Monday Monday

Oye..what a cluster F.

If there is an easy way and a hard way...we ALL know how this one goes..

I have been paying off bills for the past few years in an effort to be one of those weirdos who is debt free. SU and I through some circumstances of our OWN creation got in the hole a bit before he left the road 7 or 8 years ago. For the most part I have been successful and I cannot tell you the joy and sense of accomplishment I feel as they are marked paid in full. It can be done, it is very hard work but it can be done.

Until.........

I have been making payments to one company since August of 2008 , and the debt will be satisfied this August. I send a cashiers check certified mail on the first of the month and I have copies of all documentation.

On Saturday , we got a notice from the USPS that we had some mail to pick up so he goes lickity split off to pick it up.

It consists of 2 certified mails that are being returned to me as they are not forward-able.

WTF ?

SO..here I am first thing this morning trying to contact this company in Abilene....oh goody, the primary number has a disconnected auto response attached to it.

I spend far too much time today tracking down a number to call and deducing whether this account has been sold or transferred.

I get a number and call it .

The young man on the other end says that since I got an attorney involved at inception, I need to get permission from one of the attorneys here for him to speak to me. My original attorney had left the firm so...um..yeah...

I call one of the attorneys here and she is a peach..she calls and gets it all set up.

ALL SO I CAN GET A BLOODY VALID ADDRESS AND NEW FILE/ACCOUNT NUMBER TO SEND THESE YAHOOS MONEY.

Sigh.

And yes...for whatever reason the majority of people at the office ( mine) are still wound tighter than a tick .

At least " Harry's Law " is on tonight .

Oh and if you decide to try that pepper steak slow cooker recipe I posted a week or so back...decrease the salt ( 1 tsp) if you don't use low sodium soy sauce...I thought it was a tad too salty tho SU said he may have been a bit heavy handed when making the rice salt wise.....just sayin. Oh and ..I almost forgot..when I first make a recipe I follow it to the letter....this one called for 2 lbs of sirloin beef cut into strips.....eep!

HAVE YOU PRICED SIRLOIN ???

I'm going to use stew meat or round steak next time.

The recipe was discussed over dinner and the 4 of us ..me..SU, Jere Lee and Cindy decided it was a keeper..Miss Cindy cleaned her plate....lol .

Stay warm and have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

WOOO HOOOOO ! ~ I Promise We Won't Let You Fall Off The Stage !

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville - 2011-05-05 01:00:00 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX

Plotting...planning.....scheming...

So onward !

Thanks for the tip Mindy !

You Rawk

Ciao,

Aunty Parrothead Pol

Marcel's Quantum Kitchen

Wylie Defresne




Marcel Vigneron

Dear SciFi Channel ,

First off let me say for the last time, I will not refer to you in any way , shape or form using the newer logo...it SUCKS massively and eternally.

What is your problem ?

Have the powers that be changed your medication or dosage schedule ?

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FUCKING MIND ?

Well....have you ?

Observe.

The top photo is of Wylie Defresne, the acknowledges father of molecular gastromomy. No one using the phrase molecular gastronomy refers to anyone as the patron saint of this school of thought other than Wylie .

Look it up.

Lather , rinse, repeat.

Look it up.

The second photo is of Marcel Vigneron .

He is NOT the creator of the concept of molecular gastronomy.

Again...he is NOT the creator of the concept of molecular gastronomy.

Lather, rinse , repeat.

And yet...having so permanently lost your programing directional compass as to assume that ECW does still have and will continue to have a place in your genre....you have now given Marcel ( Fucktard to everyone he meets btw) Vigneron a show of his own ...." Molecular Gastronomist ".

I have one word for you :

FOAM.

LEARN IT .

EXPERIENCE IT.

EMBRACE IT .

It's all you're gonna get from this one.

With all apologies to Jim Hensen, I will forever refer to this show here or anywhere else for that matter as :

" Foam In Space..."

Rottsa Ruck There Buckos.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Happy Friday y'all.

It's the weekend where the first Shareholders meeting of the year is scheduled so of course more than half of the folks around here are wound tighter than a tick....and personally speaking, it's way too much fun to watch.

OMG people..take a friggan Xanex or a shot of Cuervo and chill out.

Onward.

