Great Caesar's Ghost !

Go to http://www.houstonpress.com/ and hit the archives tab( Small ) in the header and look up an article printed on September 18, 2003 by Pableaux Johnson. Using the advanced search is easy ..use September, 2003 and hit the dining box..this article is the third one down.

I apologize for the crummy photo, it was the best that I could find.



They are re-opening the Spindletop !!!!


Smelling salts anyone ?


Yes boys and girls, that Swankenda of our youth ( misspent or otherwise ~wink.) is about to reopen.


You have to realize that in the 1970's even when Houston was a boom town full of wanna be Ewings and T Boone's..downtown proper was nothing for nightlife.


ZIP !

NADA !

Roll up the streets and bring in the streetlamps.

It wasn't safe to park and really not safe to walk about .

If you wanted to go out after work, you either took Metro home or drove and you changed and went to R and R or Rockefellers ...or you went to dinner in the Gallaria area.

Unless like the majority of us who went home to our apartments outside the loop and waited until the weekend to go out because the logistics were a bitch. If you lived inside the loop, it was easier because you were automatically cooler, could afford the rent and had less of a commute . And Menfreas is a whole other topic and ..sorry SU..the Cellar and what ever you and the Crazy Cajun did socially during this period does not apply...this is not about you and the strippers and your misspent youth.

The final options were The Hyatt, The Sheraton Drummers Exchange or the Doubletree , but bear in mind this was just for happy hour drinks after work. The big thing about the Spindletop is that it rotated .

Stop laughing ....I can hear you !


Back before all of the skyscrapers were built , tho I think the Allen Center where I work , Penzoil Place, Tennaco and the Milam building were already here...the view was pretty unobstructed . It had to be about the same as being about on the 30'th floor of my building.

And it was cool.


It freakin rotated.

If a bunch of the ladies wanted to go for a beverage after work..this was the place to go .

It was safe and looked a hell of a lot better than the hotel bars..it was a restaurant and therefore looked better...because yes...back then you still heard your mothers voice in your head warning you about the importance of both appearances and your " reputation".

Of course our mothers probably knew that quite often that business man wasn't having a drink with his " wife" and more than one hotel key ( yes......an actual key) was found in the bottom of a handbag ...

For the young and naive, it was sophisticated...it was classy and it meant that we were one more rung up on the grownup ladder . It's like being Mary Richards..only Lou is thinner and younger, Murray has hair and Ted has a brain.

Now , we go home after stopping at Kroger...taking care of the kids/pets/dishes/laundry and the usual mundane things that housewives do....knowing that those days were never quite as posh as we remember them and glad that we survived it all and are where we are...and yet...


Some of us are going to go there when the Spindletop reopens for a drink after work...just to smile and compare war stories.....


Martini's anyone ?

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

If It's Monday ~ It's John Barrowman Time ~!

Happy Monday kids.

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition..it's raining here.....at least in the downtown area..please Gaia let it rain some at the Casa so that the new plants I did in the pots have a mebbe shot at survival.

And yes.............

My back is killing me.

Friday was so pretty with a bit of a breeze that I got all " Got to get to Chrome Depot and get some plants" ...yes..we really have had 19 days or so of a heat advisory here in Houston, which is nothing new...but...NO RAIN ?

None ?

Granted, I have done my best with all of the herbs..but other than the Rosemary..what the heat didn't kill...the caterpillars did.

Ah yes..the Caterpillar.

Thursday , the peppers were all fine. Watered...a couple were doing their peppery thing..huzzah.

Friday I come home after Chrome depot and look at all of the new pretties that were on sale that I just had to have..and look at the peppers.

They were nekkid !

Nary a leaf left....just stalks and 2 peppers.

I had to sit down.

Then I had to get a beverage.

And sit down again.

And there he was ....at least a 3 incher.

Wiggling back to the scene of the crime.

Mr. Wiggles....meet your circle of life..aka a terracotta pot.

Boom Baby !

