .

I'm trying my best to learn to relax, which is something I have fought against all my life , in many ways keeping up my emotional guard has been the only thing that has saved my sanity  I am going to bed earlier and giving myself the gift of a full 8 hours of sleep and actually falling asleep without Unisom or Tylenol PM.

If you knew the life I've lived , you would understand fully how remarkable the thought that I am actually safe and at peace can be.

Oh the blogging and snarking and bitching will continue , never fear. I kind of feel like my mental vacation after the last few months is coming to an end and it has done what I needed. It gave me some  space.

Have a great week and a safe Fourth of July.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Frriday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday y'all. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The inmates are running the asylum today !

All ( well 99 % of  them) of the attorneys are at the annual hootenanny ( whole lot of hoot and a lil bit o nanny )  in San Antonio so while they are up there...heh heh heh..I kid...really guys....wink.
We are closing at 2 so yours truly is skipping next door to get the do done . SU wouldn't be able to pick my up anyway , so why the hell not. It saves me trying to take an extended lunch and if I work it right , I can get it done again one more time before vacay.

Other than that ..nothing going on. It's hotter than hell right now and my only plans are to stay inside in the A/C . I have plenty to do and since it's supposed to hit 100 degrees..without factoring in the humidity for the heat index..flat out 100 degrees..trust me..between chores, recorded shows on the DVR and my new top..I have enough to stay busy.

New toy ?
Ah you caught that ..clever you.

I bought a google certified ( whatever the hell that means ) android tablet with a 9 " screen. I guess we really will need wifi at the house now..lol.


Have a great weekend .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Outstanding !!!!!

http://now.msn.com/street-performer-the-badpiper-rocks-ac-dcs-thunderstruck

You have to check this out , it is amazing !!!

I've been playing this at the office all this week.

Out Friggan Standing !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

I Has A Sad

Thank you Olivia for being the best hairdresser ever !


~ Sniff ~ !

After seven and a half years, my hairdresser is leaving me.

It was announced via e mail today that the office will be closing at  2 pm the day after tomorrow because all the attorneys will be in San Antonio at the annual hootenanny ( whole lot of hoot and a lil bit oh nanny) so WTF..it's not as if there is any actual work going to be done so why not close.

Perfectomundo sayeth the Pol !

I can go over to Supercuts and get mah do did.

My white roots ( hair ) are grateful.

So I zippy bop over to check Olivia's schedule and she says that she won't be there on Friday ?Um....okay...Mary...can you work me in about 2:30 ? " Sure Mommy."..Hot diggity !

Then as I am almost about to leave,  I turn to tell Olivia have a great weekend since she is taking a long one and she briefly leaves her client and walks over...

Olivia : " No ..this is my last day here "

Me:  " WHAAAAAAATTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?  "

Olivia  " I won't be here at this shop. I  got a promotion "

Me : "You're leaving me ?????? "

Olivia : " Yes sweetie. I am going to be the District Manager over 8 shops in the Pearland area where I live ."

Me:  " Buh..buh...but..who gets custody of me ? "

Olivia :  " Mary will take care of you , she's done your hair before and has done the color mix for you ."

Mary is smiling because we like each other and she knows that I am a GOOD tipper.


Livie, I'm gonna miss you babe , but if you are happy then I am happy..

Love,

Jane

Tedius Tuesday

Meh !

I can has bored ?

It's so hot down here right now that my brain has melted. It's expected to hit 99 degrees this weekend , and that does not factor in the heat index so I think that my happy ass will be staying in the house .

I was so bored in fact that after I saw a few things about the Deen Dilema that made me ponder if they can be verified ,,then I went over to google ( still bored and at work ) and even before I  completed a  search..using "Anti Food Network....

Yatzee !

Sandra Lee  !

Now don't get all twitterpated if you are a fan of hers, I am not and I will tell you why...just breathe deep and think of England.

Anyone who knows us , knows we love cooking. No, we haven't graduated from any formal school but SU did go to college to study Hospitality ..what ever ..( sorry honey, I forget ) ..at the Hilton school here at the U of H . He also was a cook in the Navy and I have worked both BOH and FOH not to mention managing a restaurant or two.

We like to cook from scratch but are not above or adverse to using some convenience products from the pantry...we just don't try to pass if off as home made as in from scratch...or even semi home made. We share recipes and the girls are my regular guinea pigs when it comes to a new recipe...we taste it, critique it, discuss modifications and decide ..keep or not.