I was pleasantly surprised by the SciFi ( NO , I will not use your new logo..it sucks immensely) channels new show " Face Off". It is hosted by McKenzie Westmore which give it instant credibility. Google her last name if you aren't familiar with it and you will see who her family is and their creation of the art of movie makeup. It's a history of Hollywood all on it's own. If you watch any of the other reality shows in this format ( guilty as charged..Runway, Top Chef, Next Food Network Star) you already know the cast of characters...the young one, the shy one , the arrogant one, your average joe or jill...and the sleepers who do not seem to belong then just pass unicorns out of their colons in the 11'th hour.What can I say..movie monsters...count me in...All hail Ray Harryhausen.

And ....the Gravedigger got it big time on "Bones". I have never seen an execution like that before...~SPOILER ALERT ~..She wasn't just shot in the head, they freaking blew her head up...amazing ! Watch it on cable if you can...

I am a very happy girl...mwahahahahahahahahah.

The weather has been freaky down here but no where as bad as for others ( you ok Miss Lisa ..Sistah ?) where it is rainy one minute and cold and then 70 degrees , sheesh. And me being me and a firm believer in retain therapy ( for the win) and since Dillards is having a sale , I was a bad girl. I bought some things that I needed ( yes dear, I do not have many long sleeved sweaters , like we have a lot of days where I would need them ) and it was all 30 % or more off...A Kaspar jacket originally $99.00 marked down to $18.99 amongst other yummies. What can I say ? My birthday is in April and I like to get ahead of the crowds...LMAO.

I'm thinking Swiss Steak for Sunday dinner....off to Kroger..wheeee.

Have a great Weekend.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Afghan Star

http://afghanstardocumentary.com/

I watched this on HBO tonight and I was profoundly blown away.

I would like to think that this has made me re-think the way I see and interact with some of the clients that I deal with every day, I certainly will not see them in the same light.

Yes, we have people that are pushy and rude, condescending to females and just plain irritants.

I get that.

I try and if I am honest, I fail more often than I would care to admit...but I try to chalk that up to human nature on both parts and not as a cultural issue.

Having had friends and family who serve or who have served in the middle east, my understanding was self admittedly limited, more a case of the history channel than actual experience.

I do not hold this documentary out to be the same as an actual life experience , it simply cannot be that .

But the bravery of Setara is profound.

Watch this on your local cable provider or dish or on the net or however you watch television.

You will be amazed , and hopefully like myself you will have learned something.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Jalapeno Crescent Poppers

http://myhomemdelife.blogspot.com/2011/01/companys-coming-cream-cheese-jalapeno.html

I love this .

I love her blog and I have been following this one for a long time.

Go there, make this now .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Sal Esposito - Juror At Large

Considering some of the people I have known, I'd really prefer to work with Sal.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2011/01/17/2011-01-17_cat_is_summoned_for_jury_duty_in_boston_court_rejects_owners_appeal_to_disqualif.html

Well....I'd Certainly Go For This !

Hee Hee.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Oh Noes !

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-music/jimmy-buffett-knocked-unconscious-816289.html?cxntlid=thbz_hm

REALLY !

Mr. B , are you trying to give SU a heart attack ?

Get better Dude, I want to see a Houston date for 2011.

Hugs,

Aunty Pol

Perspective

I've been working very hard lately at keeping things in perspective.

Unfortunately, there are some situations in my life that are rather graphic examples of this but I am not going to go into any sort of details really, for two of them it is their story and not mine to tell.


On the one hand, both of my godsons have new career opportunities that are wonderful for them and I couldn't be prouder of them. they have worked very hard to get to this point, and it seems that the stars lined up for them. This makes me happy.

On the other hand, one of the ladies in my immediate life is dealing with breast cancer and has begun the hell on earth that is chemotherapy. She knows that she has our full and complete support , but again , this is her journey. I am just a cheerleader.

Ofter the paths that we take are of our own choosing. This can go either way and the hard part is knowing the difference. It depends on your perspective . Some of us are clueless, never accepting that the situation that we find ourselves in is of our own making and it will come back to bite us in the end. If you know someone like this, the hard part is to let it play out.Their choice after all.