One less butterfly I'm sad to say but Dude...it's like this ....destroy my plant..and it's on.

And for the curious...I planted some potato vine, 2 Pentas , 2 Cassandra's 2 of those things that look like foxtails..but they are itty bitty and the most gorgeous black ornamental pepper with dark purple leaves...it's booful.

And the Circus is back in town this week..wheeeee.

Have a great week !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

They Grow Up So Fast !

Look at how she's growing up so fast...

Love to Eric, Jenn and Dakota from the Granty and Unca.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Are We There Yet ?

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Mwahahaha...ok...I am ebil.

I know that I shouldn't be so gosh darn happy about this but I just can'ts help it.

The precious Princess Poodle just gave her 2 weeks notice.

Margarita's for everyone..!

We've ( I've ) tried so much with this girl, after all she was such a vast improvement over Fluffy that I think that we ( I ) ignored a lot of the warning signs...so she pretty much thought she had it wired.

The danger in that is that it gives the NOOB the idea that their behavior in any mode will be tolerated......lets review the list shall we ?

Insolent - Check

Rude - ditto

Arrogant - ditto

Petty - ditto

Immature - ditto

Deceitful - ditto

Lazy - ditto

Passive Aggressive - ditto

Manipulative - ditto ( duh)

Bully - ditto

I could go on.

Top the above off with the simple fact that she is in all honest quite an attractive young woman ( note the lack of the useage of Lady here ) ..and this is really ironic.. Her looks were never the issue here..until she figured out that they made her entitled to be a bully .Her male boss thinks she is just cats ass and she is just smart enough that when told no ( correct answer) for whatever bullshit request she has just made..here come the water works....just like a 2 year old, the voice quivers, the lip sticks out and she bemoans how " Eberybody was just sooooo mean to widdle her ...not fair...- WAH".

Fucking Spare Me.

Rather than realize that there are a bunch of us here who are older, wiser and know the lay of the land and could be mentors to her ..she figured out that she would force everyone to bend to her will and she'd get her widdle way.

And she is the one leaving...

How'd that work out for you precious ?

Good Times.

It's finally not so hot as it's been ...only mid 90's so I of course want to go to the nursery after work to see what is there to replace all of the dead stuff on the patio in pots...yeah...I know...

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Sweet Baby Grey

Miss Lisa and Miss Sharon had to let Grey be guided to the Rainbow Bridge yesterday....please say a prayer or purrayer for everyone...

Miss Lisa is Lady Lisa of The Adventures of Space Paws , one of my favorite sites dedicated to the fostering of abandoned animals and finders of forever homes. Miss Sharon is one of Greys foster mommies , Grey came to stay and become a part of the extended families of all those who care for those in need ...but sadly he rather surprisingly developed some things that let her to take his sweet self to Dr. Andrew where the worst was discovered. Even though it broke their hearts, Lady Lisa's and Miss Sharon's love for Grey was so strong that they knew that it was time.

I have been down this sad road as have all of my friends and it is one of the worst moments that we as parents can face...and yes..we are parents. Time will diffuse the pain into sweet and loving memories, may Bast keep him safe , but more than that...it again affirms that there are people willing and able to risk this sort of pain and loss again and again because they like I believe that every one deserves a forever home.

Blessed Be

Aunty Pol aka Jane

The Direct Approach For The Win !

I all fairness...the child was not unattended. There was a mother like figure present..uninvolved but present.


I guess I need to just give up and stop being nice ..yes...pick your sorry ass up off the floor....I can be nice...but....


For some it is a worthless exersize along the lines of pig..lipstick...you know the rest.

Dear Giggles,

In response to your reply to my e mail indicating you don't know what I mean....FOCUS :

When I tell you that there is a conference room open and ask how long the attorney will need the room...FOCUS YOU TWIT : I will in future be more direct.