Between the tablescapes that make my eyes bleed to the rabbit hole acid tripping kitchen motif that changes on a daily basis according to what she is wearing during that days filming....Sandra Lee makes me nuts because taking a pre - bought angel food cake , covering it with a tub of premade frosting and presenting it as a yummy semi homemade dessert is just bullshit. If you want to use a store bought cake,,,,go for it....it might be useful for Sandra Lee to demonstrate that actual frosting from scratch is so easy to make my cats could do it..with out thumbs.


Maybe I should have stuck to my first inclination when I am this bored in the summer....working on my Christmas List.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

~ Just Another Manic Monday ! ~

Happy Freakin Monday y'all.

It's officially boob sweat season as the temperatures are approaching triple digit in the humidity arena..which is the polite was to say that it's f'g hot out there. On the one hand, your laundry that is drip dry takes no time at all to dry which is again good because you are sweating so much you end up changing outfits like you are a toddler again.

Yippee , more work.

Every night when we get home I now have the added layer of watering all of the plants on the deck . I know that it's not much and I do love them , hell , I planted them there after all..derp....it's just the enforced chore-ishness ( Look ma....a new word,...LOL...) dampens the ardor of my green thumb.

It's too hot to heat up the kitchen so alternatives are preferred , I just have to remember to ask SU about the levels of the tank for the grill. In case of a storm where we lose power the grill is a handy toy to have as long as there is gas in  the tank,. I promise you, if the storm is bad enough again , God Forbid like IKE ....it will be hilarious to try to find propane since we won't be the only ones who ran out .

On the up side, it means that I can catch up on some of the stuff we dvr'd and favorite old movies..winner winner chicken dinner ..I got a chance to watch 2 of my favorites yesterday..the original Stargate and Love Actually.

Could be worse..folks in Minnesota are in various stages of flooding from all the rain to the point that the ground is so saturated that trees are toppling over from the roots...big bounce...NOT.

Stay safe where you are..Monday's almost over..at least the really shitty part where you are at work surrounded by Mo'Rons.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ! ~

The expressions says it all...

" So the Food Network isn't going to renew Paula Deen's contract at the end of the month ? Color me surprised....NOT ! "


I've been rather half assed following this whole Paula Deen cluster F until today. Now let me begin by saying that I no longer watch her show but did in the beginning .

And then it changed.

The producers ( and by that I mean Gordon Elliot ) got a hold of her and told her to basically rev up the Southern bit. Which she did, to the point of becoming a parody. It was never clever enough to be considered self mockery, which would have been funny, especially if you actually live in the south.It became all too much and too easily gag inducing. ....and then the revelation of her diabetes...Now , I wanted to commend her on this bit of real life honesty ...until it was revealed that she had in fact a deal in place for compensation from the company whose medicine she takes....while whipping up artery clogging sugar laden " Home Cooking ".

And now the law suit.

Parts of the deposition have been released and they are interesting to say the least. While she admits to using the racial slur N.... in the past ...she never really apologizes for it , and basically poo poo's it as being in the past here in the south.

BULL FUCKING SHIT !

A person knows when they are using a slur or a curse word...and they know that it is wrong. They do it anyway more often than not i am sorry to say....and while I admit to cussing myself..I have not and will not use a racial slur...my husband and I are adamant about this. I don't care what color you are , you can be purple for all we care...if you are a lazy arrogant ass hat..well then yeah ....we have a problem with you .

When asked if her brother watched porn while at  work at their place of business , her answer was basically boys will be boys.

BULL FUCKING SHIT.

Any business, any size business has to have some rules. If it's a small place with an owner and one or two employees, it may be as simple as the boss saying .." This is how we do things, this is what I expect from you while you are at work and here is what I won't tolerate while you are at  work."

If you are larger , you have a set of employee rules and guidelines.

Labor law is very clear on what is to be tolerated and what is not.

Rather than confronting her brother with concerns about the sexual harassment issues and the atmosphere that is core to the basis of this suit...and telling him to straighten up or he was out....again....she poo poo'd it as boys will be boys.

I hope the plaintiff wins.

We've seen this all a thousand times or more...she ill be pilloried in the media ala Martha Stewart....punished..and then when all is said and done...she will bask in the glistening, butter washed light of redemption.....

I have no use for people who do not have the grace to admit their mistakes, apologize for them, make amends and more forward.

Being a grown up means accepting responsibility for your actions...unless you are a star it seems.


Have  a great weekend .

Ciao ,

Aunty Pol

Our House...This Really Happens More Often Than Not !

This happens often on our deck.
I kid you not...and it doesn't bother Gracie Marie in the least.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Wednesdays With Wylla

Brace For Impact !
Shameless Shakedown in      3.....2.....1....  !