My life is pretty good right now, home issues ( house ) aside. We have our health, a roof over our heads, jobs, happy pets, food , friends, dear family and enough food to eat every day .

The phrase " Count Your Blessings" may be cliche, it is in my opinion my the way , but as I look around my life, I do count them .

It could have so easily gone the other way.


Have a great week.



Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Seriously Freaking Cool

This is an infra red photo of a garden in Thailand.

I friggan love this.

It may have to become my screen saver at the office.

What do you think of it ?

Ciao,

Aunty Pol.

Monday Monday

Ok..yes, it's January.


And this is the time of the year that gets really ....really crappy.


No..we don't have it at bad as the north east or the north west parts of the country and darlins ...if you live there ...be safe. I actually do care and worry about all y'all more than you realize....but..


IT'S RAINY AND CRAPPY AND WET AND BLEECH HERE AND QUIT IT, ENOUGH....BASTA.

I will have to contend with Andy who has been in all damn day and who does have to go outside to potty...and then there is Miss Gracie Marie who willingly goes out in all conditions....out as far as running out the garage...making a half lap around the side of the house to scream at the back door because she knows.....she JUST KNOWS that Mommy has run out of the stinky goodness and she got the short end of the paw because all of her bubbies and sissys got her share too and there is none left...she KNOWS this...heh.


As if.


It's depressing and icky and enough already..tho truth be told..I am not ready to tackle the garden just yet...I dread those first few weekends.....oh wait...I can PAY Mr. Trejo to weed all the beds and lay down mulch....


COOL !

Have a great week.


Ciao,


Aunty Pol


P.S . Coming up....a really cool infrared photo of a garden in Thailand...check it out y 'all ...it's freaky cool.

And Its Not Even 10 A.M. In The Morning

Ok...Why ?

Why oh why did we gather all of the stupid people in one place ?

I work in the lobby of our office on the 14'th floor. I have a ginormous desk built along the lines of the USS Enterprise..Sushi Bar and all. I also have walls, doors, windows and marble floors , you know , the usual components that make up a BIG ASS SQUARE BOX also known as a building.

I just got a call from one of the overworked and woefully underpaid legal assistants ( old school = secretary ) who asked the following.

Ring Ring

Me: Reception

Her: " Aunty Pol...Can you tell me..Is there no one at the desk on 13 ? I've called there a few times and it's just rang and rang and rang for 5 or 6 times and no one picks up. "

Me: " No, I cannot tell you whether someone is at the desk on 13."

Her : Well, who should be there ?"

Me : " Well...thus and such or so and so or this one or that one...but NO, I cannot tell you who is supposed to be sitting there today...."

BECAUSE I LEFT MY X-RAY GLASSES ON THE NIGHTSTAND AT HOME YOU DIMWIT !

Since , to my ever lasting chagrin, I am not endowed with superpowers , I cannot see though..you know....solid, opaque , filled in objects possessing among other things...density...SO HOW DO I SEE THROUGH MARBLE ??????????

Sigh, and it's only 10:22 a.m. CST.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

A Year Already ?

RIP Mr. Parker.

Sept. 17, 1932 to Jan. 18, 2010.

You are sorely missed at the Casa.


A respectful fan.


Aunty Pol

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

EDIT : UPDATE

We made this on Sunday using the crockpot and after reviewing the results..yes....we actually do that , the decision was that this is a keeper with a few changes.

Most importantly..Sirloin is just too expensive to use in something like this..unless you are comfortable spending $10.00 on the meat alone...I see no reason that round steak or stew meat can't be substituted.

If you don't use low sodium soy sauce, you may want to omit the 1 tsp of salt ( at the bottom of the ingredients list)...I thought it was a tad too salty...and if you add Worcestershire sauce in place of the soy, the same applies..it might be salty.

I used 1/4 beef stock ( heated) in place of the bullion and water..no real difference and as long as the stock is heated, there is no problem with the cornstarch dissolving properly.

It's a keeper.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours.


Ingredients:

2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
Garlic powder to taste.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil .
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 ( 14.5 ounce ) can stewed tomatoes with the juice.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Sprinkle the beef strips with the garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat , heat the oil and brown the beef strips. Remove the beef strips and place in the slow cooker.

Mix the bouillon cube with the hot water until dissolved , then mix in the cornstarch and continue mixing until the cornstarch is also dissolved. Pour over the beef in the cooker then add the onion, green pepper , tomatoes ( including the juice) , soy sauce , sugar and the salt.

Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.


If you prefer more of a garlic taste, rough chop 1 or 2 cloves ( to taste) and saute them with the beef in place of the powder.

If you have sodium issues and can't find low sodium bouillon, adjust the 1 teaspoon of salt..you can add more as needed at the table.

Enjoy .

Ciao,


Aunty Pol

Pork Tenderloin In A Slow Cooker

Prep Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time : 4 hours.

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin.

1 ( 1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix ( I use Liptons)

1 cup water .

3/4 cup red wine .

3 tablespoons minced garlic ( it is really okay to use the minced garlic in the jar here )

3 tablespoons soy sauce ( I use reduced sodium Kikomans)

Fresh ground pepper to taste.

Directions:

Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker with the contents of the dry onion soup packet. Pour the water, wine and soy sauce over the top of the loin , turning the loin to coat. Carefully spread the garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the pork as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve with the remaining liquid as au jus.

I have found that a pork tenderloin cooks very fast so even on low, check the temperature after 3 hrs or so . The internal temperature needs to be around 150 - 155 degrees because after you let it rest, the carry over heat will raise it to 165 degrees which is your target for not having shoe leather...Remember..you can always cook it a bit more if needed.

Enjoy.

Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day ~ Happy Friday ~

Happy Friday everyone...I know , I know....'bout damn time...I hear ya.

As I said, it's been a weird week and one of the weirder parts is something that is bothering me...

EXACTLY how much coverage has been devoted to the passing of Sargent Shriver ?

How much have you seen ?

DAMN little.

In a society that values the fact that Kim Richards has been booted into rehab after the season finale of " RHBH" more than the passing of a great man or the 30'th anniversary of the release of the Iranian hostages....it's just kinda fucked up , that's all .

Sargent Shriver was more than Maria's daddy or Arnold's father in law...look up the history of the Peace Corps or Special Olympics. He had the wit and grace to separate himself and his family from the vainglorious dangers of Camelot and all things Kennedy . I am not naive enough to think that he did not use his political, financial or family connections to facilitate the foundations of the Peace Corps or the Special Olympics , he used his resources at hand to help create something for the good of all . He also worked tirelessly with Lyndon Johnson in the area of civil rights. I have always admired people such as Mr. Shriver and I always will.

Additionally, today is the 30'th anniversary of the release of the Iranian hostages.

Remember them ?

Other than the USS Pueblo, no other hostage crisis comes to mind for the early 1970's. It wasn't a common occurrence, it just didn't happen and it didn't happen to Americans. We lost our isolation with those two events and became a larger part of the global drama . We lost our virginity so to speak...and I will be curious to see how much actual coverage will air tonight and this weekend . Part of this hits home because Pete Bucher was my Godfather and growing up in the military, the idea of our fellow citizens being held was unthinkable . Tomorrow is the 43'rd anniversary of the illegal seizure of the USS Pueblo

by the North Koreans.

Lastly, it is with sadness I have realized that it has been 30 years since my mother died...wow.

It seems so long ago ...and yet..not.

It's been a thoughtful week for your Aunty Pol.

Never fear..more recipes to come...LOL.

Have a good weekend..stay warm and safe.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

For SU...Because I Can.

Thanks for the boost but please don't use my coins.

Thanks.

The Wife Unit

Weirdness And Other Stuff

Ever have one of those weeks where you really haven't got anything to say ?

Been one of those.

Let me start out by saying that we are all fine at the Casa..never fear. While it is true that my step mother is beginning 21 weeks of Chemotherapy, I haven't had any sort of an up date from her and it's her Breast Cancer story so I will respect that. I will give updates of course when appropriate but again..it's her story..not mine and I choose to support and respect her privacy. I know that you all can dig that..nuff said on that one.

It's just been a weird week, and other than the full moon ( oh lookey...a CLUE ! ) , I have no idea what is going on with the office.

Yes, we have been through the annual review and as far as I can tell other than the usual LIARS ( oh I got all excellents/perfects on mine..um....yeah ) there was no blood spilled or mayhem.

People, for the last time, it's like your report card. Unless you are being suspended from school and your ass is in the Principals office...move on. Reviews are a useless waste of managerial time to justify their exalted positions.

The Peter Principal so to speak.

If you are too young to understand that ..google is your friend..use it.

It's just that the mood is weird.

The weather is weird.

January is a drag.

Mardi Gras is a while yet.

Ditto Rodeo.

All Y'all are either boring the crap out of me or trying to work my last nerve...and you haven't a chance in hell of winning..

I have other issues.

Nothing bad , just homeowner shit that will cost a check with a comma and I am bummed out.

But..

Tomorrow is Friday so all is well.

Carry on .

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Another Success

No..Aunty Pol lives..never fear.

We had the annual dinner party Saturday night so after damn near killing myself cleaning the Casa.." No Pol..your mother is not going to be here..calm down...as if that's gonna happen.."

A great time was had bu all tho there were some pre show antics that were close...For once I actually got the shower and dressed bit done early and then he lets on that he told all of the guests to arrive between 5:30 and 6 pm.

HALF AN HOUR EARLIER THAN THE ORIGINAL TIME.

Otay..time to hit panic mode mach 5.

Oh goody...the guest towels aren't dry yet..crappity crap crap crap crap.

Please Gaia, let me find others that are not too ratty to use...pleeeeze.

Whew , okay.

He meanwhile is a tad verklempt because the cream for one of the sauces burned..time to start over..thankfully we overstock.

Every one is used to the dinner being still in the works when they get there and once the wine is opened..wheee.

We have come to the conclusion that we've gotten a bit older when we noticed that the number of wine bottles are less than previous years and that the coffee consumption is more...but oh hella yeah we put the hurt on a couple 3 ( who counts after 6) corks. Bear in mind that this is a dinner party that lasts for a good 5 hours or so . We AREN'T that bad....LMAO.

Great food, good company , and a day off to finish the clean up...I have modest needs. Plus , the Beeb ran a marathon of " Tudors" season 1, so I was a happy girl.

Oh and in case anyone cares, the menu was:

Crab cakes( lump crab meat , NO SALTINES ) served with Beurre Blanc sauce.

Asparagus

Baked Fan cut potatoes

Rustic bread

Salad

Chocolate Cheesecake with fresh raspberries soaked in white rum

Coffee

Assorted Wines

Sounds pretty Hoi Paloi don't it..but it wasn't. The Crazy Cajun and his lovely bride brought all the breads..Croissants too ( SCORE) and the Whitewater Pirates brought the salad. The neighbor gals brought some truly wonderful flowers for the table and we all provided wine.

Mumble years ago , we realized that the holidays are just nuts with every ones schedule and who really needs another " Outback " dinner/gift exchange when we ( SU and I ) would rather have dinner at our house...we LOVE to cook and just hand out with the gang of co-conspirators...SU and I have it down to an art form...He cooks , I clean and do all of the rest of the planning.

We're good at it...in all modesty...LOL .

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

What Fun !

Happy Happy Joy Joy !

Eric the intrepid A/C dude was here at 8 am as promised...yeah.

It seems that SU and I have to completely replace the AC/Heater system.

COMPLETELY .

The heat part of it went out a couple of years ago but since we live in Houston , that is not really an issue except for Rodeo/Mardi Gras time when it gets cold, rainy and nasty. Therefore we use space heaters and crank up the waterbed.

Except..for right now.

Like everyone else..or sort of...we've had a hard freeze for the last 2 nights but no snow.

You see the A/C also went out.

Now imagine you live in Singapore, in the 1930's.

Yup.

We cannot replace the unit until July, which thankfully really isn't all that bad...our worse season is from about the end of August until mid October ...or as we call it..." Kiss your ass goodbye, the bad part of hurricane season is here and how warm is the Gulf right now." The short form being " Oh shit , it's hot."

I suspected, and therefore am deluding myself that I am okay with this. I am home today and tomorrow prep'g the Casa for the annual dinner party so I am working on the delusional..in other words I haven't had the melt down where I realize we are looking at between 9K and 10 K .

Sigh.

Have a great day..off to throw another log in the fire..fire makes me happy..lol.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Chipolte Chicken From Homesick Texan

Roasted Mayonnaise Chicken With Chipolte

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lime zest

2 - 4 canned chipolte chiles ( depending on taste)

1/2 cup cilantro chopped

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

4 chicken legs ( skin on or off your choice)

lime wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a 13 x 9 pan with foil

In a blender mix all of the ingredients ( except the chicken ) until smooth and slightly pink.

Place chicken in the pan ans slather with the mayonnaise mix.

Bake for 50 minutes until juices run clear and the chicken has an internal temp of 165 degrees.

Serve Hot with lime wedges.

I found this on : www.homesicktexan.blogspot.com

Check out her blog..it's wonderful.

I buy chicken leg quarters at Kroger in bulk so I am gonna have to do this one...this and a simple salad and some bread..oh hella yeah.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

The Most Amazing Hot Chocolate In The Known Universe.

In my continuing quest to indulge myself and my friends and share the good stuff Maynard..go to :

www.mamalees.com

This is usually available at the annual " Nutcracker Market" which frankly is a zoo and them some...how Nee Nee and Mama Chrissy survive it every November is beyond me.

But..remember how I posted that I was in the process of putting together ideas for Christmas gifty baskets and so on...well Miss Jere Lee does the most amazing baskets as far as putting them together and wrapping with cellophane...you can't tell that it is not commercially done , and yes she is that picky. I wonder if I made our Vietnamese coffee on the weekends for the rest of the year if she would be willing to help Aunty Pol out..i would of course buy all the stuff...

Hmmm..obsessive...no...not me ...LMAO.

Stay warm.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Orange Cranberry Honey Butter

Orange Cranberry Butter by Missy Drew

1 pound butter softened to room temp.

1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries

1/2 cup honey

1 whole orange..( JUST THE ZEST)

Combine all of the above and mix until well blended.

MUST BE STORED IN THE FRIDGE.

Of course there is a story here.

Jere Lee gave me a jar of this from HEB for Christmas and when I went to the website..it was as I suspected under construction. The company is in New Braunfels and so I thought I would check back.

But then I thought....

How hard can it be ?

So..off I go to my primary go to source of all things yummy...Miss Ree's Tasty Kitchen,..voila.

See , I have this running list of Christmas presents for next year..this stuff...Mama Lees Cocoa mix..

Hey if it works for Oprah..it will work for Aunty Pol.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

BRRRRRRRR Dagnabbit

It is officially friggan cold down here.

We are supposed to have a hard freeze tonight and I woke up cold, even with the water bed turned up a notch and a four pak-o-kittehs on the water bed.

DAYUM...I hate this.

I hate pantyhose...refuse to wear them...have one pack of the Hanes catalog 3 pair per pak sale ass cheapies in an emergency stash that is just this side of use the sharp thing to break glass in case of emergencies deal.

Now that ought to be a triple score in the run on sentence category !

And I have problematic feet..lets just say that closed toe shoes are an issue..I hear ya double oh ..I may get to the footie surgery sooner than not..so of course I have square toed low heel ( yes Sistah..I do have some of those..only 2 inch heels) boots on and owie..owie..owie...

My brain is so froze that I forgot my cigs and the bong lighter on the bathroom counter....

That bears repeating.

I forgot my cigs and the bong lighter on the bathroom counter this morning.

I commonly call a bic or any other throw down lighter a bong lighter so don't go all bat shit crazy on me.

I may or may not cover some of the potted plants...Jere Lee has plastic all over the gazebo to protect hers...I am not so nice...suck it up or die Pilgrim is my motto....they can always be replaced...cept for the Christmas Cactus which will go in the garage..no..it's still rooting...

I understand Snowbirds now.

I wish I was one of them.

Have a safe week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

WTF ?

I'm having a serious "WTF" moment about the whole thing in Arizona.

I was raised with an awareness of firearms and what they can do. My father kept his military issue gun in the house. Gun in location A..bullets in location B. We as kids knew this. We as kids knew this was serious business and had a very healthy respect/fear of this. My father explained in real world terms of what guns did in a permanent way. My father took the time to take me to a gun range and show me what to do in a safe way. When I moved out into my first apartment, my father gave me a legally purchased and registered 22 Beretta. This was for my personal safety and I am grateful beyond words that I never , ever had to use it.

In my first marriage, I married into a family of hunters and gun owners . Guns were to be used in two situations..personal protection and to hunt for food. I went deer hunting for food. Not sport, not fun, not out of boredom or to indulge some personal agenda..food. Killing was done in the most humane way and I do not and will not apologize for this..ever.

Many of our friends have personal firearms. That is their choice.

Over 20 years ago my husband asked me to get rid of my gun. I didn't argue because as he explained it, he had seen enough of what guns did when he served in the Navy and was in Viet Nam. Because I understood/understand this position and I love him, I didn't hesitate to get rid of my gun. I did it legally without regret.

While we do not have a gun in the house , I fully support those who choose to do so so I am a bit WTF over today in Tuscon.

Why ?

What was the shooters point ?

You killed an innocent child among others .

Why ?

This is NOT a gun control issue...this is tragic.

A part of me has sat here for over an hour , debating..post this..don't post..offend or not.

Sorry.

This is not a gun control issue, this is a human tragedy..and before you ask..

Yes...I have been shot at and lived..and I still support the right to own a gun.

AP...decloaking as Jane

Happy Birthday To The Most Beautiful Great Niece In The Known Universe !

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea ,

Unca G and I hope that you have a wonderful day with nothing but sunshine and happiness. We love you and your Mommy and Daddy very much and wish that we could share your day.

I love you more than you know .

OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Granty Jane

Life At The Front Desk: Immediate Assistance

Every so often I find a new blog, usually from linking over from a blog I follow daily. Go over to the sparkling new gem that I have found..you will laugh, mutter oh hell yeah , but be warned..like all of the best it is a coffee snorter...you're welcome.



Life At The Front Desk: Immediate Assistance: "Continuing with my telephone theme... The other day I had a woman call the hotel. I can't remember what she wanted - either she was having..."


Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Adieu Caprica

Oh Caprica, my Caprica....

I missed the first two out of the five episodes, traffic and work being what they are , but never fear...watching on line I will.



For the first part of this piece, please refer to my blog post of October 29 ( 26?) 2010, titled " FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK ".


Part 2.


Dear SciFi,


Alrighty then , you dumb bastards. I will be more than a bit interested to see your numbers for the viewership last night, not to mention revenue sales from your site on the dvds...regardless of their leech filled inflated prices.

Again, to revisit a point....You have cancelled one of the better written shows in recent memory .


WHY ?


FRAK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


It is rare for viewers to become emotionally connected to a story line so quickly even though the original " Tron " is a notable exception..." Legacy" is another issue . It was a leap of faith for my generation..remember us..fans with income to spend and little gray cells that actually fire off now and then ....to accept a re-make of " Battle Star Galactica." Hands were wrung, teeth were gnashed ,,,and yet we gave it a chance because more than a few of us had faith that the network smart enough to have Harlan Ellison on at one point..aka YOU would also be smart in their approach. We even forgave , then accepted the gender change for Starbuck. We embraced Kara Thrace. We wanted Adama to recognize and act upon his feelings for Rosslyn. We tolerated Baltar as a necessary evil and eventually forgave and empathised with Saul. This was due to the quality of the actors involved , but even more than that..it was due to the superior quality of writing that Mr.Moore and Mr. Eich produced week after week. We..okay...I cheered when they made it to Earth, wrapped my brain around the idea that Kara Thrace just MIGHT be an angel and cried when Adama described the house he envisioned for his now dead beloved, Laura Rosslyn.

YOU FRAKKING MADE US CARE, YOU BASTARDS !

I even forgave you for that piece of crap " The Plan" or as I called it " The Plotz".


Then came " Caprica".


It was a slow start to be sure, but sure enough, we were engaged. The story line was clever and even brilliantly answered some of the questions a viewer might have had over the years. The casting was brilliant, especially Meg Tilly as the Reverend Mother.


And once again you made us care about two families, the Greystones and the Adama's .

The name Adama to my generation is mythic, it's like Cartwright or Walton or Engles. You care about them, they are the better version of our own families and it shows. Many of us had fathers like Bill Adama, hard ass to the core , but with a loyalty that you never doubt and the biggest heart out there. It was natural to wonder about him as a child and youth , given that the last few episodes of Battle Star had some clever " memory " scenes of a young Adama with Saul Tigh .


AND YOU FRAKKING CANCELLED IT.


The final episode last night was very good though it felt a bit rushed at the final montage...it was a nice bridge..but still...


YOU FRAKKING CANCELLED IT.


I can't wait to see what you do to " Being Human."


For a network that fails to grasp that a remake of an ORIGINAL BBC production currently airing is NOT an ORIGINAL NEW PROGRAMING OR AN ORIGINAL NEW SHOW !


Given the low quality of a majority of your programing, ( Sanctuary, Eureka and Warehouse 13 are notable exceptions) I will buy and watch Caprica rather than the ECW shite on your schedule.

I am your worst nightmare.

I am an ardent, articulate, educated fan of science fiction and fantasy with money to spend.

Guess what magazine I won't be renewing ?


That's right...yours.


FRAK YOU.


Aunty Pol

You Had To Be There .

Well for the most part New Years weekend was nice and quiet. Hisself went traipsing over the the Cajuns for a small par-tay..I as is my custom , stayed at the Casa..I really HATE going out on New Years Eve, and Hisself knows that if he is going to be out and about on this night ( and St Pat's for that matter) he'd better have a place to rack out....he is not on the road..not for any reason. He knows the wisdom of this and happily complied. I watched the Divine one on HBO and tho I tried to turn in before pumpkin time..the little rat bas....oops...neighbor youth had fun and frivolity ALL DAMN NIGHT LONG...needless to say all of dah kittehs were with Mommy in the water bed.

There wasn't a lot to watch on the t slant v as my father used to call it the next day until I ran across an all day marathon on CMT of ...wait...wait..."Dallas".

I nearly died laughing at one episode that I don't recall every seeing all of . It seems that as usual JR and Ray Krebs are catting around Waco and leave a couple of bimbo's in a motel..tho looking at these women..um...bimbo is a kindness, think lot lizard...go look it up....I'll wait.

Off they go back to Braddock ( which is where they actually reside it seems but is not as catchy as DALLAS - woo hoo) and the 2 obviously cuckolded husbands arrive to fetch their wimmens who have been wronged....wronged I say , by 2 city slickers..one of whom ( JR ) is stupid enough to have overlooked a Ewing Oil Bidness card on the astroturf...oops..I meant to say carpet. Fan girl note...Brian Dennehy was one of the good old boys....wheeeee.

Anyhoo...amidst a case of hauling ass/hot pursuit to SouthFork....Lawdy Jeebus....there's a HURRICANE headed their way.

This dearhearts is where I friggan lost it I was laughing soooo hard...dare I say it...I almost pee'd.

Having lived down here for almost 30 years and having been through a good deal of my beloved homes vast real estate...including Dallas....and more to the point having been through more than one ACTUAL MOTHER LOVING FORCE OF NATURE HURRICANE...that you non native types may call IKE..really....it's fine with me....I F'g lost it.

Wind.....dust...dirt...no debris in what passes for the downtown headquarters of Ewing Oil....they must have a better grade of tempered commercial glass than we do here ...send a memo to Chase Morgan over at 600 Travis...thankyouverymuch...shit blowing so hard I expect to see Toto any minute......

And yet at the time this aired , starting in 1978 ( I didn't live here YET)m ...It would be 3 more years before I got here..but even I knew better.

What was also interesting because you all know me..research monkey girl of the universe...Linda Gray ( Sue Ellen ) was up until this episode in particular , not considered a full cast member..her role consisted of mainly being shitty to Pam and cooing " Yes, My Darling " in an snark fest to JR...this episode which was actually a showcase for Sue Ellen role kept her on in an ever expanding fashion .

What can I say...I'm easily entertained.

SYFI channel is running the last 5 original eps of " Caprica" tonight begining at 5 pm central so I'll be dvr'ng....for my reaction to the cancellation ..see the post dated Friday October 29, 2010 titled " FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK " ..I am still pissed off.

Have a great week.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

It's About Time

Well, it's about damn time.


Stan Lee is FINALLY getting his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.


Way to go Mr. Lee !

From A Happy Fangirl.



Ciao,

Aunty Pol