The + 1 with the 1 pm appt with your attorney is a child that is making quite the stir out here in the lobby. Sadly the child is not discouraged in any way by his biological custodian , therefore ..if YOU do not come out here and attend to this...I will be stuffing them in a conf. room.

Capice ?

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

This Makes Me Cranky

From Top to Bottom:

Blue cover , Season 1 on sale at Amazon for under $15.00..less if I buy used .

Red cover , Season 2 on sale also at Amazon for under $15.00, again..less if I buy used.

Green cover, Season 3. $113 at Amazon..NOT ON SALE ( used no less )

...not available at all at Barnes and Noble.

For fucks sake why ?

I have wanted this whole trilogy even longer than I have wanted " Witchblade" and Sistah knows how long I waited for that one.

WHY ?

WHY ?

WHY ?

Does it make sense to have parts one and two on sale and not the third ?

Why would the final season, arguably the best one ( and there is still some debate as to whether Nick meant to kill Catherine or merely make her a vampire to this day) be TEN TIMES price of the first two ?

WHY ?

I will be ordering the first two and scouring Half Price Books and all other vendors for the last one.

Also making me cranky..this is the 19 'th day of a declared heat advisory for us here....19'th day in a row...considering it is August 24'th and we only had 18 days for all of 2008 or 2009 ..gah.

And the rain that I mentioned yesterday after work...at the Casa ?

NONE !

ZIP !

NADA !

I am going to be working on not the cranky because it really is bad karma and Grey over at Space Paws needs all our purrs and prayers. Miss Lisa says that he has MAJOR liver issues and may have to go to the bridge this week so lets send Lisa, Andrew , Grey and all the furr folk our love and prayers , hugs and headbutts now...they are the best people and among the gentlest souls I know and this is breaking my heart.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

A Sign Of The Times

I think I know this guy.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

If It's Monday ~ It's John Barrowman Time ~!

Happy Monday everyone .

Please send rain.

NAOW >!

We are at the 18'th day of declared heat advisories and the heat index is supposed to hit 110 degrees today...yes Sistah ..110 d-friggan-grees !

Holy shit Batman !

I managed to survive the 3 ring circus, happy and secure in the knowledge that they will be back to grace my life this coming Friday and all the following week up to the Labor Day Weekend .

My Joy Knows No Bounds...Unicorns and Ponies And Rainbows For Everyone !

As I glance out the window, I see that it is dark and gray and stormy and even tho I can actually hear thunder boom booms, I know that the likelihood of us getting any rain at the Casa is slim to none..no...wait....

Andy and Gracie were both kept inside today because of the heat and as we all know, mah boy has a mad aversion to getting his feets or his furr wet in any fashion...

So I may get rain because Bast knows the Gods are not happy unless there is some sort of irony to inflict upon me .

Other than that it was a kind of weird weekend...not in a bad way ..just Baroo ?

SU went over to help his dad with some sort of photoelectric light gizzmo doodad and was over there all Saturday so I was able to get a lot of cleaning done..aka..my ass is not going out in this heat..and then he went to a party ( birthday ) for one of his co-workers. I chose not to go because as I have said..I hear about these Luddite Idiots every DAMN day on the way home and I sure as F don't want to hang with them...um...not only no but hell no.

It did give me a chance to see all of the shows we DVR..like " Burn Notice " ( HOLY SHIT ! ) and so that we cool.

The weird part was that I wasn't on line at all this weekend,

Zip.

Nada.

Nope.

Made a bundt cake ( butter ) and used the last of the ganache ( yum) and threw on some Heath bar bits..because I can..OMG..the best cake evah !

And SU made the grilled shrimp, pineapple and red onion kabobs that was in the Chron recently ( it's the recipe where they are marinaded and then you make a glaze with a marmalade base..um...all good....but needs tweaking...glaze was too thin..but can be saved to use on grilled salmon since there was no double dipping/contamination involved in the cooking/grilling process...run on sentence much ?) ...and so on...