Alrighty then, yes dear hearts, it's that time of year.

Miss Lauri over at IBKC has a fund raiser for the Tacoma area Humane society in conjunction with their charity Dog A Thon Walkies Thingamabob.

And every year I write about it.

And ask all y 'all to pledge or pass/post it forward or both..I'm easy.

Besides being a good thing to do and a cuter than hell presentation, one of the areas that the Tacoma HS addresses is one that I feel very strongly about is the issue of Senior Pet owners. Often they are in that place that is heartbreaking between a rock and a hard place..fixed income...their mobility ,  age and the age of their pets. By donating to the drive, the Tacoma HS ear marks funds to assist those in need so that folks and their fur babies can stay together as they age gracefully for as long as possible ....as it's meant to be.

A year ago in June 2012  Gordon and I lost out senior daughter , Munckin and it broke out hearts. It was a bad period of time because we had just lost Andy Panda Pants a few months before in December 2011 .Even though Gordon and I had been through this over the course of our marriage ,  and he had lost his 22 year old girl TJ a few years ago, it reminded us of how difficult this can be .

It was further driven home over the last 3 years with Xena and her medical issues, until she went to the Bridge on Presidents day 2013. Thankfully , we could afford all of her bills because of an inheritance , and yes, it was THOUSANDS of dollars. We both have good jobs and incomes and our health is pretty damn good for being 58 ( me ) and 63 ( him),  so all in all we were fortunate . But what if things were different..

What if you needed a bit of help ? Would the funds be there ?

To me it's a no brainer , I am happy to help...and if it's not possible for all y'all to do so right now, that's fine too..just pass the word on the interwebs .

I am a tricoastal doner..I contribute to the IBKC, to BARCS in the Baltimore area  and our Houston Humane Society...and bonus...it 's deductable .

YATZEE !!!!!!!!!!!!

LETS ROCK THIS THANG !

Thank you .....

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

New Feature ~ Tardis Tuesday ~ !

Because I revere both RHPS ( Rocky Horror Picture Show) and Dr. Who and all things Who-vian...I thought I'd start a new theme for random Tuesdays . I don't want to make it an every Tuesday thing because other than the plethora of easily located BRUCE photos , I don't want to box myself into yet another corner ....you know the one where you have set up some sort of obligatory theme or expectation of having to post every day . There just hasn't been a lot going on that is actually blogworthy in my opinion.  There are things that others might consider worthy..for example..the brouhaha about Nigella and her husband and choking. This to me is not blogworthy other than to say that if it is true , no one deserves to be a victim of domestic or any other sort of violence..Nigella ..get to the lawyer and get the hell out. Miss Utah and he flub-o-rama at the Pageant...Give the poor girl a break. Each and every person who has been asked to speak in public has had a moment of " OMG WTF..Brain Freeze" where you just seem to string together a bunch of nonsensical drivel and pray for a speedy death. There are other more important things that are political and while I have my own opinion, I  am going to do the world at large a favor and keep that to myself. If you want political commentary or insight , go read the Huffington Post, I promise you I won't be offended .


So in other words....the above made me laugh out loud .I have may a fond memory of our " Youthful Enthusiasm" in college for RHPS ...and I maintain that it is only a rumor that we got the film banned form the CUB by judicious throwing of ice cubes at the screen...never happened...( ahem....call my lawyer...) nope..never happened. I had read recently that Tim Curry ( I have to check to see if he is a Sir yet or not ~ checked ~ he  is not as yet been honored.) is recovering from stroke..good luck you lovely man.

Then there is the whole Dr. Who thing. Your Aunty loves her some Who. Dear Mr. Moffett, please make the next Doctor a female...just for the hell of it. Kthxbai . Now...I love Matt Smith and Amy and Rory , and I cried buckets when the Ponds died...but my Dr. is and shall always be David Tennent ....bless you for giving that " Doctor " and Rose a happy ending. Eccelston was good and so on but....I hope Mr. Moffatt continues because after all....bow ties and Fezes are cool..and who wouldn't want to zip around the universe in a blue police call box ?


Sign me up !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol
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Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday y'all.

I must be feeling better because Southside Johnny is working my last nerve...again. It's another episode of " I called you 4 times , did you lose your phone...wah wah  wah ."

No lil brother, I did not lose my phone . I had been home sick for the better part of the week and the phone was in my purse and not on the night stand. I would have usually kept it on the night stand so that if SU called , and I was able to wake up enough to answer it , I could . The reality is that when I am this sick with the sinus crap, ALL I want to do is sleep...as in the sleep of the dead. My husband and I both know that when I do surface, I will check for missed VM/test and I will respond when I can . But....since Cindy Lou Who is home right now on a job search, I knew that she would check on me, and if there was a problem she has SU's cell # too and is not above using it...so no lil brother , I didn't hear your calls. I did send you a text last night and your brother in law did say that he had spoken to you and that you would be calling me to arrange a time for you to come over Saturday ,....but again phone in purse...me outside watering plants...purse inside being pursy.

That man needs to get a job to occupy his time, even if it is part time because he is working his older sisters last damn nerve.

My husband will be the first to tell anyone .." Do not go there.."

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday ...

I was going to post something more than this but I am crashing as soon as I get home. My sinuses are so bad I feel like theye have been scrubbed out with a rusty Brillo pad and Chlorox liquid bleach.

I wants mah bed and mah jammies !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

" REALLY ? "

Ok..before I go any further, I have a runt...a tiny rant as it were.

Cha Cha sent out an e mail earlier in the week that she needed to leave at 3:30 today for a doctors appointment....as is her custom to schedule ALL her appointments on Friday afternoons.

Okaaay..fine.

Then I get the daily out list and see that she is listed to split from work half an hour earlier than she had stated in her e mail.

Okaaay....fine.

She just called me and told me that she was going to have to get a warm body to cover her desk ( a warm body is someone who is nothing more than that , untrained on the board but can deal with the walk up clients so all of the traffic and we have a lot on the phones is all on me. Sistah..it would be like Nadine and Virgie closing both their boards so I have to take all of the calls.)

You had a lunch hour didn't you ? Why, yes , you did.

And so now ...20 minutes before you are supposed to leave, you find a warm, body to cover for you  ?

You had better have clocked out !


Le sigh.

On the brighter side, the rain that blew through here yesterday and woot....we got some at the house seems to have cooled the temps off a lot and there is a breeze so it should be lovely at the Ice House tonight. SU has promised to work on the book cases and there is a bit of cleaning that needs to be done. I am very proud of us both because we are making a directed and genuine effort to keep everything tidy , so much easier with the wood floors..so it takes no time at all. Dusting is still an issue but getting better week by week . Since he has taken up golf again this is an added benefit because we are not so out of control as we were when Xena was alive. Her health was the only thing we focused on so other than laundry and the barest of cleaning, it got out of hand....It was the way it was and we have no regrets on making her our priority.

Other than the few errands tonight and the pawdicure..dare I say it ?

A gentle weekend ?

Outstanding !

Maybe, I will get that Orange Yogurt tea Bread done after all.

Have a great weekend.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Tick Tock Goes The Clock ...

My brain has melted.
It's 95 degrees out there now currently at 4 pm CST USA ...and my brains melted.

It's gonna be a bad summer. I don't need the magic 8 ball to tell me, I just have a feeling..and I've been down here for 31 years now. No Sistah..I don 't mean like Ike..that was a once in a lifetime event..I just have a bad MoJo right now.

But..on a brighter note, Burn Notice returns tonight so I can get mah Bruce Fix  so if I hustle with the watering ..yeah , dragging hoses is not one of my favorite things but it has to be done and I have worked to hard to lose all of my babies now . Perhaps SU will help...

Now all I have to do is re think the food/dinner thing because I am not going to heat up the house with traditional cooking...bless you oh mighty grill.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday

Not anything to do with today's post, other than the fact that it is a Monday and this made me laugh all day long.
It was one of those weekends ...sort of ...not bad but a tad on the weirder side of life if you know what I mean.
SU flew out Saturday am to meet up with Southside Johnny in NOLA and everyone survived. My brother gave one of the most apt descriptions of NOLA that I have ever heard.

"It's like blending Haight Ashbury and the Castro District in San Francisco ."

So very on the mark there kiddo.

Bear in mind that there was no way in hell that I was going to go with SU...oh hell no. Those two...shudder.
I managed to get a lot done in the house and have to admit that I am enjoying the peace and quiet of the new-ish house. It's been getting hotter and hotter down here so I am allowing myself the luxury of sleeping in and I know that I can water later in the day...le sigh ...and then....

Well, we finally got some much needed rain yesterday morning , and of course it all came down at once and stomped my poor daisy babies , so we are of to Home Depot to buy some pots after work to save what we can.  I got a lot done anyway and scared the SU when I admitted that I even cleaned out the luggage a I call a purse...LMAO.

Nothing new on the t slant v as my late father used to call it but I did save a favorite movie..".Chaplin..." which come to think of it may have to wait for the weekend since it is 3 hours and I cannot just watch half...


All in all a good weekend...dull as  dishwater but good.

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol