Details Matter People, They Really Frakin Do !

I got an e mail from my step sister this morning at work reminding me of something to do with the estate as it winds down .

She had previously mentioned that there was the matter of Daddy's watch to be attended to . I didn't think much on it because Daddy favored plain old Timex for his watches unlike some of us ( ahem..Moi ? ) who collects them. I vaguely declined and thought no more about it .

Ruh Roh !

I had no idea until I opened the attachment that it was in fact my paternal grandfathers pocket watch that was in question .

I replied back that if my brothers wanted it that they were welcome to it , but if not , I wanted it and the value of it could be deducted from the next disbursement.

Aside from the fact that actually this was not community property..( ahem) ...They had set up the trusts the way that they wanted to and in the end it is and was noneya ( none of my bidness ) what they set up. And...Laura was the one that spent every day for 8 weeks at her mothers side from the day she entered hospice to the day that she died, then with the help of the attorney administered the entire estate...so I can and genuinely do understand how a detail , even one as relevant as this could have been overlooked....it happens.


Details matter folks, I almost lost an opportunity to hang on to a family heirloom. Yes , I doubt it runs, but it is almost the only thing of my paternal grandfathers around aside from some oil paintings.

Lesson learned.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Not My Mothers Chicken, Thank You Jeebus !

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/zesty-braised-chicken-with-lemon-and-capers?fb_action_ids=610771518937299&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=fw-vert&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22610771518937299%22%3A490745592681%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22610771518937299%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%7B%22610771518937299%22%3A%22fw-vert%22%7D

I love Food and Wine magazine. I read it on line ( at work..shhhhhhhh) and ran across this. Boop Mr Linky  to go to the recipe.

Years ago back in the Jurassic Era , my Mother decided to expand her recipe talents and took a run at French cookery . This was back when Julia Child was first on PBS in the afternoon and before  Mom's life completely blurred the edge of the line between the morning and the afternoon aka Jim Beam. In all fairness, the older I have gotten , the more I do understand how it was for her to basically raise 3 children alone in an era when the military culture was all about happy hours and I hope she will forgive me some of the more cruel things a self  involved teenage brat said.

Onward.

My mother never did anything halfway . For as long as I can remember, she had subscriptions to both Bon Appetite and Gourmet  . She read cookbooks as if they were popular fiction and shopped on the base as wisely as she could. When she would try a new recipe , it was more economical to double it or in some cases triple it , which is fine, I do that with my hot dish , but...try it first Mom. If it's awful, more isn't going to make it better..just more gag worthy...sorry Mom.

Point in case ..Chicken in White Wine and Garlic sauce.

MOTHER.....kids do not like French food unless they are actually French .

This is the first recipe that I have run across that I would be actually willing to try. I did buy chicken thighs by mistake...I was in a rush and thought I had bought breasts for chicken salad.

And it has less cream and seems lighter than the dreaded original....and CAPERS.

And SU wonders why I WON'T eat Lasagna.

I Can Only Hope ..

Normally , I don 't watch the Oscars except to snark some ( MOST/ALL) of the ladies and their fashion choices. There is just so much offered up each year that I can't pass up the train wreck. I am old enough to remember the classic Oscar shows, hosted by Bob Hope when there was at least a modicum of taste to it all and confess I miss the golden era .

That being the case, I am praying like mad that Seth McFarlane will do the whole thing as Stewie. Can you imagine the egos that would deflate faster than Texas hair in a monsoon ?

Oh please..Aunty Pol needs the laugh .

Have a great week.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

She's Off To Find Andy And All Her Bubbies And Sissies

Xena went to the Bridge yesterday.

Our hearts are shattered, and it has been hard the last three or four years to watch such a bright spirit dim a little more each day. There was nothing that we could do, nothing we wouldn't try but it was her time.

Loki and Boschka are bereft and looking for her , and since we watched Peaches go into a depression when her father Bubba went to the bridge 14 years ago, we know the signs.

I miss you my wooby, Daddy loves you and I know that you will always be there in our hearts .

Love,

Your Mama

Thus Far ...Or Why Pol Is Losing What Little Mind She Has Left..

It really is true , " If you want to  < Insert Deity Of Personal Choice Here > laugh, tell them you have plans.

I know it's been a while and I haven't been the diligent blogger  I once was , but sometimes life gets in the way .

Thus far....

We had gotten to the point that we had finalized most if not all of the choices for the renovation...granite, flooring paint etc. Then we found out that out that the Moron , our contractor and SU's partner in a variety of crimes has a family health issue, though not his own. Not my story to share so that is all that I am going to say here. We  left things on an open timeline and while I was not comfortable with the "whatever " attitude, I do understand . I remind myself that I am not the one dealing with the Big C.
So we just went " Meh " ....and left it go for a couple of weeks..

Last week as we were half assed preparing  for Mardi Gras and SU's annual trip to NOLA with the crazy Cajuns, the Moron called to say that he would be at the house on Tuesday , Feb. 12, aka yesterday to begin work on the guest bath .

FRAK.

Dude, I have stuff to do to get the boy on the road , and now I have to go to Lowes tonight ( last Wednesday ) and buy counter top, vanity, taps, commode and light....and arrange for delivery on Monday of this week...while SU is out of town and I am home. We have picked it all out and I have typed up a room by room list of that is to be done, vendor names, model #'s , item #'s and colors....and I hope this is all in stock and can be delivered this Monday.

Cha Ching..it can be delivered .

$$$$$ out the door.

SO there I am at home, trying to sort out all of this in my head...after the guest bathroom, what room do I prep ? Which bookcase to pack...the only reason I have a kindle is that we have run out of wall space to build another bookcase....I have a s**tload of hard cover books as does SU. Do we have enough boxes..where is the tape....panic...panic...breathe...breathe....OMG OMG OMG...and oh yeah ....OMG .

Friday I pick up the mail and there is a letter from the estate attorney in California. Enclosed was a receipt for the balance due on my portion of the estate.............AND NO CHECKS. I stood in my kitchen and began to hyperventilate. I ran out to the mail box and rechecked. Checked the flower bed, checked the driveway, the path through the garage into the kitchen...checked the envelope again..grabbed the junk mail out of the fresh kitchen trash bag ( like I cared at that moment ..no shit..) and I called the West Coast . A lovely young man named Mark said that the attorney was out of the office until the 18'th. I left a message and having realized part way through the conversation that I was dealing with an answering service, I thanked the gentleman and wished him a good weekend . I do the same sort of work at our firm in many ways so I know how it works ...and he was very nice, which does count boys and girls, it really does .

Good Times.

So I call Southside and he calls our step-sister , the Trustee and Executor of her mothers estate. She calls me and tells me that she mailed via cert mail the checks to the house , earlier in the week. My heart sank. Last August when yet again we were BOTH in NOLA, there was a distribution from the attorneys estate and I asked that all mailings be sent to me at the office . I don't get home until about 7 pm during the week and it would be the following weekend until I can get to the USPS to get said mail.

Saturday morning I get up at Oh Dark Thirty to feed the Feline Overloards and realize that on the weekend that I have no idea what actual time the mail runs..it like everything else can vary. So I watch ...and run out the door when I see the carrier at the box, but she's quick and I have to leap over debris..don't ask..so I wait,,and wait....and wait till I see her turn around to come down the other side of the street.

With all the grace and charm I could muster considering that I didn't take the time to put the damn dentures in and frankly had more on my mind that the fact that I now appear to mimic the whitest Moms Mabley on the entire block, ...I stood in the middle of the street and waved my arms all but doing a fairly accurate ( or so Cindy Lou Who says ) imitation of Jerry Lewis in one of his early films...

" HEYYYYYY LAAAADDDDYYYYYYYYY "

No certified mail slip.

Now nauseous , I realize that there will be very little sleep for me until Monday at the earliest.  I piddle with laundry and sit down to read...and begin to watch Xena .

Yeah.

Sunday , I do busy work....and watch Xena .

And realize her time is ending.

Monday, I wait for Lowes to call with the delivery time. They arrive and unload all the order save the faucet taps...$138.00 worth of Peerless Oil Rubbed Bronze. On the receipt I clutch in my hot little hand. On the Manifest/bill of lading. The driver suggests after stating that they no gotti John Gotti , that possibly the taps might have been inserted in the box containing the new vanity..nope. The counter top /sink ? ..Nope. Now why he would have thought that it would have been alright to open a customers sealed box to insert another item by another vendor and insert said item was and is beyond me.  The side kick driver FINALLY found the MIA taps in their box in the truck...Good deal dudes because you had one very po'd customer who was refusing to sigh off on a delivery valued north of 1K.

And then the mail came.

Lather , rinse , repeat.

I just sort of lost it by the time SU got home and I shared all the adventures I had while he was throwing beads.

Separately , I could have handled most of it all , I'd like to think ( LMAO ~ yeah right ) ...but to add the stress of a breaking heart as a truth is accepted ?

Not so much.

Checks were finally retrieved and deposited....the bathroom has begun and if I can make it through this next week..

The adventure has just begun.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Pioneers Of Television On PBS

As you might have guessed, we watch a lot of TV. Not ginormous amounts ( LOL ~ Err yeah honey , that's an episode of NCIS I haven't seen  ) . We actually enjoy the History Channel and Discovery . And we watch PBS.

Yes.

We have become our parents . remember when you were a teenager ? The very idea of watching PBS made you want to run like hell , fire up a joint and crank up Janet Joplin to ear drum shattering levels

No...wait..that was just me.

Feel free to disregard that shared moment of my life. It's probably better for all of us that way.

Last nights was an episode that I haven't seen and even though I knew it was a rerun ( big clue...Robert Culp is dead) , I had to watch it . I was and will always be a huge fan of George Reeves. Hell, I wanted to be Noel Neil and marry the dude. I prefer Ms. Neil to Phyllis Thaxter..Ms Thaxter was mean and bitchy to Jimmy Olson aka Jack Larson...so pfft to you honey !

Then there was Wonder Woman. I know that it was ground breaking for the late 1970's and Women's Lib, at least in Lynda Carters mind. Personally I think the series lasted as long as it did because of the Cher effect. My father could have cared less about the Sonny and Cher show but honey, let me tell ya...when Cher was on the house could have been on fire and he's still be focused on her navel amongst other attributes. It was cute for it's time and  to a fan of comics , anything was better than nothing for scifi on TV. I do however draw the line at " Buck Rogers of the 25'th Century"..except for the Vampires in space episode...lets just say stoners everywhere remember that one.

Ah..Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby ...again classic . Major laugh till ya gotta pee moment...the revelation that Arhhhnnnnold was deemed "too short " for the role of the Hulk....bwahahahah.

And then....Oh yeah !
It's Mike Curb singing " Believe it or not , I'm walking on air , I never knew I could feel so free...."
OH HELLA YEAH !

" Greatest American Hero " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

William Katt, Connie Selica , Robert Culp and Michael Pare !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved that show for so many reasons including but not limited to the fact that William Katt was sooo cute !

But it's more than that.

The premise of the series set the genre on it's ear.

I don't think there is a single person alive that hasn't wished, dreamt or imagined what it would be like to have some power or ability that set them apart from others . Failing that, I always felt that scads of money would make an acceptable substitute.

But lets look at it this way...the idea of a super hero has been presented in the following way : You are either an alien here to be a protector from another world as in Superman or the victim of science gone sideways such as Spiderman , Hulk or Flash or an anti social vigilante such as Batman. Depending on who you are , you know your mission statement and how to go about doing it.

But what if you got it wrong ?
What if you screwed it up ?

What if it was not what you wanted at all ?

Enter Ralph Hinkley.

I wrote a paper in college about this variation of the Hero myth.

Heroes are not defined by their victories and savior like moments of greater good.

Heroes are defined by their limitations , challenges and obstacles regardless of personal cost. They are defined by the manner in which they overcome these conditions and more often than not them selves in order to meet the requirements for the desired outcome  .

The character of Ralph Hinkley was an everyman who went from WTF is all this and you've made a mistake to Ralph Hinkley who made if not a difference, at least an effort.

And yes..sadly..the costume still sucked , but that was the only criticism I've ever had.

Now, go and try to get that song out of your head.

You're welcome.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

The Easiet General Tso's Recipe Ever ~ Courtesy of Chocolate Moosey

http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2013/01/31/general-tsos-sweet-chili-chicken-strips/

I have been a fan of Miss Carla , author of Chocolate Moosey for ages. Who wouldn't be ? If you take one of my favorite food groups ( chocolate ~ and YES , it is a group , at least in my house ) and my complete adoration of Captain Kangaroo, especially Mr. Moose , nuff said.

And yes , I am old enough to remember watching the Captain, Mr. Moose, Mr. Green Jeans , Bunny rabbit and all the others. Todays generation missed out enormously without them.

Onward.

Now, Asian cuisine is not something that I cook for us because SU simply does not care for it and I both respect and understand his position. ....so I wait until one of us is out of town. Cause I'm smart like that . I did have a recipe for a variation of this and it was good, but this recipe....easy peasy . I figured out that I can use my huge deep fat fryer if I need and I almost always have chicken breasts in the freezer because Ina Gartens chicken salad recipe with tarragon is to die for and a staple in our house . Hells bells, I still have a jug of the red rooster sauce in the fridge....yatzee !!!!

Go over and check out her blog, it's wonderful and colorful and all those things that are gonna make my voluptuous self a happy camper.

Go...go now..slap Mr. Linky and check it out !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Going Out On A Limb Here

SU and I are not football fans. Hell, I watch more footyball than he does and other than the random WSU game I can catch on the obscure cable  channel, I only watch the Army Navy game and Gaia help anyone that interrupts me.

That being said, I taped the Puppy Bowl which aired while I was at the nail shop and had planned to go through the recorded stuff that we still have on the DVR during Stoopy Bowl. We'd gotten home earlier than usual from the nail appt. because like everyone else the gals at the shop either had folks coming over or husbands at home waiting for thew wives to get home and get the food started. Trust me, its the way it works. Miss Jere Lee came over and had an odd request ...even for her . A week ago or so , she had gone to her gal to get her color redone , but unfortunaely Kim did not have the purple/aubergine/eggplant color that they had happily been using so my poor partner in crime was a tad twitterpated. You see, she comes from Louisiana and by Gawd, it's Mardi Gras and that is some serious shit in their lives. Costumes and so forth are planned from year to year , and it's quite central to the Cajun Catholic life. Well, there I am on the deck, kindle and beverage in hand when she comes over and asks for help putting a temp color on her hair..well , why the hell not. My first roommate when I was single in Virginia , back in the Jurassic era had been a hairdresser so I was pretty comfortable. I fetched towels , Cetaphil , heavy duty plastic gloves , combs, clips ( yeah ...I do have all that shite at hand..if I don't have it , you don 't need it  ) and off we went. I felt like an older, non corn row braided Alicia Silverstone in " Beauty Shop.." ..lol..I told SU " Welcome To Bubba's Bait Shop and Beauty Emporium "..it all came out the way she wanted and it's a temp color thingy so I had no fears..

Anyhoo....

We had a couple three Netflix that we hadn't seen so I thought perfect. Lets watch " The Avengers". I am as you might have guesses, a huge comic book fan and love Marvel. There is a reason my facebook avatar is the Scarlet Witch.

Talk about a disappointment.

BOR ING !

The first half of the movies pace dragged.
Thor..get the F over yourself.
The dude playing Loki phoned it in.
Casting folks...two words...Alan Cummings...trust me .

I will watch it again, because I am curious, but it just makes Iron Man 3 look better and better.

I have a recipe I found for General Tso's that I am waiting for permission to repost so hopefully..yeah..yummy.

Have a great week.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Le Sigh..And So It Begins

This is the tale of two lovely pair of shoes .
The pair on the bottom, the super cute stylish shoe is the style and design that I have worn to work every day for 25 + years . I have also worn her closed toe sisters but have had to give closed toes up because of certain issues that were the aftermath of a pedicure aka assault resulting in ingrown large toe nail problems on both feet.....Bear with me here.

The top pair is what I have just ordered because I have to .

I live for cute shoes.
Just ask SU or Sistah or the neighbor gals.

When you are born with polio, you don't fall into one strata. There are differing levels in the condition and in my own case , amongst other things , I was born without a " Heel cord" , in other words with a club foot .  After many operations and years of physical therapy , I was told that I most likely would never wear high heels and would never dance. Sadly , I never have been able to dance...HUGE surprise , yeah I know .....so not only embraced , I worshiped at the altar of platform, strappy, high heel in your face shoes with a vengeance. I also told the military therapists exactly what and where they could insert their opinions and was kind enough to offer directions and helpful hints.

It has become apparent to me that there are some issues with my left ankle and or knee. This morning I wore one of my favorite pair of pretty pretty princess shoes....a Giani Bini leopard print wedge with black leather trim....tres cute !

And my left ankle began to pronate . It was bad enough that I began to panic, wondering if I would be able to make it to my office where I keep a pair of back up shoes.

Heart pounding , hand shaking  panic.

Over the last few weeks , I have discussed with Miss Cindy and Miss Jere Lee my desire and or need to really clean out my closets so that I can donate to the local womens shelter through out constables office...the location of the shelter is a closely held secret as it should be. I had mentioned that I have some shoes and boots that along with some purses I was going to set aside.

I will keep some of the heels and occasionally wear them, some are seldom worn and almost new. I can wear them on the weekends and so on ..but for the most part...

Being a grown up sucks..but not trusting my own mobility is something that I would ever compromise...the cost is too high and I have worked too hard to defy the demons who have always told me ..You Can't."

I guess it's time to pimp out the nail polish !

Still Rocking a heel.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bonus Bruce Of The Day

Bruce in High School.

You're welcome.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

TGIF Y'all.
I'm telling ya , this has just been one of those bohica ( bend over , here it comes for the assorted novice reader ) weeks. For the life of me , I simply cannot figure out why.

If you are tired of the inaugural coverage, turn off the tv/radio/pc source and walk away....grab a book and go read, take a walk, clean out your fridge, take a shower and shave your legs as needed ...but get the eff over it. Done deal Lucille. And I could give a rodents rear end ( see sistah, I am trying to clean up my act..if sweet pea is " talking " more, then it is implied that she is also listening....HINT ! ) .

A lot of things that go wrong or that we don't like are often a simple mistake. There is no such thing as making the same mistake twice, the first time is a mistake, the second time is a choice..period. The entire office has been fussy buckets all damn ( oops :)  ) week and I've sort of absorbed the bad mo jo. Reviews are over...if you are still here guess what Einstein...you still have a job at the firm ,....SHAZAAM !

Tonight I am going to sit on the deck with my crack ( KINDLE>>>KINDLE ! ) and ignore the bad karma. tomorrow , Southside Johnny and SU are going to the car show. Do I want to go ? Awwww , shucks fellas, that's awfully sweet of you to think of me wanting to join you yahoos drooling over the cars and the chicks on display basically dry humping a fender to get the crowds attention..sorry ..gonna take a pass on that one. I am sure that there is laundry etc that will need my attention and I most likely will have to move the sprinklers around because filling up the new water bed mattress wasn't enough to send the next months bill into o sh*tsville.

If nothing else, there are weeds to pull and the weather will be decent and the nails are redone on Sunday...I sense a plan in the making ....mwahahaha.

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

OMG...I'm Just Gonna Plotz !

You have to slap the the link and read this article and drool over the photos , they are OMG amazing.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2267608/Iowa-mother-dresses-daughter-Snow-White-Alice-Wonderland-Red-Riding-Hood-professional-fairy-tale-photo-shoot-Wendi-Riggins.html

I can actually see Sistah doing stuff like this in her yard in the spring. My sweet pea would look wonderful....

Thank Gaia its Friday, drooling over these pictures alternating with sweet peas Christmas photos is the only and I do mean only thing that has gotten me through day 2 of fussy buckets. I'd tell more than half of these jokers to eff off around here but that would take far too much energy. Betty Crocker and I discussed it all a bit this am and took solace in the fact that if we weren't exactly feeling the love, we weren't alone in it either.
Effing full moon.

Have what ever kind of weekend you deem necessary.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Prettys From Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MenuchaJewelry?ref=seller_info

I am waiting on this to arrive from Tel Aviv and I hope it gets here soon. I have always loved rose gold and things that are both hand made and different.  One of my projects for this spring is to go through my closets and donate gently worn things to the local women's shelter . Jere knows the location ( it's guarded for obvious reasons) so I know that  will help. I need to replace a couple of suits for work  but other than that ..Don't Faint Husband....I haven't found much in the way of new clothing that appeals to me at my age.

And for the record , I will be 58 on April 4'th.

Big Whoop.

I do however like hand made jewelry. Make no mistake , I have some real pieces that I've either inherited or purchased myself..but I like different things for different reasons. Etsy has some wonderful shops that you can sort through depending on how you structure  your search terms. I also loved crocheted metal jewelry and have stockpiled a bunch in my favorites lists.

Check them out.

The next post will be of two more pieces that I am considering.

Have a great day.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Combining Two Of My Favorite Things

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2013/01/french-onion-soup-grilled-cheese-sandwiches/

Just when I thought that I had really hit the wall with a lack of anything to post , I popped over to tasty Kitchen and found this recipe.  I am such a huge fan of caramelized onions that I willingly pay the price for the lower GI track rebellion . I am at this point in my life convinced that every middle aged woman carries Imodium tablets or liquid as I do in her purse...just sayin. Now that SU has the realigning on his dentures , and they fit properly ( a long time coming ) , I can make this and he can if he chooses to partake of the crunchy toasty goodness.

And I have been browsing Etsy , more our of sheer boredom than anything else. Frankly , January sucks. Most of our favorite shows aren't back yet with new episodes and yes , I know how lame that sounds. It's dark still when we get home so more often than not ,I am on the deck after work reading and squiring Madame through the door into the house because she's just proud to make her parents bat shit crazy.  And it's been freaky warm here in Texas, so even if there was some daylight , it's way too early for the nursery's to get in any new stock....and there may be a problem with the Moron and our proposed projects. His wife is ill and we don't have any of the details but we do have a fall back guy, the lovely gentleman who did the driveway ...and I am frustrated because I want it all over and it's not and it took me 3 hours to fall asleep last night and I am hungry...

Just call me Fussy Buckets.

We all have those days .

Tap Mr. Linky for the recipe.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

5-14-2013

I can 't wait for this book...I just hope to hell they don 't cast Tom Hanks in it again..love him but never thought he was Robert Langdon..

Hit the link for Amazon..
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385537859/ref=amb_link_369592122_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=top-1&pf_rd_r=0AE8330C68D740A6A6E8&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_p=1469215522&pf_rd_i=dan%20brown

Enjoy.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

January is such an odd little month to me..so full of not a hell of a lot except two birthdays, an odd mid month 3 day weekend and a bowl game that neither one of us cares about save getting together with friends to eat way the hell too much food yada yada yada .In previous yeaers we've had our annual dinner party in January , but with one thing and another ( Xena's Enteritus /Colitus and renovation hell ) not so much this year...which is fine too. The weather has been cold for us here in Tejas and having finally come out the other side of the flu, there hasn't been a lot going on other than sleep. We always get crappy weather this time of year , usually right before Mardi Gras and the Rodeo..some things you can count on ..lol.

I have found a couple of new cooking websites that I am going to throw in and wheee.....

Dan Brown finally has a new Robert Langdon book coming out mid May . Also on the horizon is a new Spenser For Hire ( RIP Mr. Parker, it's been 3 years stoday ) and many other candidates for my ever increasing collection of Kindle crack as Scotty calls it.

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday

AHA !
Bloggy has decided to still be stupid , but I finally figured out that they want to use their supported Picassa web page whatsits for uploading pictures ..so baby steps..baby steps.

We are all pretty much on the mend , though the hacking wet cough is a pain in the ass and likely responsible for a lack of deep sleep ..le sigh. It's cold so there was gumbo and chili and all sorts of stuff requiring big pots in the sink this weekend...I still need to work on SU's comprehension that I spent the $$ on stainless that can in fact go in the dishwasher...

And we had some thing of a small adventure yesterday.

We have slept on a water bed for the entire duration of our marriage thus far. I have no idea how long the SU has owned the bed..it's no big deal. that being said, every few years or as the mattress starts to leak you need to buy a new one, a new liner and a pump and valve connector thingy. I remember the first time I was around when we changed it out. We were living next door to his folks and in the process of moving into an apt as we waited to move into the house we bought from his sister. For a period of time there, no one really bought  new  houses, we just all sorta swapped them around..I kid you not.

Anyhoo , there we were , thinking that this was the optimum time to redo the mattress since we had to drain the damn thing anyway for transit.

EASY PEASY..or not.

We get the hose thing going and after what took for friggan ever , the bladder was at the point that we could mistakenly try to get it off the frame.

MInd you this was 25 years and I ain't gonna say how many pounds ago..there was guess who literally going from trying to catch /hold / manage a semi empty CALIFORNIA KING SIZE water bed mattress to MOI being all but buried under the damn thing.

HALP !

After SU and I think Fat Boy ( his ex roomate and co worker at the time of all of this..kinda) got me out from under the damn thing....and they wondered why when they got it out into the fromt yard that I was there...fuming ..with a very large kitchen knife hollering  " DIE YOU BITCH...DIE ! " as I go all Stabby McStabbersons on this beached whale of a mattress....I am sure the lil old folks in the neighborhood talked about Terral  and Mary's new daughter in law for quite some time..lol.


So there we were yesterday, after I got the pawdicure done..driving towards the only water bed store in Houston that we know of. Long gone are the days when Superior water beds was in every mall if not across the street from them.

Imagine a guy, balding , sweater clad looking more like the actor that plays Mozzie on " White Collar"  greeting you in the store..his store and then it hits you .

Dude is channeling Tommy Chong.

I swear I am not making this up.

Even SU was rolling his eyes and he is usually the first one that will egg it on. God , I wish Sistah and double Oh were there, they would have died. ....just died. There they are just yappin and I am trying to just not blurt out WTF..and I do NOT mean Whiskey tango Foxtrot when I decide I need to escape because I'm becoming too entertained....

Me: " Honey,  I'm going outside to burn one.."
Dude :  " Oh that's ok..you can do that here in the store ."
Me :  ( Thinking that the world is now about to stop revolving around the sun ) ..." Oh thanks hon, but that's ok..I'm happy to go outside, it's not that bad after all.

Dude: " Ok..that's cool too."

WTF , did he think I was going to fire up a joint ?

Seriously one of the more surreal conversations I and SU have ever had.

I'm surprised the guy wasn't wearing a sweatshirt from Humbolt University.

It was unique to say the least.

Have  a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

I SO Need To Make This

http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2012/12/salame-al-cioccolato-chocolate-salami.html

Ok...before you read any further , slap Mr. Linky and go over to Bake at 350 to see the  pictures and the entire recipe.The blog is one that I read daily  . This is the part that will in fact piss me off about the whole uploading photos thingy so bear with me.

I'll just go and get a cup of coffee.

Everybody back ? Good.

I found this when I was thinking of the food baskets post and thought what a great idea . I found the cookies on Amazon ( of course ) and this could be a really cute Valentines Day gift or a treat for the office or for a holiday basket..

Enjoy !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Rain, More Rain And Carrying Kleenix Like My Grandma.

Le sigh.
Blogspot still is wonky about inserting pictures which is fine, but when there are days that all I have is a funny from I Can Has and nothing prose worthy..this could be a problem. I'll make you a deal though...when you are out and about on the interwebs, if you see a picture that is adorables or an epic sarcasm bomb...just think.." Indeed, if Aunty could , she would have in fact posted that very picture."...so we can all pretend that this blog still has all the bright and shineys. Or you could go back and look at old pictures , I've been known to do that so feel free.

SU is home sick still with the flu virus from hell , and bless his heart he gave me the mini version aka head cold. Yee Gods above, it really is harder and harder to bounce back as we age...flu is every where right now and there is some other respiratory virus in action so be careful y'all. And good luck finding Theraflu, the makers pulled it off the market as rumor ( urban ) has it that this was a result of the pure and simple fact that it actually worked. Amazon has it by the way and is quite proud of their pricing structure. You can buy Theraflu or an Ipad for about the same, depending on your individual needs at the moment. And I am having Grandma Engwall moments as I pack fresh Kleenex in my sleeves every where I go..yeah me. We have Kleenex aka noseys all over hells half acre at home, Slammin Sammy's is great for purchasing the Jethro Beaudine size palate and doesn't every one back up the fork life to their vehicle trunk in the parking lot ? Or is it just us ? And of course , even though SU finally has his dentures relined ( EPIC MOMENT IN THE CASA Y'ALL)  , he laid in all sorts of lactose dairy products for hisself while he waited for the Return Of The Chompers ( In theaters everywhere summer 2013) ..and of course I can't have any. Actually I can , but the price is too high and my body is not reacting to Immodium as it once did...I wonder why ?

And then there is the rain.


Evidently , it was predicted as bad enough to hit national news ..slow news day I guess . We are still in a drought situation and  since the ground is both flat and hard packed, it does not take a lot to flood. They are predicting that this warmer weather and or drought is something that we will see for the next few years so we might as well all brace for higher costs for oh lets say...EVERY DAMN THING !
It is what it is .

And it's time for the annual cluster F known as annual reviews.

PURE
POINTLESS
DRIVEL.

Take it from an expert, if your still wet behind the ears reviewer ask you pithy questions such as :

1. What achievement are you proudest of accomplishing this last year ..you may use Aunty Pols answer ONLY in your head ( Answer: The exact body count has never been clearly established since no exact location was ever defined.)

This question is a 24K clue that the noob has come from a corporate backround and therefore is absolutely qualified for a long career in the legal field.


2. What are your  goals for the coming year ? Again feel free to use Aunty Pols answer silently in your head ( No new arrest warrants were issued in that year ) .


Real life app..walk  in , stay silent, nod and flee asap.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Well This stinks.
Blogspot won't let me upload todays Bruce . I guess I will try to do it form home this weekend since I snagged a bunch from Pinterest.

Sadly , an era is ending here in H town.
They are closing Macys downtown, or as we refer to it ....FOLEYS !
Yes, it's still Foleys to almost all of us.

Foleys was the classic department store. Occupying an entire city block, it had everything from a tea room on the top floor to a bargain basement. For many a young girl in town , Foleys was both a rite of passage and a personal experience to be shared with the females of her family. You " Got Dressed" when you came into town for a trip to Foleys , and whether the purpose was something for an upcoming dance or browsing at the huge selection of wedding invitations from Cranes, it was special . Many of the gals that I work with who grew up here have loving memories of shopping and luncheon at the tea room. For some, it was the first recognition from their mothers that they as  daughters were growing up . For others , it was a  special lesson in ladylike deportment . Some bonded as mothers of the bride and brides to be  looked at book upon book from Crane as generations had before them . Across the street from the store was the bakery and small restaurant where you could order your wedding and grooms cake while eating the best chopped beef brisket on a steamed bun known to mankind.

If you worked downtown as I do, you relied on Foleys to get you out of a jam or as a safety net when  a last minute date was accepted . You could run over and buy un run hose if your desk stash was empty or a whole new outfit if you really knew the store. Of course , if you really knew the store, you knew that the better shoes were on the second floor on the back side by the ladies lounge area..no restrooms there ..a ladies lounge was the standard the Foley Brothers set. If you forgot a birthday, you could run over and trust me, many a husband was saved by the fine jewelry department on their almost overlooked wedding anniversary.

As the mid 1980's moved forward, you could literally chart the economic angst by watching the shoppers or lack there of at the store. As Palais Royal, Sakowitz and many other long time retailers , including Woolworths  ( I still miss their lunch counter on the basement/tunnel level ) closed or relocated to suburbia. Don't laugh, Woolworths was always fun to kill a lunch hour by browsing . Foleys was the last bastion left in the original downtown retail area. Some feared it's imminent death when the Park was constructed , but the Park was never really a competitor..it still has more food venders and small niche shops than all around retail and the Park is showing signs of self awareness regarding  the challenges it sees in  competing  for a dollar.

Then Foleys was bought by Macys.
Macys promised a lot but to be blunt, the effort was half assed at best and the quality of the merchandise was bad enough that you realized that you had a choice..pay for overpriced crap or go closer to home.
It's only been in the last 15 years or so that the concept of outlet malls like Tanger have taken root , and let me tell ya, buddy they have.

In all honesty , the final nail in the coffin was hammered by shoppers like me.
Instead of retail , etail took over as we all became more comfortable with shopping on line . For some it is a time management issue . I can't answer for others , but for me it was also not much of a choice .

I hate going to the mall because of the ignorant way many people act. Regardless of age or back round , they are so convinced of their divine entitlement that they have no concept at all if the idea of common manners or courtesy . Malls didn't kill stand alone retailers all by themselves. Bricks and Mortar retail is dying because to a great degree ,  younger and future generations  missed out on the lessons learned in a tea room on how one acts in public .

Like Foleys and or Macys, courtesy and good manners are closing shop as we speak.


Ciao,

Aunty Pol