From what I gather except that our Gray needs our purrs and prayers...chanting Lisa...chanting...and Miss Anne had another kabob recipe ( great minds..still love the skewers) ..I missed nothing...

Sometimes a break is necessary.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

TGIF !

Really TGIF.

It looks like the 3 + ring circus that I have been having to babysit is going to wind up today...take next week off till the 27'th and then come in the following week ..up till Labor Day.

Le Sigh.

I don''t know that I can recall a more raucous cluster fuck than this one....screaming, yelling, insolent entitled lil princess legal assistants....I've seen 3 year olds act with more decorum.

And we are still under a heat advisory...so of course Sgt. Panda Pants is muy pissed off that his 'rents made his furry ass stay in today..sorry chucklehead..it is what it is.

No real plans for the weekend except the usual Mt. Maytag and tidivation of the joint while SU has a co-workers B'day party to attend tomorrow afternoon...no thanks dear...I hear about them every day on the way home and have no desire to spend what little free time I have doing the same...I have plenty to do...carry on.

Oh wait..I do have plans for the weekend...I plan on avoiding any bricks and mortar establishment this weekend as it it the back to school tax free shopping weekend....OH HELL NOES !

Have a great weekend.

Ciao ,

Aunty Pol

Between One Place And The Other.

I'm the sort of person who NEEDS to write.

Most of the time I am honest to know that it is drivel...like a better part of this blog.

Don't get me wrong, this blog will not give us world peace or even a pony, it's just my warped point of view with the occasional recipe or cat post or rant oh the day.

When shit pisses me off, I blog it.

When shit makes me bat shit insanely happy , I blog it.

When it hits the mark as too close to home, I may write it, read it and delete it. It gives validity to the feelings of the moment and usually I can move on or at least feel somewhat better and safe in knowing that I didn't put my shit out there or embarrass myself in real life.

Until tonight.

This may sound stupid and I don't care...my blog.

Someone I adore more than my shoes posted a snarky quiz answer about me that just cut me to the soul.

Before I go any further..No SU....I won't say who so just don't ask....asking will piss me off.

I used to not address shit like this...figuring they didn't mean it or I misunderstood it, emphasis on my misunderstanding it as to give the other person the get out of jail free card...aka doormat mode...but no more.

I sent a private reply letting the author know that they had in fact hurt my feelings very much and that I would not take a shot at them in a public forum...because I just WON'T do that.

I will neither troll nor flame.

But I will also no longer let this sort of shit go unaddressed.

And no..I am not going to apologize for the indelicate language.

My Blog.

I am going to take Seneca's viewpoint in that I may not be able to control the events within my life but I will control my response to them and therefore I choose to no longer let shit slide.

Carry On.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Another Useless Twilight Post

I dare you not to laugh out loud.

Carry On !

Aunty Pol

Time To Grab Those Plates !

Remember this guy ?

Gaia help me , I used to love to watch his show..I loved Durante ...Carlin ( wearing a suit back then and a tie when he was partnered with comic Jack Burns ) and most of all I loved Erich Blenn.

Mr. Blenn you see was the plate spinning guy. His theme music was called the " Saber Dance" and the minute that you heard that begin..plates are spinning ! Yes..I was especially entranced with the possibility that one or more would slip and break...cause that's who I am .

This week is a cluster f**k in the way that the Titanic was a mere excursion.

I get to babysit yet another mediation ...and all y'all know that this is my first time at the Rodeo so Aunty Pol is just verklepmt at the idea...

Yes...the lil Princess who is running amok and getting all worked up over shit that is no big deal is about to make me crazy so I will take great pleasure in silently mocking her and her bosses while smiling at the photo of Dakota on my desk....

You see , when I feel the urge to go and grab some C-4 and find the 5'th point of contact, I remind myself...Not in front of Dakota.

It works.

Have a great week....I know you can do it .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

A Day Late And A Dollar Short !

There..my " If it's Monday , it's Barrowman time is in tact, even if it is a day late.

My laugh of the day is a quote on MSN's home page by Stallone about their new movie " The Expendibles" aka..," Old Dudes Who Still Think They Are Hot Shit "..according to the Slyster..Van Damme aka Van Dumb refused to be in the film because he would lose any fight in the film to Jet Li.

Dude..even if you were 20 years younger and in shape and Jet Li was in what ever shape he is in today ..HE COULD STILL KICK YOUR ASS !

Rent " Bullet Proof Monk " you asshat !

Meh !

Carry On .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Yes, John You Are Insane Squirrel

In my family, we don't have issues,,and I so hate that word in this context,,we have volumes.

In this last year my brother had realized a need to move from where he had lived for over 10 years..the need being a rotation of the management company to have either water or power issues at his apt. complex.

For the uninitiated...we live in Houston..no power..no A/C..no way.

He did his due diligence and found another place but as is our custom he let it slip about his cat to the powers that be in the leasing office.

He works sales commissions and is gifted to the point that his gift of bullshit amazes me.

He called me to tell me all of this and truth be told...no one wants to get to the point that their backs are up against the proverbial wall , to the point that their worst nightmare is realized and they have to call family .

Been there, done that.

Anyhoo..I told John that my nephew..Buster the Cat...was not going to be boarded for the length of time that it took John to raise his bail...and we are talking more than a week here .

Not having it.

I loaned him part of the money with the proviso that he didn't need to worry about repayment until Busters bail was satisfied.

John called and was very...you know how sibs are ..verklempt that he had not been in contact recently and worried that I was mad at him.

I told him.." Dude...it's only been 3 months and Busters bail was $600.00.

Get over it.

I know that you are good for what you owe and I respect that you are calling but honey..calm the fuck down,,I know that money is tight and you are commission.

We are cool and I will still make you Red Velvet cupcakes this Sunday.

Chill the fuck out ..I still love you.

Your Older Sister .

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Happy Friday y'all !

I thought since the posts have been thin this week that I would throw up some extra Chuck Findleys ...'cause I'm caring like that .

It's still hotter than Satans Underoos down here and the sinus headache from Hell won't go away..certain co workers of all status levels are losing their Spidy senses because the patience with their ill mannered sense of entitlement, proclivity for out and out bullshit ( and not even good bullshit might I add) and general pain in the assidness is wearing so very thin that they are just blithely unaware that we are on to their sorry asses.

Heh ~!

Not much is going on at the Casa..the usual paw and claw appt and then the brother is supposed to come over..........note to self: Turn on your cell phone tonight...and Red Velvet will be made for him since he is rather down lately...I am sure that I will hear all about it tomorrow...sigh...I'm such a good big sister .

Have a great weekend !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

*This Is Absurd ! *

*Rant Alert *

In todays WSJ , there is a cute photo of a baby girl in jeans, she appears to be about two years old and uber cyoot...and thus having captured Aunty Pols attention, I begin to read the article.

It seems that the GAP has come out with a range of "skinny jeans " for the size 0 ( zero- really ?) to 24 month old set.

Skinny jeans.

Kill me now.

It is bad enough that babies are so overscheduled that for some that for some poor souls,play dates are the closest to a real date that they will ever have. Just sayin....

It's bad enough that kids and for the purpose of this rant I am going to focus on little girls..so bear with me here ...are dressing far beyond their years and becoming baby friggan divas before they even get to pre K , much less kindergarten.

I'm not talking the dreaded tweens ..or back in the Jurrasic ages ( if you are over 50 , this applies...oh yes it does too)..pre teens...they have enough to deal with navigating puberty, tampons and breakouts. Giving your pre teen girl a blackberry, ipod , solar nails , hilites, Prada ( or what ever) bag and her sense of entitlement is well on the way to blossoming.

Do we wonder at the Lilo's or Brit's who have been blessed with talent and given carte blanche until they have no choice but to burn out, blow up and end up in rehab, jail or both ?

We tsk tsk tsk at these poor young ladies ( neither IMHO deserve , nor have they earned the right to call themselves women , having born children or not) and shake our heads at the cards that they have been dealt. Children trying to make it in an adult world without boundries or guidence of any kind , and yet we are all gaga over lil baby women outfits for a two year old. Did anyone step in with the Lilo's or Brits when the evidence of Diva-dom first reared its Medusa like head and dare to just say no ? Bueller ?

I'm not saying don't buy them, if you are stupid enough to spend thirty dollars or more on something that your child will outgrow faster than the national debt..go ahead and buy them. Of course you do realize Hippster Mommy that they are made with out snaps along the inseam for the fast change of the organic nappy that the princess is making faces about don't you ? Didn't think so. Buy them by all means..but..have you thought about the path you are taking here ?

Why in the name or both Gaia and Bast can't we let our babies be babies ? Studies have shown that there are segements of the population where little girls as early as 8 (!) years old are hitting puberty. Do we have to push the rush into adulthood at such a pace that they can look like Brit or Miley or worse yet, the dreaded Olson sisters, possibly face puberty at least 5 years a head of their mothers generation and not wonder why they have no self esteem ?

Yes..I always wanted to be older than I was until I was ...that is true of most of us I think. My parents were smart enough to know that while it is noice to have ones child dressed nicely, they were unconcerned about the fashions of the day. Their job was to raise me and protect me making sure that I got through school and was adult enough to move out and function in the real world..trendy or not.

Buy the skinny jeans if you are so moved...by all means. By focusing in on trends and fashion this early you are being a superior parental unit and planting your own seeds of diva dom. You know that once she highness's hiney has graced the Gap skinny, you won't reduce her expectations by forcing her to wear toughskins or shop at tarjay...will you ? And crush her lil bitty heart ?

No....you are a better Mommy than that..after all , it is her self esteem at stake here .

Calling Bullshit here.

Let her get dirty playing in the dirt...focus on the inside , not the outside....life will judge her soon enough. Let her be a kid in mismatched socks with a shirt tail hanging out ...stuffing her face with a cookie now and then. If she's just learning how to walk..let her run around the house in just a diaper now and then ....it won't kill her.

Don't push her to fast...when she comes to her senses later on and realizes that the skinny jean is just an RX for Monistat waiting to happen...she will laugh hopefully and be grateful that her folks were more concerned about herself worth and interior landscape than her appearence....because the teen tween will run circles around her parents rules soon enough...ask any female you know.....we all had some mad skillz.

Carry on.

Aunty Pol

For Andy From His Proud Mommy !

Mommy is very proud of you sweetie, she really is .

Love,

Your Mommy .

If It's Monday ~ It's John Barrowman Time ~! ~ Pt. 2

LOL..and you thought I forgot the photo of Barrowman , didn't you ?

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

If It's Monday ~ It's John Barrowman Time ~!

A miracle happened at the Casa yesterday.

As you all know , Sgt. Andy Panda Pants does not use the litter box.

Ever.

We have tried.

We have tried and failed.

Due to Super Poopers problems, we have a layer of heavy duty plastic over the area in the front hallway behind the front door ( of course ) that she has "marked " and a litter box .

She uses it.

I think they all use it .

Except for Andy.

Until yesterday.

HE USED THE BOX TO PIDDLE IN .

HE

USED

THE

BOX

I all but screamed with joy at the top of my lungs but stopped myself because he'd haul ass out of there when I spooked him as we all know would happen and then he would invariably associate in his fuzzy little mind his Mommy's scaring him with the fact that he used the box and therefore would never use it again.

I don't know if he will ever use it again or why he did yesterday but a mystery is solved.

I suspect that he has been in fact using it because when we are late there us very little evidence of him having an accident and if he did have an accident he wasn't really punished because after all, we as his parents were the ones that were late and we have the thumbs and so on so I never saw the point of fussing about it all in the first place....run on sentence much ?

And yes, I took a picture of said evidence tho I do not know it it will ever show up here,,,it is enough that his mother has proof.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Oh Like I'm Not Going To Make This !

Lookey at what I found on Tasty Kitchen. !

3 Ingredients

1 Baking Dish


DUH !

This glorious recipe was submitted by Dax Phillips over at TK.


Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes

14 ounces ( 1 can fluid) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips


Spray a baking dish with non stick cooking spray.

In a bowl , combine coconut, condensed milk and chocolate chips .

Mix well and place in prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool and cut.

Devour.


Note: No size was given for the baking dish so I am assuming that I can use my small Corning Ware French White one given the small proportions of the ingredients..


Want to make NAOW !


Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Yeah Bruce Honey..I hear ya.

It's been an okay week over all with except for the most delightful part of my day/routine ...." I have been calling for "so and so" and or his /her department/staff member/associate/admin assistant/secretary ALL WEEK and no one has called me back and it's urgent so I thought I /we would call during the lunch hour thus ensuring an immediate response."

RIGHTY O then

You shall do quite well oh future citizen of the USA in training...it's been my distinct pleasure to listen to your concerns today.....and I mean that most sincerely.

Other than that and the fact that it is still not only hotter than Satan's Underoo's and we are still under a heat advisory..praise the Lord and pass the ammunition..IT"S FRIDAY !

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Ok...This Will Make Me Smile All Day !

'Nuff Said .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

FLUFF !~Part Two ~ Seven Minute Frosting ~

Hands down, above all else this is my favorite frosting on the planet..possibly the Universe even.

Makes enough to fill and frost 2 8 inch or 9 inch layer cakes.

1 Cup Marshmallow Fluff.

2 Egg whites at room tmperature.

1/4 Cup water.

1 Cup Sugar .

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar .

1/8 tsp. salt

t tsp. vanilla extract.

In the top of a double boiler over hot NOT boiling water, combine the Marshmallow fluff, egg whites water, sugar, cream of tartar and salt.

Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form.

Remove from the heat and continue beating until stiff.

Beat in the vanilla.

Frost the damn cake .

Be strong and confine yourself to the beaters and the mixing bowl.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

FLUFF ` ! ~ Part One.~ Never Fail Fudge ~

Anyone remember Fluff ????????

One of the gals that I work with brought in her copy of the official Marshmallow Fluff cookbook for me to read.

Yes...there is a cookbook devoted to all things Fluff Virginia.

I found two recipes for favorites that I am going to post ...it can be ordered from their website: www.marshmallowfluff.com and while also available at Amazon ( I mean really..what isn't ?) the Amazon shipping fee is STUPID $$$$$$..fetgitit Bezos.


Never Fail Fudge:

.Makes 2 1/2 lbs.

One 7 1/2 oz. jar Marshmallow Fluff

2 1/2 Cups Sugar

One 5.33 oz. can ( 3/4 Cup) evaporated milk.

1/4 Cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter.

1/4 tsp. salt.

2 Cups ( 12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips.

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.

1/2 cup chopped walnuts ( optional) .




Grease a 9 inch square pan and set aside.

In a large , heavy saucepan, combine the Marshmallow fluff, sugar, evaporated milk butter and salt. Cook, stirring over low heat until blended and then increase the heat to high and bring to a FULL ROLLING BOIL.

Reduce the heat to meduim high and cook to a low boil stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and the vanilla, stir until the chocolate chips are melted and blended.

Stir in the nuts if using abd pour into the greased pan.

Cool until set and cut.

NOTE: The culprit when people try this recipe and say that it didn't come out is the fact that they did not bring the mixture to a FULL ROLLING BOIL. To test this, drop a small amount of the boiled liquid into a glass of ICE cold water..when cooled , if a soft ball can be formed with your fingets , it's done.


Enjoy.

Ciao,


Aunty Pol

We All Sound Like Our Parents Sooner Or Later ~ Just Accept It And Carry On !

Back in the Dark Ages when I was a kid, we savored Buster Crabbe as " Flash Gordon. " Yes, even then we knew it was all a tad hokey , but hey...if William Hopper aka son of Heda aka Paul Drake could do B grade movies about giant insects or alien invasion, it was all well and good.

Technology then was the promise of flying cars, jet packs and the hope that maybe, just maybe half the shit we saw on the "Jetsons "or " Lost In Space " could really come to pass.

For children of the 1950's with our bomb shelters in the back yard and practice drills for the day that the " Red Menace" would drop the bomb, the idea of the year 2000 was something that you heard in your head being described by that booming voice as " The World Of Tomorrow ".

Technology was supposed to enhance our lives and make it better, not to be taken to the point of the Butlerian Jihad, just easier and therefore more productive.

I am here typing this because of technology. I can DVR programs at home to my hearts content because of technology. I can nuke something because of technology...I love the gadgets.

I really do.

BUT...

That does not necessarily give me the right or worse yet the aura of entitlement that I see around me all day , everyday to both blithely and blindly go through life doing what I want whenever I want ...BECAUSE I CAN.!

Four out of five or some weeks , 5 days a week the SU and I are torn between being irritated, annoyed or just freaked out at the number of times we are nearly hit, sideswiped , t-boned, cut off or generally put in the " Brace for Collision " mode on our commutes both to and from work.

Worse yet is the offender/perps reaction at our less than awe at their talented skills and or in some cases my hand gestures and no I am not talking about flipping them off....they are stunned and offended that we have the gaul to react to their incursion into our physical locale.

ONCE AND FOR ALL...HANG UP, REMOVE THE BLUE TOOTH WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING.

Sir or madame, you may be all things to all people in your world , but you do not have the right to put our lives at risk in the real one because you insist upon being a complete ass. If you happen to be a parent..think about the scenario where it is not my life you endanger...it is your child at risk..

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

My Life

This adorable photo is from Pitter Patter Of Baby Cats .

http://pitterpatsofbabycats.blogspot.com/

This expressions is a perfect representation of my/our lives when we get home.

They can tell time.

I have been home with them and all is well ........they noodle, they play, they sleep, they fight for attention ..but they know when Mommy and Daddy are due home.

I swear that they can hear LOLA turning the corner...we are the second house on the right as you turn.

They know what the garage door opening sounds like .

They know the drill...." Mommy has to change clothes " because I am sure as hell not going to get wet food on the office togs or prance around in mah heels...yes...I really wear 3 1/2 inch heels.

Tiny kittys with the biggest voices...FEED ME >>>>FEED ME NAOW !

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Self Explanitory

My Hearts

I love you .

I need a picture of all of you !

Granty Jane de-cloaking.

Me Likey

I like the new shop...I really do.

I like them enough that I moved my usual Sunday afternoon appt at 2 or 3 at the old shop to 11 am . on Saturdays at the new one.

Do not fall over..yes..I will be up and out of the waterbed in time.

I can ALWAYS go back to bed when I get home if I need a nap.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

For Miranda Jane's Mom and Dad ~!

OXOXOXO

Your Agony Aunty and Miranda's Fairy Godmother..Bippity Boppity Boo.

Aunty Pol

Ok..So It's Not Monday ~ You Still Get The Barrowman !

There..happy now ?

Mea Culpa...Moving on.

It's officially hotter than Satan's Underoos right now. The temp outside that I saw at 4 pm was 99 degrees...no mention of the heat index , thanks be to Bast. I don't want to know . Andy is going to continue to be one po'd kitteh boychik because we refuse to let him out in this heat and even though we both know that he goes to the girls garage..um..no son. You all have seen pictures of him, he is a great big long haired man cat ...again son ...no. Same goes for Gracie Marie. Sorry dear.

Other than that..nothing is going on .

NADA !

I like it.

I'm counting the days till I can get the hell out of here for a few days and have an autumn again tho with my luck it will be a late Indian Summer.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol